10th December: Thailand Constitution Day

Thailand commemorates its first constitution in 1932. Since the first constitution in 1932, Thailand has had 19 constitutions and charters.

1. Thailand’s name in the Thai language is Prathet Thai, which means “Land of the Free.” Since the 1800s, it has repeatedly switched back and forth between Siam (Sanskrit meaning dark or brown) and Thailand.
2. Thailand is the only country in south-east Asia that has never been colonised by Europeans.
3. The current king is the world’s longest reigning monarch, Bhumibol Adulyadej, who became King Rama IX in June 1946. He was born in the U.S. in 1927 when his father was studying medicine at Harvard. He owns a patent on a form of cloud seeding and holds a degree in engineering from Switzerland. He also plays the sax and composed Thailand’s national anthem. While on the subject of kings, the film and play, The King and I are banned in Thailand, because it is seen as insulting to the historical King Mongkut, upon whom the story is based.
4. Bangkok is the capital and largest city; a lesser known fact is that the full ceremonial name of the city is Krungthepmahanakhon Amonrattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilokphop Noppharatratchathaniburirom Udomratchaniwetmahasathan Amonphimanawatansathit Sakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit, meaning “City of Angels, Great City of Immortals, Magnificent City of the Nine Gems, Seat of the King, City of Royal Palaces, Home of Gods Incarnate, Erected by Visvakarman at Indra’s Behest.” and is the longest place name in the world.
5. Thailand is home to 10% of the world's animal species, and there are a number of natural record-breakers here, too. In Thailand, you can find the world's largest fish (Rhincodon typus, or whale shark 12 metres long); the world's longest Snake (the reticulated python, up to 33 feet); the world's longest venomous snake (King cobra, up to 18 feet); the largest lizard (the monitor lizard, up to 7 feet long) and, at the other extreme, the world's smallest mammal, the Craseonycteris thonglongyai (or bumble bat).
6. Thailand’s highest point is Doi Inthanon (8,415ft/2,565m above sea level) in the Thanon Thong Chai mountain range.
7. The Thai alphabet has 32 vowels and 44 consonants.
8. Thailand is the world's largest producer of Rice, orchids and Tin.
9. In Thailand, it is illegal to criticise the royal family, go out without underwear, drive without a shirt or tread on any Thai currency. It's also a cultural no-no to touch anyone's head, not even a child, or sit with your feet pointing at another person or at a statue in a temple.
10. Siamese cats are from Thailand. In Thailand, they are called wichen-maat, meaning “moon diamond,” and at one time there were 23 different breeds of them, but today there are just six. They are seen as very lucky and pairs of them are sometimes given as wedding gifts.