Week5

Languages in Thailand

        The Thai language is comprised of 44 consonants, 32 vowels and five tones in Thai pronunciation, along with a script that has Indian origins. The Thai language, belonging to the Tai family, is the main language in Thailand although there are several regional dialects as well. Other languages spoken in Thailand are Chinese, Lao, Malay and Mon-Khmer, while English use is becoming more prevalent in government and commerce. English is also being taught as a second language in secondary school and universities, which enables the English speaking visitor in Thailand to have little trouble conversing.
                        Thai is the language spoken most often in Thailand; however, you will see English in most businesses and volunteer organizations as well. Numerous apps, phrasebooks, and downloads are available to help even the most inexperienced volunteer learn some basic Thai phrases. Thai people are accustomed to tourists, so do not be afraid to try and speak the language; more often than not they will know what you are trying to say, and will appreciate your effort.

Week4

Climate

                Thailand is almost always humid and hot, though the country does have three seasons. Summer in Thailand runs from March through June, and temperatures can soar into the 100s. Rainy season runs from July to October and brings intense downpours. The cool season runs from November through February and is the most favorable. Many people drink hot tea and coffee to cool down — it sounds odd, but it works.

Thailand Weather & Climate

                Thailand's tropical climate is characterised by high temperatures and humidity throughout
the year. April and May feature the hottest temperatures while the weather in June sees the monsoon pattern bringing heavy rain through to October.

              November to February is the best time to visit Thailand as the weather is relatively mild and sunny with humidity levels dropping and temperatures cooling from the North East breeze. Thailand's average climate ranges from 30°C at its lowest in December and up to 36°C from January to April. Rainfall generally averages from 5mm in December to 300mm in September in central parts of Thailand.

                 Light cotton clothing that is not too revealing is recommended year round when visiting
Thailand. There are also plenty of retailers who can recommend and provide suitable clothing at an affordable price.

Thailand Annual Average Climate

Averages	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Rainfall (mm)	28.3	23.1	40.7	85.3	183.9	177.2	196.4	219	252.7	190.9	125.1	57.8
Temp (°C)	24.1	25.8	27.7	29.2	28.7	28.1	27.6	27.4	27.2	26.7	25.5	24.1
Min Temp (°C)	18	19.8	21.9	23.8	24.3	24.2	23.8	23.8	23.4	22.6	20.8	18.6
Max Temp (°C)	30.4	32.1	33.8	34.7	33.4	31.4	31.6	31.2	31	30.9	30.2	29.7

Week 3

Holidays

Main article: Public holidays in Thailand

               Important holidays in Thai cultureinclude Thai New Year, or Songkran which is officially observed from 13–15 April each year. Falling at the end of the dry season and during the hot season
in Thailand, the celebrations notoriously feature boisterous water throwing. The water throwing stemmed from washing Buddha images and lightly sprinkling scented water on the hands of elderly people. Small amounts of scented talcum powder were also used in the annual cleansing rite. In recent decades, water fights have been increasingly industrialised with use of hoses, barrels, squirt guns, water-filled surgical tubing, and copious amounts of powder.

Loi Krathong is held on the 12th full moon of the Thai lunar calendar, usually early-November. While not a government-observed holiday, it is nonetheless an auspicious day in Thai culture, in which Thai people "loi", meaning "to float" a "krathong", a small raft traditionally made from elaborately folded banana leaves and including flowers, candles, incense sticks, and small offerings. The act of floating away the candle raft is symbolic of letting go of all one's grudges, anger, and defilements so that one can start life afresh on a better footing.

National Elephant Day or Chang Thai Day is a holiday in Thailand, held on March 13, which celebrates the cultural and historical significance of the elephant in Thailand.

                       

                  The Songkran festival                                                             Loi Krathong

Culture of Thailand

            

           Thai dining etiquette refers to the traditional and proper behaviors of Thai people while eating. Since Thai society has a lot of big families, so having a meal together and sharing the food between members of the family is Thai traditional dining style. Generally, Thais eat rice as the main food and share the rice side dishes with one another.

Traditionally, in Thailand, people have a meal on the floor mat and eat the food with their right hands. The rice dishes are on the outer circle while the shared dishes are in the center of the circle with shared spoons to transfer the side dish food to their own rice dish.

http://blog.takemetour.com/thai-eating-etiquette/

            Ways of serving food in Thailand

There are two main ways to serve Thai food, “Raad Kao”, individual dish and “Gap Kao”, separate dish.

• Individual Dish

In the past, Thai people had large families. Due to the difficulty of eating together at the same time, placing the rice side dish and the rice on the same dish and serving individually is to some extent supplanting the traditional Thai dinning style.

• Separated Dish

The rice side dishes are separately served with the rice (not same dish). Normally, this style is suitable for eating with others. The shared rice side dishes are in the center of the circle. Each has their own rice while the side dishes are shared by transferring them with the shared spoons to the individual rice dishes.

https://image.slidesharecdn.com/tablemanner-110714004838-phpapp01/95/thai-table-manners-60-728.jpg?cb=1310605248

https://image.slidesharecdn.com/tablemanner-110714004838-phpapp01/95/thai-table-manners-67-728.jpg?cb=1310605248

Korean game "Jwibulnori"

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