A picturesque tropical garden, a fragrant paradise off the coast of the Indian Ocean - this is how we know Thailand. The book you hold in your hands will not destroy this fabulous image, but will deepen it and fill it with new colors. After all, this country, which was previously called by the magical name Siam, has an ancient and fascinating history. Here the spiers of Buddhist monasteries rise to the sky, where hundreds of thousands of monks strive; here the traveler can expect to encounter masterpieces of architecture and lacquer painting, with unforgettable theatrical performances..CONTENTS:IntroductionSiamGeography of SiamReliefClimateFauna and floraRole of the central plainPopulationCapitalHistorySiam before the arrival of the SiameseThe Siamese go down in historyMain chronologyPolitical and social structureRoyal powerSocietyRoyal familyClasses of Siamese societySymese government of the kingdoms omLegal and judicial systemsFinancial systemArmyEconomic lifeAgricultureNatural resourcesCraft productionTradeUnits measurementsMoneySiameseTimeCalendarAstronomy and astrologyTesting timeSiamese DayReligionThai Theravada BuddhismMonasteriesFolk religionBrahmanismRoyal and folk religious festivalsLiteratureSiamese languageLiterary worksMaterials used for recordingsArtArchitectureSculpturePaintingArts and craftsMusic and danceEntertainment YeniaCommon folk entertainmentRoyal entertainmentTheaterTravelCountry holidayPrivate lifeSiamese namesDwellingsFamily, wife, childParental rights and the role of womenDivorceInheritanceSexFoodHealth and medicineUpbringing and educationClothing and jewelryBiographical informationBibliography