Thailand History Guide

The Great King of Thailand

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King of Thailand : King Rama 9

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Modern Thailand

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Thailand’s recent history has been marked by funher military coups, successful and otherwise, but it has also enjoyed steady economic and social progress, particularly during the eight-year premiership of General Prem Tinsulanonda (1979-88). The local communist insurgency, at its strongest in the 1970’s, is largely ended, relations with neighboring countries have been improved, and democratic institutions have gained increasing support among the general population. At the same time, Thailand has achieved the status of a “Newly Industrialized Country”, with manufactured exports now exceeding agricultural produce in terms of national revenue.

Modern Thailand

There was an apparent setback national development in May 1992, when bloody riots forced the resignation of the non-elected Prime Minister General Suchinda Kraprayoon and damaged the country’s international image of stability, On the other hand, many knowledgeable observers saw this as an encouraging sign that predominantly middle-class rioters succeeded in their aim of resisting traditional military dominance in political affairs. Over the past decade, there have been a series of democratically elected goverments without military interference. These peaceful elections have been held in spite of an unprecedented economic upheaval which began with a devaluation of the Thai baht in 1997 and eventually spread through most of Asia. In Thailand, the effects have included tbe closure of many finance companies, banks, and manufacturing plants, resulting in a host of social problems and. particularly in Bangkok, scores of unfinished building projects that were started during the boom period. A bail-out effort by the International Monetary Fund, together with positive steps by the government. put the coumry on the road to recovery by the beginning of 2000; but many feel it will be some time before the Thai economy regains its true momentum.

Modern Thailand

A unique Monarchy : King Bhumibol Adulyadej (King Rama IX)

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One of the outstanding forces in contemporary Thailand is the monarchy that has evolved under King Bhumibol Adulyadej following his official coronation in 1950. Though theoretically operating under constitutional limitations similar to those that apply in Britain, the king has achieved an imposing moral authority rivaling that of his absolute ancestors, largely through an extensive network of royally initiated programs aimed at rural development. Today the king and other members of the royal family spend much of the year outside Bangkok, overseeing such projects as crop substitution for northern hill tribes to replace their traditional opium poppy and improved water resources in the arid northeast. The great respect earned through these endeavors has enabled the king to act as a decisive mediator in times of severe civil unrest, particularly during the student revolution of 1973 and, even more dramatically, during the political upheaval of 1992 when he made an unprecedented television appearance to effect a compromise between the opposing groups.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej

Thailand in Tumultuous Times

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The next three decades saw a number of coups and counter-coups. Accused of complicity in the death of the king, Pridi was forced into exile by Pibul. Though Pridi attempted two comebacks, in 1949 and 1951, both ended in failure and he retired first to China and finally to France. Pibul remained in power until he, too, was overthrown by Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat in 1957 In October 1973 Thai students staged a series of massive demonstrations that overthrew the military government and sent its leaders into exile. Three years of chaotic democracy ensued, but in 1976, alarmed by the unrest and by the fall of Indo-China to communists, rightist elements returned to power in a violent coup in which several hundred students were killed.

King Ananda Mahidol : King Rama VIII

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On June 9,1946, the young King Ananda was found shot dead in his room at the Grand Palace during a visit from Switzerland. His younger brother thus came to the throne as King Bhllmibol Adulyadej, Rama IX. in circumstances that were both tragic and politically explosive.

King Ananda (King Rama VIII)

The Pacific war : World War Two

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In 1940, following the fall of France, skirmishes broke out along the borders of Thailand and Indo-China which resulted in the return of areas in Laos and Cambodia to Thailand thc following year. Upon the outbreak of the Pacific War on December 8, 1941, Japan demanded free passage through southern Thailand for its attack against British territories. Unahle to resist, Pibul granted permission and, further. issued a declaration of war against Great Britain and the United States in January 1942. A Free Thai underground movement was organized by Prjdi during the war, not only bringing him back to power but also enabling Thailand to avoid being treated as an enemy nation following Japan’s defeat.

Power Struggles : Luang Pibulsonggram & Pridi Panamyong

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The two dominant figures in Thai politics during the 1930’s were Luang Pibulsonggram, later known as Field Marshal Pibul, and Dr. Pridi Panomyong. Both men were educated in France. These two leaders held different views on many issues and were in frequent conflict. By the end of the decade, Pibul had become the country’s Prime Minister and Dr. Pridi had held several senior posts, including that of Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Luang Pibulsonggram and Pridi Panamyong

End of The Absolute Monarchy in Thailand

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King Rama VI’s successor, Rama VII inherited numerous economic and social problems. On June 24, 1932, a small group of foreign-educated military officers and civil servants staged a coup d’etat calling for a constitutional monarchy. The king, who had already been thinking along such lines himself, granted their request. Later, he became disillusioned and abdicated in 1935, spending the rest of his life in England. Prince Ananda Mahidol, then a boy of 10, was named his successor and a regency council was appointed until he completed his studies in Switzerland.

King Rama VII

King Rama VI to Modern Leaders

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The first Thai ruler to be educated abroad, King Rama VI continued many of the reforms initiated by his father. In 1913, a law was passed requiring Thai citizens to have surnames for the first time; the first university, Chulalongkorn, was established in 1917; the country entered World War One on the side of the Allies; and unequal treaties with Western powers wer renegotiated in Thailand’s favor.

King Rama VII

CONTEMPORARY HISTORY OF THAILAND

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In 1910, at the time of King Rama V’s death, Thailand had become a modern nation recognized by the Western world, its boundaries apparently more or less secure. The following 80 years, however, were to be turbulent and marked by momentous events both inside the country and beyond.

The 19th Century of Lanna Kingdom

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Independent but impoverished, 19th-century Lanna was governed by the family of Kawila, nominally a vassal of Thailand, but in fact autonomous. Not until 1874 was a Thai High Commissioner sent to administer the north and during the reign of King Rama V the region was slowly incorporated into the Thai kingdom. Laos, east of the Mekong, annexed by King Rama I during the Burmese War, was ceded to France in 1893, following a show of force by gunboats.

Chao Kaew Nawarat, last king of Chiang Mai

The Burmese era

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In 1615, the Burmese King of Ava reestablished control over Lanna, which lasted for more than a century. Actual Burmese presence in the north, however, remained minimal and had very little effect on most of the population. The darkest period in the history of the north began with the rebellion of General Thip, who defeated a Burmese army and proclaimed himself King of Lampang in 1727. His successors eventually ruled in the 19th century, but before that, the King of Ava sent army after army into Lanna and Siam. After the fall of Ayutthaya, Kawila of Lampang and King Taksin of Thonburi joined forces against the Burmese. Having reconquered Chiang Mai in 1776, however, the Thais were forced to abandon the impoverished city. Lanna and Laos were decimated by the endless war; towns such as Chiang Saen, Luang Prabang and Vientiane, previously spared by the Burmese, were destroyed by the Thais to prevent their recapture. The strain, accumulated over many hard-fought battles, took its toll on Taksin and affected his mental health. He becamc eccentric and cruel toward his subordinates. In 1782, an elite group of officials led by Phya San rebelled, forcing Taksin to abdicate.

The Burmese invasion

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Quarrels over the possession of a powerful talisman, and image of the Buddha, led to a Burmese invasion in 1558 and Lanna became a vassal state of the King of Pegu, governed by Burmese-appointed rulers. king Naresuan of Ayutthaya, fighting the Burmese who and invaded Siam, expelled these rulers from Lanna in 1598 and for the next 17 years Ayutthaya remained the dominant power in the north.

The old walls of Chiang Mai

The golden age of Lanna

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The 15th century saw the flowering of the Lanna kingdom, which was powerful enough to host an international buddhist gathering in 1455. Trade, art and education flourished, despite the occasional feudal battles between vassals and princes. The west bank of the Mekong (today parts of Laos, Burma and Thailand) was also ruled by the King of Lanna.

Lanna

King Mengrai

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Unification of the small northern principalities was achieved by King Mengrai, a Ngong Yang chief of mixed Thai and Lawa blood. Embarking on a grand scheme for conquering the whole region, he founded Chiang Rai, seized Haripunchai in 1292, annexed Payao and, in 1296, founded his new capital of Chiang Mai. He thus established the powerful Lanna kingdom, which was to last for 600 years before being annexed by Siam. For a considerable period, toward the end of the kingdom, it was in effect under Burmese or Central Thai control.

Haripunchai (Lamphun)

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Mon immigrants from the Dvaravati kingdom of Lopburi founded the city of Haripunchai in the 7th century, as well as a string of fortified towns around it. Devout Buddhists, the Mons were a key force in the conversion of the Thais in the north and Haripunchai remained and important cultural center for centuries.

Haripunchai (Lumphun)

Lanna Kingdom

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Northern Thailand, which has a history largely independent from the rest of the country, appears to have been populated by different groups of Thais, who assimilated with local inhabitants and settled in the fertile valleys of the north around the first millennium. Present-day Chiang Saen was the seat of the Ngong Yang kingdom, and was one of the main centers. Chiang Saen and Payao, another center, were both in contact with India, through Burma, and traded with the Srivijaya empire. The decline of the latter led to the emergence of a trade route to Chaina and ultimately to the birth of a powerful kingdom in the north.

Siamese Kingdom : Time line

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1245

Jean de Plancarpin travels to Karakorwn.

1253

Guillaume de Rubrouck travels to Karakorum.

1274

Death of Thomas Aquinas.

1276

Arrival of Marco Polo in China

1279 – 1368

Yuan Dynasty.

1338

Beginning of the Hundred Years Was between England and France.

1348

Black Death reaches Europe.

1368 – 1644

Ming Dynasty.

1492

Christopher Columbus discovers the American.

1602

Foundation of Dutch East India Company.

1644 – 1911

Qing Dynasty.

1762 – 1796

Reign of Catherine II of Russia.

1787

American Constitution drafied.

1789

The French Revolution.

1804 – 1814

Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor.

1868 – 1912

Meiji Peiod in Japan

1869

Suez Canal opened.

Chakri Dynasty

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In March 1782 a revolt broke out against King Taksin, who was thought to have become insane. He was replaced by a prominent military commander who, as King Rama I, founded the Chakri Dynasty and, for strategic reasons, moved the seat of government across the Chao Phraya River to a small trading port known as Bangkok. King Rama IV, or King Mongkut, is best known as the hero of The King and I.

King Mongkut

To the Thais, however, he is remembered as on of the most far-sighted Chakri rulers, who negotiated important treaties with European powers, introduced modern sciences, and set his kingdom on the part to reforms that undoubtedly helped save it from the colonial fate that befell all its immediate negighbors. During his reign from 1868 to 1910, King Rama V, or King Chulalongkorn as he is better know, carried his father’s reforms further. He abolished slavery, reorganized the governmental system, and built the first railways.

RAMA V Surrounded by his family, this portrait was painted by the Italian artist Gelli.

The first Thai king to visit European capitals, Rama V also sent most of his sons abroad for futher education Foreced by France to concede some of his territory to Cambodia, Rama V also had to relinquish sovereignty over Laos. Thus he was able to preserve his country’s independence.

Thonburi

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The fall of Ayutthaya

Shortly after King Ekatat assumed the throne in 1758, Ayutthaya was attacked once more by the Burmese under King Alaungpaya. A second invasion led by Alaungpaya’s son, Hsinbyushin, succeeded in capturing Ayutthaya, after a siege lasting more than a year. The city was burned and looted by the victors and more than 30,000 of its inhabitants were taken to Burma. Son of a Chinese father and a Thai mother, the future King Taksin was a military officer at the time of Ayutthaya’s fall. Within seven months he managed to rally Thai forces, expel the Burmese from the ruins of the city, and establish a new capital at Thonburi, further down the Chao Phraya River.

Ayutthaya

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The Rise of Ayutthaya.

Avulthaya was founded on the Chao Phrava River by King Ramathibodi in 1350. Over the next four centuries, it grew from a small, fortified city into one of the great capitals of the region, its power reaching far beyond the fertile river valley. The capital fell to the Burmese in 1569, but less than two decades later regained independence under lhe able leadership of the future King Naresuan, who proceeded to extend its rule over most of the southern peninsula, the north, and both Cambodia and Laos. Relations with Europe began with a treaty between Siam and Ponugal in 1516. The Dutch received permission to build a trading station in 1604, followed by the British in 1612. By King Narai’s reign in 1656, Ayutthaya already had a cosmopolitan populalion of nearly a million.

The first French Catholic missionary arrived in Ayutthaya in 1662, joined by others two years later. Given land on which to build churches and schools by King Narai, they became an important force in relations between the two countries. The first Thai embassy sent to France was lost at sea in 1681, but a second arrived safely in 1684 and formally requested a French mission to Ayutthaya. The first of these missions arrived in 1685, headed by the Chaumont; a second arrived two years later. A Thai embassy accompanied the first on its return to France, and was received at the court of Louis XIV. Following the death of King Narai in 1688, conservative elements assmed control and expelled many Europeans during the latter part of Ayutthaya’s rule.

Ayuthaya

The first Thai embassy sent to France

Sukhothai

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Power Struggle in Sukhothai.

In lhe first half of the 13th century, probably in the 1240’s, a Thai chieflain later known as King lntradit joined forces with several Other groups, overthrew the Khmer overlord at Sukhothai, and established an independent Thai kingdom of the same name. Sukhothai remained small under its first two rulers; it expanded dramatically, however, during the reign of King Ramkhamhaeng, exerting either direct or indirect power over much of present-day Thailand through force and strategic alliances. Ramkhamhaeng is also credited with devising the Thai alphabet as well as a paternalistic system of monarchy that is regarded as ideal even to this day. Aside from its political achievements, Sukhothai is also remembered for its superb Buddhist art and architecture, which were distinctively Thai, and which are still considered the finest ever created in the country. Also notable were the beautiful ceramics produced first at Sukhothai and later at the satellite city of Si Satchanalai. Sukhothai’s empire began to fall apart rapidly after Ramkhamhaeng’s death and by 1320 it had once more become a small kingdom of little regional significance. By 1378 it had become a vassal state of Ayutthaya.

King Ramkhamhaeng

Prehistory : Time line

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3000 BC	: First civilizations in Mesopotamia.

2700 – 2300 BC	: Egyptian pyramids of Kheops, Khephren and Mykerinos built.

1765 – 1122 BC	: Shang Dynasty.

566 – 486 BC	: Buddha.

219 BC	: Hannibal crosses the Alps.

The First Millennium : Time line

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27 BC – AD 14	: Foundation of the Roman Empire.

AD 330	: Foundation of Constantinople.

AD 395	: Fall of the Roman Empire.

AD 518 – 907	: Tang Dynasty.

AD 571 – 632	: Mohammed

AD 762	: Foundation of Baghdad.

AD 800 – 14	: Reign of Charlemagne, Holy Roman Emperor.

AD 960 – 1274	: Sung Dynasty.

AD 1066	: The Norman Conquest in England.

AD 1096 – 9	: The First Crusade.

Migration of the Thais

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It is thought that in the II th century AD Thais migrated in large numbers from Yunnan in southern China, driven by a desire for greater independence and better farmland. They formed two groups of kingdoms, in the north near the Mekong River and further south at the edge of the Chao Phraya River valley.

Migration of the Thai

Khmer Empire

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In the 7th century AD rhe rising Khmer Empire began to extend its power over the northeastern region. By the 11th century it had reached the Chao Phraya River valley. The great period of Khmer monument building commenced with the reign of Suriyavarman I (AD 1002-50). The principal religion in the early centuries was Hinduism. which was replaced with Mahayana Buddhism by the late 12th century. Khmer power began to wane in the 13th century.

Dvaravati

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What is traditionally called the Dvaravati Period extends from the 7th to 11th centuries AD; a more accurate name might be Mon, for during this period, several Mon kingdoms rose in central Thailand, first at U Thong near the subsequent Thai capital of Ayutthaya, and later at Lopburi and Nakhon Pathom. All three were centers of Theravada Buddhism, the sect eventually adopted throughout the century. The Mons eventually succumbed to the more powerful Khmers.

Wheel of the law

Srivijaya

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Beginning in the 8th century AD a new, more warlike empire called Srivijaya was established in the southern peninsula, originating from Sumatra. It remained the principal force in the region until the 13th century. Many historians disagree about the exact cemer of the empire, but one of its important centers was Ligor, or Nakhon Si Thammarat. Wholly Hindu at first, Srivijaya later also practiced Mahayana Buddhism and beautiful images were created for both religions.

Votive tablet of the Srivijaya era

The First Millennium

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In the 1st century AD, Indian merchants began arriving in peninsular Thailand in search of new products to trade. They brought with them Indian ideas of art, architecture, religion and government that dominated the south over the next five centuries and later spread to other parts of the country. At first Hindu images were produced, but, from the 5th century onward, Buddhist images appeared in greater numbers, reflecting this new religion, which also came from India.

The Indian Influence

Ban Chiang

thailandhistoryguide — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 20:24:37 +0000

The discoveries of a prehistoric culture at Ban Chiang, in the northeastern province of Udon Thani, have aroused considerable archeological controversy, with some historians questioning the early dates originally ascribed to the appearance of copper and bronze. Most now accept that the initial dating of 4000 BC is too early but still maintain that the two metals could possibly be elated to between 2500 Be and 2000 BC -later than their first appearance in the Middle East but approximately contemporaneous with copper in Chinaand that Thailand had a true Bronze Age. Painted pottery found in the burial sites at Ban Chiang and elsewhere in the northeast was produced relatively late in the culture’s history, between 1000 BC and 500 BC, The most recent level of the Ban Chiang excavation is dated at around 2S0 Be.

Ban Chiang

Hoabinhian

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This term was coined by a French archeologist in Vietnam in the 1920’s and covers a period from around 120,000 – 2000 Be. The earliest Hoabinhian tools in Thailand were found in caves in Mae Hong Son and Kanchanaburi. In the former, the American archeologist Chester Gorman found tools and seeds of various cultivated plants including betel nut, black pepper, bottle gourd and cucumber. These have been dated by carbon-14 tests to as far back as 9700-6000 BC, far earlier than previously suspected. More sophisticated tools like the polished adze and the edge-ground knife appeared in the cave around 6800 BC Pottery has also been found at the same level.

Hoabinhian

Tripod

(c. 2000 BC) This pottery tripod was found at Ban Kao, in the Kanchanaburi province. It was probably copied from a tin prototype, and is reminiscent of the Chinese bronzes of the Han Dynasty.

Pleistocene

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Evidence of Pleistocene cultures, dating from 600,000 – 130,000 BC, have been found in various parts of Thailand, from Lampang in the north to Krabi in the south. The earliest implements found were pebble tools, followed by early flake tools (300,000 – 290,000 BC), then by Proto hoabinhian pebble tools (140,000 – 13,000 BC)

Rock Paintings

Several caves or rock faces are decorated with paintings from simple handprints to complete tableaux showing scenes of hunting, fishing and dancing. These could dae back to the 4th century BC. Some are easily accessible, like those at Khao Chiang Ngam, 124 miles from Bangkok on the road to Khorat.

Rock Paintings

Hill Tribes

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The majority of the hill tribes in northern Thailand are relatively recent immigrants to the region. Only the Karens and the Lawas were sttled in the country before the arrival of the Thais. The hill tribes form a minority. In 1983, their total population was about 416,000. Apart from the Karens and the Lawas, this group also includes the Miens (Yaos), Lisus, Lahu Shis and the Blue and WHite Hmongs. While aspects of religions such as Christianity, Buddhism and Islam have been adopted by some hill tribes, animism is still in evidence.

Hill Tribes

The Mons

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These people, who live mostly in Nakhon Pathom, Samut Songkram and Samut Prakan, are not ancestors of the ancient Mon culture that once ruled over portions of central Thailand, but relatively recent Buddhist immigrants from Burma.

The Muslims

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Thailand’s largest religious minority, Muslims are concentrated mainly in the southernmost provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani, Yala and Satun. Most are of Malay descent and speak yawi (ancient Malay) as well as Thai. Ninety-nine percent of the Muslim population are Sunni Muslims, while the remaining one percent are Shi’ite. Those Muslims who are not maysians are probably desendants of Persian, Middle Eastern and Indian traders who had settled in Siam during the Ayutthaya and early Bangkok periods.

Muslims

More than 2 million Muslims, most of whom are Sunni, live in Thailand. There are about 2,000 mosques in the country.

The Shans

thailandhistoryguide — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:58:04 +0000

The Thai Yai (right), called the Ngiaw by the Thais, belong to the Tai linguistic family and migrated from the Shan states of Burma in the 19th century. Today the Shans are scattered throughout the north, especially in Mae Hong Son and Mae Sariang.

The Shans

The Khmers

thailandhistoryguide — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:54:34 +0000

Khmer-speaking people are also numerous in some parts of the northeast, particularly in Surin province near the Cambodian border. Most of them migrated during the 19th century when Siam occupied a large part of Cambodia. The recent war in Cambodia has driven millions I of Khmer refugees into Thailand but many of them are being gradually repatriated.

The Khmers

The Laos

thailandhistoryguide — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:50:42 +0000

Much of the northeast is inhabited by groups of Lao-speaking people – Lao Wieng, Yuai, Yo, Lao Kao and Phutai – who migrated (some were forcibly moved) mostly during the last century and are today among the poorest in the country. Like the Thais, they belong to the Sino-Tibetan group. They are renowned for their weaving skills, and some groups were once distinguished by their dress, rather like today’s hill tribes; these elaborate costumes can still be seen during village festivals. Though Buddhist, many still practice older animistic rituals.

Language

Eighteen million people in Thailand speak Lao.

Bird’s Nest Soup (A Soup Tonic)

thailandhistoryguide — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 20:57:26 +0000

Bird’s nest soup made with traditional ingredients has long been used as a tonic in Chinese medicine, and 10 protect the body against various ailments. Recent research on the nutritional value of birds’ nest has shown the presence of a soluble glycoprotein Ihal may promote growth, tissue repair and cell division within the immune system.

Bird's Nest Soup Ingredient

Bird's Nest Soup

Building the Birds’ Nest

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The bird makes chewing and retching movements of the bill and throat, as the saliva is regurgitated and worked around the mouth. Saliva is smeared on the edge of the nest with the sides of the bill. The nest takes shape as a pad of hardened saliva adhering to the wall. Subsequently a rim is added and material is laid down in layers until a small cup-shaped nest is finally formed.

Building the Birds' Nest

Caves

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Besides the swiftlets, an interacting community of animals known as troglodytes may be found in the caves. Bats are abundant. Both bats and swiftlets produce guano, which is fed upon by insects such as moths and cockroaches. These insects in turn provide food for other predalors such as bugs, centipedes and geckos. The mosl common predators of the swiftlets and their nestlings are the snakes. hawks and eagles that hunt in the surrounding areas, and the eggeating crickets.

Cricket

Bat Hawk

Caves

Collecting Birds’ Nests

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In Thailand this is carried out between February and July. Three collections are made each breeding season. Birds’ nests are usually found in the lofty and dark interiors of caves. The nest collector, armed with a small torchlight and rope, stealthily climbs up the bamboo still that leads him to the nest.

Collection Bird's Nests Tools

Collecting Birds' Nests

Birds’ Nests of Southern Thailand

thailandhistoryguide — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 20:07:15 +0000

Thailand is one of the major producers of edible birds’ nests, a delicacy in Chinese cuisine dating as far back as the Ming and Qing dynasties of the 17th century. The swiftlets (nok kin lom) nest in caves along the southwestern coast and on the offshore islands. They find their way by echolocation. A series of up to 20 audible clicks per second is emitted and the echoes reflecting off the walls enable the birds to maneuver in the darkness. Already an expensive delicacy, these birds’ nests could become more expensive as overcollection threatens the normal cycle of nest building.

Birds of Southern Thailand

Type of Birds’ Nests

The black nest swiftlet (Aerodramus maximus) uses its black feathers to build nests, hence the name “black nest.” In contrast, the white nest swiftlet (Aerodramus fuciphagus) builds its nest wholly with saliva.

Birds

Birds' Nests

Grades of Birds’ Nests

The price of edible birds’ nests varies according to their quality. White nests, wholly made of saliva, are more expensive. The best birds’ nests are the first ones built during the breeding season. Thicker and translucent white, they expand to almost 20 times their volume upon soaking. Second and third nests are of lower grade, appearing dirtier and thinner.

Color and Quality of Birds’ Nests

Some supposedly high-quality nests are reddish. However, the coloration bears no relation to blood and may have leached into the nest from the substrate.

Birds' Nests

Coral Reefs and Polyps

thailandhistoryguide — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 19:53:34 +0000

Coral reefs provide and important source of food and income to local Thais. Acoral polyp is a soft, almost transparent animal that builds its skeleton outside its body. Polyps feed at night by Extending their tentacles, each of which is armed with a series of stinging cells that paralyse any passing prey. The moray eel is a key predator in the reef ecosystem; it hides in crevices. lunging out to seize unsuspecting fish.

Coral Reefs and Polyps

Parrot Fish

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Parrot fish have. large scales and a typically bird-like beak formed of fused teeth.

Parrot Fish

Triggerfish

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Its common name refers 10 an erect spine in its dorsal fin, which cannot be released until a second spine (the trigger) is withdrawn.

Triggerfish

Emperor Fish

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This fish has one of the largest territories of all coral-reef dwellers.

Emperor Fish

Surgeon Fish

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Originating in the Indo-Pacific region, Ihis species is quite aggressive.

Sugeron Fish

Coachman Fish

thailandhistoryguide — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:19:19 +0000

The name of this fish derives from the long, whip-like appendages that often hang from its dorsal fin.

Coachman Fish

Green Turtle

thailandhistoryguide — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:06:49 +0000

Green turtles are exploited for their shell, flesh and eggs, and their numbers have been decimated wherever they occur.

Green Turle

Coral Reefs

thailandhistoryguide — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:02:55 +0000

The coral reef ecosystem is one of the richest habitats on earth. Coral colonies are composed of countless individuals – polyps – that feed on plankton. Although coral reefs can cover a large area, they grow very slowly: it may take 1,000 years for a reef to grow just 3 feet. When corals die, their skeletons remain and a new generation of polyps can grow on top of them. Each type of coral has its own distinctive shape, adding further to the splendor of the reef ecosystem.

Thai Silks

thailandhistoryguide — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:47:46 +0000

The silk industry in Thailand is now located mainly in the northeast of the country. The larvae of the Mulberry bombyx, probably the best-known Thai moth, produce silk. This moth docs not exist in the wild. Having long been domesticated, it has even lost the ability to fly.

A Mural Painting

A mural painting from Wat Phumin in Nan Province, showing a lanna lady selecting spools of yarn while working at a Thai frame loom.

Silkworms

After ecdysis the silkworms are placed on bamboo trays, known as jo, where they secrete a fibrous slime that protects them until metamorphosis.

Cocoons

The filaments are spun and eventually skeins are produced. Each cocoon yields about 2,000 feet of usable thread (mai luad), although in total a mature cocoon can contain over 1 mile of thread in about 30 layers. Silk made from thread still coaled with sericin is called raw silk. Natural silk or tussah is the silk produced by undomesticated caterpillars living in trees.

Silks Thread

The raw thread is bright yellow. Before weaving it is washed first in a herbal mixture made from the bark and leaves of the banana tree, and then in a ke solution made from a thorny vine that is commonly found on
hillsides, then dyed. Traditional dyes used include lac, indigo, krajai berries and thalang roots. To the cast of Chiang Mai, on the way
to Charoen Muang. it is possible to visil a magmlllerie (silkworm rearing house) and to taste chrysalides which have been grilled after the removal of their silk filaments.

Traditional Silk Loom

Thai Silks

Bhutanitis Lidderdali

thailandhistoryguide — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:17:03 +0000

This butterfly is from the northern mountain valleys. At rest, its hind wings are covered by the fore wings, hiding their magnificent colors and allowing the insect to blend with its surroundings.

Bhutanitis Lidderdali

Terinos Clarissa

thailandhistoryguide — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:11:55 +0000

The terinos clarissa belongs to the nymphalides family. This small butterfly is mauve, varying in shade with the angle of vision. It flies discreetly close to the ground in the deep forest and at rest it is camouflaged against the vegetation.

Terinos Clarissa

Acherontia Lachesis

thailandhistoryguide — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:09:54 +0000

The Acherontia lachesis, which lives in the northern mountains, is the Thai cousin of the European “Death’s head kawk moth” (A. atropos). It is a nocturnal butterfly and will risk its life to penetrate beehives to gorge itself on the honey.

Acherontia Lachesis

Papilo Arcturus

thailandhistoryguide — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:03:49 +0000

The black part of the wings of the Papilio arcturus as though it is sprinkled with emerald dust. This spectacular butterfly can often be seen
along mountain tracks.

Papilo Arcturus

Troides Aeacus

thailandhistoryguide — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:01:37 +0000

The Troides aeacus reigns in the north. Its caterpillar deters birds and insectivorous reptiles by living on a poisonous liana, the aristoloche, which protects it against predators. This butterfly has recently been
designated an endangered species.

Troides Aeacus

Sticophtalma Camadeva

thailandhistoryguide — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:59:27 +0000

This is the biggest diurnal butterfly in Thailand and South East Asia with a wing span of 5.6 inches.

Sticophtalma Camadeva

Atrophaneura Polyeuctes

thailandhistoryguide — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:56:37 +0000

A jungle butterfly that sometimes ventures into towns and villages.

Atrophaneura Polyeuctes

Life cycle of the Mulberry Bombyx

thailandhistoryguide — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:52:33 +0000

1-2 days Ovigenesis

10-12 dyas Hatching

15-18 Days Ecdysis

4-6 days Silk spinning

4-12 days Pupation

Life cycle of the Mulberry Bombyx

Butterflies and Moths

thailandhistoryguide — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:30:19 +0000

Several spectacular species of butterfly are found in the mountain ranges of north and northwest Thailand, near Chiang Rai, Pai, Mae hong Son, and in the national park northwest of Chiang Mai. In the cultivated zones, ricefields and rubber plantations, few species have survived the process of deforestation. The entire zone from Lampang to Chiang Mai is undergoing reforestation but the plant species being used do not prouce a habitat favorable to the reestablishment of butterfly species. Certain “cosmopolitan” species of butterfly can travel for miles cross oceans. The first explorers to arrive in Siam Found several well-known European, African and North American species.

Northern of Thailand

Butterflies and Moths

1. Doi inthanon, highest point in Thailand (8,547 feet), poor soil and cold climate where small mountain butterflies are found.
2. Chedi (6,600-8,250 feet), few cultivated areas and little highland forests. Habitat of small butterflies.
3. Chiang Mai plains, pierides and swallow-tail butterflies.
4 Mae Chaem, cultivated valley (1,580 feet) with a wide range of butterflies within the low vegetation.
5. Mae Suring rain forest (330-4,950 feet), privileged home to the most beautiful specimens in Thailand.
6. Khun Yuan (1,650-3,300 feet), a zone where rain forest butterflies live side by side with the samll valley species.

Rice Harvesting

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 19:03:01 +0000

The harvesting of a paddy crop marks Ihe end of a long period of hard labor and no time is lost in cutting the ripened golden stalks lest wild animals or inclement weather threaten to destroy the season’s efforts. Rice sialks are harvesled using a sharp sickle; the curter lays the stalks tenderly on the ground in his wake. Later these will be collecled and stacked, prior to lhreshing.

Rice harvesting

Ripening

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 19:00:08 +0000

Through careful management of the water level, the plants flourish, grain heads develop and swell as the sun ripens the swaying stalks. This stage of growth is the least demanding in terms of labor input, but there are always water levels to be controlled, dykes to be repaired and nursery beds to be tended elsewhere in the riceficlds.

Ripening

Transplanting the seedlings

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 18:57:48 +0000

Once the ricefield has been flooded and suitably prepared, bunches of bright green seedlings are transplanted from the tiny nursery beds where they were raised. This work is done entirely by hand, people laboring all day to set out row upon row of tender young plants. The softened mud base facilitates the planting process and seedlings quickly take root in this habitat.

Transplanting the Seedlings

Preparing The Land

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 18:53:42 +0000

The farmer and the water buffalo drag a heavy plow to loosen up the water-logged soil, and their trampling actions also help to redistribute the valuable nutrients stored in the soil. Prior to planting, a heavy log is pulled across the muddy base to prepare a firm bed for the young seedlings.

Preparing the Land

Pests in the ricefields

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 18:47:48 +0000

The ricefield mouse and rat are common inhabitants of all ricefields and open grasslands, feeding on fallen grain, seeds and insects. The rat may also feed on rice plants and may be a pest in granaries where the dry grain is stored.

Pests in the ricefields

Harvesting the rice and threshing

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 18:43:13 +0000

The long stalks of ripe corn are harvested and then beaten over a drum to dislodge the grains from the chaff. Winnowing sifts off any remaining waste while the plump rice grains are dried in the sun before being stored.

Rice Harvesting

Comb Duck

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 18:40:54 +0000

The comb duck is a frequent visitor to ricefields and it nests on the edges of wooded marshland. It Oies with broad wing beats.

Comb Duck

Egrets and Herons

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 18:39:15 +0000

The rich aquatic and terrestrial life of the ricefields attracts large numbers of herons and egrets in all seasons. Although egrets and herons usually feed alone, they often roost together, which probably assists in detecting predators.

Herons

Egret

Bright Green Seedlings

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 18:33:28 +0000

The bright green seedlings clustered in ricefields prior to transplanting and the sundrenched
fields of rice that await haNcsting are familiar sights in Thailand.

Ricefields

Bird of the Ricefields

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 18:30:49 +0000

The ricefields provide a rich feeding haven for a variety of birds. Some of the most common of these are the munias, a group of small, seed-eating birds that feed on ripening rice. These, in turn, attract aerial predators such as the black-shouldered kite and marsh harrier, which may also feed on amphibians such as frogs.

Birds of the Ricefields

Papaya Trees

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 18:26:18 +0000

AU available land is cultivated. Papaya and banana trees are frequently planted on the verges of the ricefields.

Papaya Tree

Life at the water’s edge

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 18:24:40 +0000

The ricefield provides an ideal habitat for reptiles, fish and amphibians. Many of the fields are deliberately stocked with carp and catfish, which feed on decaying plants, algae and insect larvae. Frogs also help control the level of harmful insects, thereby eliminating the use of costly and often destructive pesticides.

Eel

Fish

Frogs

Beast of Burden

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 18:18:13 +0000

Although mechanical means of plowing ricefields are now available, most farmers still prefer
traditional means of cultivation involving the use of the water buffalo as a general beast of
burden. Known locally as the ”Asian tractor”‘, the water buffalo is also an important source of
milk and meat for many people. Its hide is used in clothing and its dung is collected as a fertilizer or as a source of fuel for burning.

Beast of Burden

Ricefields

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 18:08:52 +0000

An extraordinary amount of human energy is invested in producing the rice crop throughout the year. Rice plays an important role in the daily lives of the people, providing the staple diet for the Thai population as well as being a major export crop. Many cultural rituals are closely tied to the cultivation of rice and complex calculations are made to predict forthcoming rainfall patterns and the bounty of future crops. Little has changed in the ric;efields of Thailand over the centuries and, in addition to providing an important wildlife refuge for a large number of species, they also remain a source of great spiritual and intellectual inspiration.

Ricefields

Rhizophora Mucronata

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 17:59:31 +0000

Rhizophora mucronata produces pointed spikes that form effective instant seedlings. Equipped with tiny leaves at the top end, they drop off the parent inlo the mud below
and take root al once. Apart from this unusual mode of propagation, Rhizophom mucronata produces conventional seeds as well.

Rhizophora Mucronata

Bird Species

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 17:56:42 +0000

The collared kingfisher (1), gray heron (2) and little cormorant (3) are bird species common in the coastal swamps and mud flats.

Bird of Mangroves Forests

Mangrove Snake

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 17:54:21 +0000

The mangrove snake is particularly adapted to this unusual habitat and is found just above the water level.

Mangrove Snake

The Estuarine Crocodile

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 17:52:14 +0000

This large estuarine crocodile is rarely seen. Forest clearance and aquaculture projects are responsible for its dwindling numbers.

Estuarine Crocodile

Cross Section of the Mangrove Coastline

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 17:41:06 +0000

Cross section of the mangrove coastline. The swamps are criss-crossed by tidal channels, which are often bordered by the Nipa palm. The mangrove’s enormous root syslems are the dominant feature of the habitat. It extends to the low tide mark, below which the roots cannol obtain enough oxygen for growth. Where the ground rises above high tide mark level away from the open sea, the surroundings gradually assume the character of lowland rain forest.

Mangrove Coastline

Below the water level, the mud and the roots give shelter to a plethora of marine life, including fish, crabs and molluscs.

Below The Water

Hardy Fruits of Amoora

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 17:36:00 +0000

Hardy fruits of Amoora calcullata and Xylocarups gremata. There are few flowers or fruits in the maqngrove forest.

Hardy Fruits of Amoora

The Fruit of the Nipa Palm

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 17:33:08 +0000

The fruit of the nipa palm is edible. The Nipa borders waterways in the mangrove deltas off the open sea and usually covers much of the swamp area.

The fruit of the Nipa palm

Free Form Furniture

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 17:29:24 +0000

Free form furniture, made from the roots of the magrove.

Free Form Furniture

Charcoal Making

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 17:27:25 +0000

Charcoal making is one of the many threats facing the coastal mangrove forest. Shrimp farming is another.

Charcoal Making

Crab-eating Macaques

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 17:23:52 +0000

Crab-eating macaques are one of the numerous mammal species living in this environment.

Crab-eating Macaques

Mangroves Forests

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 17:16:11 +0000

Mangroves and intertidal mudflats are of great conservation value in Thailand, helping sustain valuable inshore fisheries and protecting the coast from erosion. With a constant supply of water, sunlight and nutrients the rate of growth of mangrove trees is very fast. The most extensive and species-rich mangrove ecosystems are found along the west coast of the peninsula. There are also several important mangroves and mudflats on the east coast, as well as in the inner gulf, although large areas have been converted to prawn ponds. The total area of mangrove forest is about 2,300 square miles most of which are along the west coast.

A mangrove coast msouthern Thailand, covering sinking limestone ranges millions of years old. As the sea level changes, the mangrove forest cover advances or retreats.

Mangrove Forest

Nutrients Recycling

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 16:59:31 +0000

Different forms of plants and animals have evolved in harmony on the forest floor to recycle decaying materials such as leaves and trce trunks. returning valuable nutriems back to the soil. In time Ihese are take up by other plams. sustaining the incredible diversity that exists in the forest and thereby continuing the natural cycle that began millions of years ago. The harmony and natural balance of this network is threatened by deforestation. shifting agriculcurc and human intrusions.

Nutrients Recycling

Slow Loris

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 16:55:33 +0000

This is a solitary nocturnal primate with large eyes and a thickly furred body.

Slow Loris

Pangolin

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 16:53:54 +0000

The scaly armor plating of the pangolin allows il to roll inlo a tight ball when threatened. It feeds exclusively on allts and termites.

Pangolin

Clouded Leopard

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 16:51:33 +0000

Living in tall sccondaly forests, the clouded leopard is a nocturnal predator that feeds on pigs, deer, monkeys and smaller animals.

Clouded Leopard

Elephant

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 16:49:32 +0000

The largest land mammal in Thailand, the Asian elephant is now a rare sight, with fewer than 3,000 animals remaining. Most of them are found in the national parks of the northeast.

Elephant

Tiger

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 16:47:38 +0000

This is the largest member of the cat family; fewer than 250 now survive in Thailand.

Tiger

Palm Civet

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 16:45:39 +0000

The agile small-toothed palm civet is a nocturnal species that searches for insects, fruit and small mammals in the branches of tall secondary forests.

Palm Civet

Binturong

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 16:42:54 +0000

Resembling a small bear, the binturong has a bushy, prehensile tail that enables it to feed in the trees as well as on the ground.

Binturong

Nutrient Storage

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 16:39:59 +0000

While in temperate forests a high proportion of nutrients is held in the soil (left-hand colunms. above); in the poorer tropical soil, Ihey are held in the biomass (right-hand columns, above). Because the scarce soil nutrients are found near the surface. the roots of the trees seldom grow deeper than 26 feet.

Nutrient Storage

Layer of Tropical Forests

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 16:34:15 +0000

162 Feet :: Emergent Layer

The few emergent trees above the canopy are home to insectivorous bats and birds such as eagles and bornbills.

122 Feet :: Canopy Layer

The canopy is a continuous layer of foliage about 22 feet deep that supports a broad variety of animals. Mammals like flying squirrels, gibbons and macaques feed on the rich supply of fruit leaves, bark and nuts.

79 Feet :: Understory

Mammals like the peculiar binturong, pangolin and civet move freely in the understory between the ground and the upper tree layer in search of morsels and a safe place to rest.

41 Feet :: Forest Floor

At the top of the food chain are predators such as tigers or leopards that stalk their wary prey in the shade of the lower canopy and the forest floor.

Ground

The plants, insects and fungi that dwell at ground level are fed upon by mammals and birds.

Layer of Tropical Forests

Foliage

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 16:10:56 +0000

The leaves of the canopy can change their positions in order to catch the maximum amount of sunlight. Their drip-tips allow the rain to drain away and the waxy coating is a protection against algae and moss.

Foliage

Tapir

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 16:07:17 +0000

A shy forest-dweller, this herbivore is often found near quiet rivers and wallows, feeding on leaves and small trees.

Tapir

Pig-Tailed Macaques

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 15:21:29 +0000

These are diurnal primates, living in groups of 15-30 animals, feeding on fruit, small vertebrates and insects. They are mostly found in hill forests.

Pig-Tailed Macaques

Sun Birds

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 14:53:26 +0000

In their search for nectar, sunbirds carry pollinia from flower to flower thus acting as pollinating agents.

Sun Birds

Pollination

thailandhistoryguide — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 12:54:33 +0000

Bees and wasps are the most common pollinators of wild orchids. When the insect lands on the labellum, the pollinin adheres 10 its body. It is then transferred 10 other flowers.

Pollination : Bees

Cattleyas

thailandhistoryguide — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 18:59:37 +0000

This variety of orchids, named after William Cattley, the first horticulturist successfully to grow epiphytic orchids in England, is the most popular orchid in cultivated collections. Orchidists and breeders artificially cross pollinating species within a genus or intergenetically, can create the most dazzling hybrids, many of which are developed for the cut folower market.

Cattleyas

Dendrobrium Trigonopsis

thailandhistoryguide — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 18:55:48 +0000

As indicated in its name dendrobrium from the Greek word dendroll (tree). this aerial species grows on trees. Though its habitat ranges from lhe tropical forests of Malaysia 10 the snow-covered peaks of the Himalayas, this flower is mostly found in the depth of the jungles of Thailand, Burma and Laos.

Dendrobrium Trigonopsis

Bulbophyllum Concinnum

thailandhistoryguide — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 18:52:07 +0000

A common sight in mangroves and wetlands, this flower belongs to the largest group of orchids. Its rhizomes creep on tree roots and branches. producing clusters of golden spiky petals.

Bulbophyllum Concinnum

Aerides Odoratum

thailandhistoryguide — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 18:48:44 +0000

The poetical name of this orchid, “children of the air”, refer to its epiphytic habit. Also known as the “foxtail orchid,” this fragrant flower comes in various shades of ivory, magenta and pink.

Aerides Odoratum

Pseudo Copulation

thailandhistoryguide — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 18:44:57 +0000

Some orchids produce an aroma similar 10 that of female organs of insects. thus deceiving their pollinators. Lured inlo mating with the flower, the insect shakes the pollinia out of the anther cap, involuntarily causing pollination.

Vanda Coerulea

thailandhistoryguide — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 18:41:46 +0000

This spectacular blue orchid native to Thailand belongs 10 the Yanda family. It grows at high altitudes between 3,300 feet and 4,600 feel, and can be found in the mountains around Chiang Mai.

Vanda Coerulea

Brown Throated Sunbird

thailandhistoryguide — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 16:21:07 +0000

Among the many resident bird species that inhabit the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve (SBWR), the sunbirds possess one of the most brilliantly coloured plumage. The bright colours are found only on the adult males with the females and young males clad mainly in varying hues of olive, green and yellow. Belonging to the family Nectariniidae, sunbirds are distributed from Africa to Asia and Australia. In Singapore, six species of sunbirds occur, of which four have been recorded at SBWR. That is about 4% of the total sunbird species worldwide. Of the four species, the most abundant at SBWR is the Brown-throated, also known as the Plain-throated Sunbird (Anthreptes malacensis). The Olive-backed Sunbird (Nectarinia jugularis) is the next most numerous followed by the Copper-throated Sunbird (Nectarinia calcostetha) and the Crimson Sunbird (Aethopyga siparaja).

Sunbirds are essentially nectar feeders, but they are also known to take small insects. Superficially resembling the well-known hummingbirds of Central and South America, sunbirds however have strong feet and legs and have short rounded wings. Sunbirds have relatively long, slender decurved bills that enable them to probe into suitable flowers for nectar.

Their nests are unusual. Generally pear-shaped, globular or oval and composed of grass, fibres and cobwebs, they are usually suspended from the ends of terminal twigs. Clutches of two eggs is typical.

The survival of sunbirds has been monitored at SBWR through ringing studies. Although very small and active, sunbirds are known to have long lives in the wild. For example, the Brown-throated Sunbird, has been known to live for at least 61 months (5 years) in SBWR while studies in other localities have revealed lives exceeding 12 years! For the other species, SBWR has recorded (between ringing and subsequent capture) durations of 60 months (5 years) for the Olive-backed Sunbird and 61 months (5 years) for the Copper-throated Sunbird.

The Copper-throated Sunbird (Nectarinia calcostetha) is one of the more interesting species. Found only in South-east Asia, they live within the mangrove forest. They are one of the few bird species that are global mangrove specialists. Nesting on mangrove trees like Avicennia alba they feed from the flowers of mangroves like the Bruguiera gymnorhiza. Males have iridescent coppery red throats with iridescent green on the crown, shoulder and uppertail. Females have white throats and are mostly decorated in grey and yellow. They are sexually dimorphic with adult males being about 10% longer and 20% heavier than adult females. Nests have been seen in the reserve between April and August and it has been known to nest from January to September in other localities.

Perhaps the most abundant sunbird at the wetland, the Brown-throated Sunbird, can be seen in all areas of SBWR. It is also the largest sunbird species in SBWR (and Singapore). Weighing in at a maximum of 14.0g, males are generally larger than females especially in terms of body length. Possessing reddish eyes (iris) when they are adults (the other three species have dark brown eyes), they have olive brown eyes as juveniles.

What about the smallest sunbird species in SBWR? Either the Crimson Sunbird or the Olive-backed Sunbird qualifies. These two species also share a common characteristic that is the exhibition of an eclipse plumage in the males. This is essentially a short-term post-breeding plumage. Whatever the plumage type, the adult male Crimson Sunbird appears like a tiny red dot amongst the vegetation. It weighs about 7.0g (about the weight of a 50 cent coin) with females being slightly lighter. The females have the dubious honour of having perhaps the dullest plumage of any sunbird in the region with only dull olive and yellow to adorn herself.

The Olive-backed Sunbird is more abundant than the Crimson Sunbird. Many of them can be seen flitting among the flowering trees at the Visitor Centre complex especially on sunny days.

There is no doubt that the sunbirds as a group add life, colour and sound to the green vegetation in SBWR and Singapore in general. Generally, to attract and encourage sunbird populations to increase, it is important to cater to their food and nest requirements. Suitable free flowering trees and plants provide abundant nectar as food. Many types of trees may also be used as nest sites while grass patches serve to provide building material for the nest. SBWR has taken these measures and the population of sunbirds at the site serve as an indicator of the success of these measures. More studies await those interested in understanding especially the population dynamics, species interactions and carrying capacities of these sunbirds at SBWR.

Brown Throated Sunbird

Cymbidium Siamensis

thailandhistoryguide — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 16:12:05 +0000

Cymbidium orchids, from the Greek word kymbioi, which means boat-shaped, were praised by Confucius as the “queen of all flowers’” Although such orchids occur allover Asia, this particular ivory species is native to Thailand where it grows at altitudes of between 1,000 and 2.500 feet.

Cymbidium Siamensis

Gardens in the air

thailandhistoryguide — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 15:22:50 +0000

Falling organic litter lodged between the tree branches forms a rich soil in which epiphytic plants such as bromeliads and orchids grow. Orchids are non-parasitic species. Their elaborate structure allows them to make the most of the supply of rainwater and nutrients without damaging their host plants.

Gardens in the air

Corybas

thailandhistoryguide — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 15:19:02 +0000

This terrestrial orchid named after the Corybas, the dancing priests of Phrygia, because of its helmet-shaped sepals, lives in the dark undergrowth of the rain forest. It thrives on the abundant supply of moisture and nutrients of the forest soil.

Corybas

Venus’ Slipper

thailandhistoryguide — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 15:14:48 +0000

This yellow terrestrial orchid is found growing at low altitudes in limestone crevices near the coastal areas of Thailand. southern Burma and Cambodia.

Venus Slipper

Tropical Forests

thailandhistoryguide — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 18:08:26 +0000

Tropical forests are like a kaleidoscope of different worlds, They cover a of the earth’s land surface and are home to about half of the known species of animal and plant life. The forests are confined to a belt around the equator, where the stable climate, temperature and humidity permit a great diversity of vegetation and wildlife.

Tropical Forests

Constant temperature and high humidity levels favor the growth of lianas, trailing vines, lichens and epiphytes.

Tropical Forests

The buttress or stilt-like roots of the trees help support them in the shallow soil.

Tropical Forests

The dark forest floor is alive with communities of omnivorous insects such as ants and termites.

Thai Orchids

thailandhistoryguide — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 06:33:35 +0000

The orchid family is the largest of the flower kingdom, with more than 35,000 wild species and as many hybrids. Thailand’s tropical forests and mangroves. host an amazing diversity of both terrestrial and epiphytic species, presenting a vast array of shapes, sizes, vibrant colors and intoxicating perfumes. Breeders in orchid farms continually produce new hybrid species using artificial cross-pollination and propagation methods. Their creations are in great demand for the international cut flower market.

Thai Orchids

Thai Orchid

Monitor Lizard

thailandhistoryguide — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 06:24:48 +0000

The monitor lizard is a diurnal species that feeds on insects, eggs, fish, other lizards, snakes, nestling birds and small mammals.

Monitor Lizard

Green Peafowl

thailandhistoryguide — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 06:21:50 +0000

The only viable population of green peafowls remaining in Thailand is found in the Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary where about 300 birds gain refuge.

Green Peafowl

Fungi

thailandhistoryguide — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 06:17:29 +0000

As part of the nutrient recycling scheme of the natural forest, fungi play an essential role in all forests and woodlands.

Fungi

Wild Ginger

thailandhistoryguide — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:07:20 +0000

One of a large number of economically valuable plants thai grow wild in the forests of Thailand, the wild ginger plant is believed to have a number of medicinal healing properties that are now being investigated.

Wild Ginger

Thailand Forest

thailandhistoryguide — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:02:58 +0000

Montane Evergreen Forest

This is typified by an open canopy with trees festooned in lichens and epiphytes. Trees are also much shorter and less straight when compared with those of lowland forest.

Hill Evergreen Rain Forest

Climbing from montane evergreen forests. an unclear transition zone of slightly smaller trees that are widely spaced apart lies at an altitude of 2,300-2,600 feet above sea level.

Evergreen Rain Forest

True evergreen rain forest exists only in the extreme southern region of peninsular Thailand, near the Malaysian border.

Tropical Rain Forest

It is one of the richest ecosystems on the planet today.

Mixed Deciduous Forest

It supports a great proportion of the country’s interesting and varied wildlife.

Bamboo Forest

Bamboo stands are present in monsoon forests and generally thrive in areas previously cleared by man, blocking out most growth beneath their lofty foliage.

Dry deciduous woodlands

Extensive dry deciduous woodlands with some dipterocarp species still occur in the north and east of the country.

Riverine Grasslands

Open patches of riverien grassland and savanna are important feeding and browsing areas for many forest herbivores. many areas of grassland were formerly forested but regular outbreaks of fire prevent woody regeneration of these ares.

Mangroves

Coastal mangrove formations help protect shorelines from erosion and also provide a safe haven and nersery ground for a huge variety of fish species.

Thailand Forest

Asian Black Bear

thailandhistoryguide — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 04:41:56 +0000

The Asian black bear is a forest dweller that feeds mainly on nuts and fruit, as well as ants, insect larvae and carrion.

Asian Black Bear

Hornbill

thailandhistoryguide — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 04:38:01 +0000

The strong and often ornate beak of the harnbill is perfectly molded for picking and cracking large fruit and seed pods from a wide range of forest plants.

Hornbill

Leaf Monkey and Gibbon

thailandhistoryguide — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 04:06:09 +0000

These primates dwell in the forest canopy and feed on fruit and leaves. The leaf monkey has a large, especially adapted stomach Similar to that of a cow.

Gibbon

: Leaf Monkey

Red Rhododendron

thailandhistoryguide — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 03:52:30 +0000

Like other Rhododendrons, this shrub blooms from late winter through the end of spring. Bright flowers grow large and grow thick… blanketing the foliage below. Though red is the dominant color, some blooms can take on shades of orange, red-orange, apricot and yellow. Red Rhododendron is also known for its potent fragrance. Red Rhododendron can grow up to 8 feet in height, with an equal width. This evergreen can work as part of a border planting plan, be used as part of a hedge growth, or be set up as a spotlight piece in your garden. This is an easy to grow, hardy variety that looks great all year-round. Plant in groups for a powerful display of color.

Red Rhododendron

Barking Deer

thailandhistoryguide — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 03:50:04 +0000

Also called muntjac, these solitary animals are found in woodlands, rain forests and monsoon forests with dense vegetation.

Barking Deer

Banteng

thailandhistoryguide — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 03:47:13 +0000

The banteng is a species of wild ox native to Southeast Asia.

Banteng

Kouprey

thailandhistoryguide — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 03:44:22 +0000

Once a widely distributed species, the douprey is today one of the most seriously threatened large mamals in the world.

Kouprey

The Chinese

thailandhistoryguide — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 10:06:29 +0000

As traders, the Chinese arrived long before the Thais. They settled more permanently, at first in coastal cities in the south and thcn in other areas. The peak period of Chinese migration was in the 19th and early 20th centurics, and they now form a substantial part of most urban populations. Thanks to extensive assimilation, it is difficult to distinguish them as a separate ethnic group.

The Chinese

Buddhists

thailandhistoryguide — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 09:46:32 +0000

Ninety-five percent of its population are Buddhists, making Thailand the largest Theravada Buddhist country in the world.

Life Expectancy

thailandhistoryguide — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 09:44:44 +0000

The average life span for Thai men is 61.75 years. while for women it is 67.50 years.

Demography

thailandhistoryguide — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 09:41:04 +0000

Thailand has a total population of 60 million; more than half are below the age of 20.

Demography

The Thais

thailandhistoryguide — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 19:04:03 +0000

At the beginning of the first millennium. a people known as the lai migrated from whal is now southern Chinas into the Chao Phraya River valley. When the Tai first arrived. the region was inhabited by Austro-Asiatic groups speaking Mon and Khmer; the present-day Thais are the product of the assimilation and fusion of these three groups. Many Thais still live in southern China (particularly in Yunnan, Guangdong, and Guangxi). Today four subdivisions of Thais are recognized in the country; the central Thais (from the region between Sukhothai and Phetchaburi), who speak the standard Thai taught in schools; the Pak Isan Thais (a mixture of Thai and Khmer in the northeast), who also speak standard Thai; the Pak Tai Thais (south of Phetchaburi), who have a darker complexion and speak a dialect largely incomprehensible to central Thats; the northern Thais, who speak a different dialect and who are a fusion of Thai immigrants with Karens and Lawas (Austro-Asiatic). Each of these groups had largely independent histories until rccent centuries.

The Thais

People Of Siam

thailandhistoryguide — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:44:00 +0000

Thailand is a mosaic of peoples and cultures, and yet it has never suffered any serious racial conflict. This may be clue to the fae! that the central Thai have ruled more by consensus than by force. The widespread practice of Theravada Buddhism has also promoted racial harmony.

People of Siam

Wild Habitats

thailandhistoryguide — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 11:06:54 +0000

Much of Thailand’s natural heritage is due to the shape of the country, a stretched ribbon of land over 900 miles long, spanning both seasonally dry zones and habitats where rain falls throughout the year. the present-day Thai landscape has been molded by the actions of various colonists in the past, with farming being the most important influence. About 20,000 square miles of the country are set aside as conservation areas (for example, northest Thailand national parks, many of which ae open to the public, offering visitors and opportunity to encounter a wide range of plants and animals within a natural environment.

Wild Habitats

Thailand History Guide

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