Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Traditional regions
Thailand can be divided into five historical regions: Lanna Thai (northern Thailand), Isan (northeastern Thailand), the Central Plain, Pak Tai (southern Thailand), and west and southwest Thailand.
The people of the mountainous Lanna Thai speak a dialect of the Thai language called Kham Mu'ang, or Yuan in its written form, and follow Buddhist traditions more akin to those practiced in Myanmar. They also share a preference with the Lao-speaking Thai of northeastern Thailand and the people of Laos for glutinous rice as their staple food. The mountains of the north also are the home of many upland minority groups that have migrated from Myanmar, Laos, and southern China over the centuries.
The Isan region shares various linguistic, artistic, and religious traditions with Lanna Thai and the Lao across the Mekong River. The regional dialect is referred to as Lao or Isan, but most people can easily communicate in standard Thai. This region also had a history of relative autonomy until the late 18th century, which has helped to shape northeastern Thai identity.
The Central Plain, occupying most of the Chao Phraya basin, is the core cultural region, and its people (often called the Siamese) speak the national language—standard Thai, or Siamese. Historically, the Siamese followed a Buddhist tradition that has been more closely linked to that of the Khmer of Cambodia. Because of the plain's central position, population and economic activity are heavily concentrated there, especially in Bangkok, and industrial and commercial enterprises have grown faster there than elsewhere. This rapidly growing economic heartland continues to be a strong magnet, attracting people from the northeast and other places who are seeking greater economic and social opportunities.
The southeast, lying close to the sea, is an undulating and hilly region extending eastward from Bangkok to the Cambodian border. Sino-Thai, or Thai of Chinese descent, are a prominent segment of the regional population, their ancestors having originally settled there in the late l9th century to work on sugarcane plantations, in lumber mills, and as small merchants. There is also a significant number of people living along the border with Cambodia who speak Khmer or Khmer-related languages and follow distinctive traditions.
The southern Pak Thai region has a distinctive identity linked to the historical role of such towns as Nakhon Si Thammarat, once called Ligor. Because this background is related to the later Siamese kingdoms, the language and customs of Pak Thai are similar to those of the Siamese of central Thailand. The extreme south is inhabited by Malay-speaking Thai, most of whom are Muslim.
The west and southwest, consisting mostly of hilly to mountainous terrain adjoining the Myanmar border, are sparsely populated. The Karen from Myanmar often migrate and live within Thailand, clearing and cultivating uplands in a manner similar to the upland minorities of northern Thailand.
To cite this page: Encyclopædia Britannica
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Traditional regions
Thailand can be divided into five historical regions: Lanna Thai (northern Thailand), Isan (northeastern Thailand), the Central Plain, Pak Tai (southern Thailand), and west and southwest Thailand.
The people of the mountainous Lanna Thai speak a dialect of the Thai language called Kham Mu'ang, or Yuan in its written form, and follow Buddhist traditions more akin to those practiced in Myanmar. They also share a preference with the Lao-speaking Thai of northeastern Thailand and the people of Laos for glutinous rice as their staple food. The mountains of the north also are the home of many upland minority groups that have migrated from Myanmar, Laos, and southern China over the centuries.
The Isan region shares various linguistic, artistic, and religious traditions with Lanna Thai and the Lao across the Mekong River. The regional dialect is referred to as Lao or Isan, but most people can easily communicate in standard Thai. This region also had a history of relative autonomy until the late 18th century, which has helped to shape northeastern Thai identity.
The Central Plain, occupying most of the Chao Phraya basin, is the core cultural region, and its people (often called the Siamese) speak the national language—standard Thai, or Siamese. Historically, the Siamese followed a Buddhist tradition that has been more closely linked to that of the Khmer of Cambodia. Because of the plain's central position, population and economic activity are heavily concentrated there, especially in Bangkok, and industrial and commercial enterprises have grown faster there than elsewhere. This rapidly growing economic heartland continues to be a strong magnet, attracting people from the northeast and other places who are seeking greater economic and social opportunities.
The southeast, lying close to the sea, is an undulating and hilly region extending eastward from Bangkok to the Cambodian border. Sino-Thai, or Thai of Chinese descent, are a prominent segment of the regional population, their ancestors having originally settled there in the late l9th century to work on sugarcane plantations, in lumber mills, and as small merchants. There is also a significant number of people living along the border with Cambodia who speak Khmer or Khmer-related languages and follow distinctive traditions.
The southern Pak Thai region has a distinctive identity linked to the historical role of such towns as Nakhon Si Thammarat, once called Ligor. Because this background is related to the later Siamese kingdoms, the language and customs of Pak Thai are similar to those of the Siamese of central Thailand. The extreme south is inhabited by Malay-speaking Thai, most of whom are Muslim.
The west and southwest, consisting mostly of hilly to mountainous terrain adjoining the Myanmar border, are sparsely populated. The Karen from Myanmar often migrate and live within Thailand, clearing and cultivating uplands in a manner similar to the upland minorities of northern Thailand.
To cite this page: Encyclopædia Britannica
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