Thailand means land of the free.
Siam is the name by which the country was known to the world until 1939 and again between 1945 and 1949. On May 11, 1949, an official proclamation changed the name of the country to "Prathet Thai", or "Thailand", by which it has since been known.
Situated at the heart of the Southeast Asian mainland, Thailand is a hub of transportation and commerce. Extending 1,620 kilometres from north to south and 775 kilometres from east to west, it covers an area of 513,115 sq. km. It borders the Lao People's Democratic Republic on the north, the Union of Myanmar to the west, the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Gulf of Thailand to the East, and Malaysia to the south
The population is largely homogeneous, with most being ethnic Thai and professing Buddhism. Some three million Muslims live in the south near the border with Malaysia.
Discover more interesting facts about Thailand from links below:
travel.nationalgeographic.com
www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk
www.cia.gov
Trending Now: Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej died after seven decades on the throne, plunging the country into intense mourning and no small amount of uncertainty.
So with the King's death, who is currently in charge of the kingdom? Read more at CNN.com.