Thailand Guides - Geography

Thailand occupies the western half of the Indochinese peninsula and the northern two-thirds of the Malay Peninsula in Southeast Asia. Its neighbours include Burma (Myanmar) on the north and west, Laos on the north and northeast, Cambodia on the east, and Malaysia on the south. Thailand is about the size of France. The country is divided into four main zones: the central plains of the Chao Phraya River; the high northeast plateau; the fertile valley and mountains of Northern Thailand; and the rainforest southern peninsula.

The Central Plains

This region consists mainly of plains with rain-fed networks of rivers and canals making it the most fertile part of Thailand. Some of the oldest settlements are founded in many provinces in this region such as Nakon Pathom, Ayutthaya and Kanchanaburi.

The North

This mountainous region is home to most of Thailand's hill tribe populations. Its fertile mountain ranges are the source of verdant forests and spectacular waterfalls. Sharing borders with Myanmar and Lao at its northern end, it has a diversity of culture, which can still be seen in the way of life of people. This is the region where Thai civilizations were moulded. The first Thai kingdom is believed to originate here in the city of Sukhothai while Chiangmai has been considered the capital of northern Thailand.