Follow the jump links to learn more about Thailand:
Lifestyle and Family Living
Teen Life
Dress and Appearance
Diet and Meals
Educational System
Geography and Climate
Population
Language
Government
Religion
Spending Money
Safety and Support
Fun Facts Lifestyle and Family Living
Thais are generally respectful and reserved. They are also caring, warm-hearted and sensitive and they find it difficult to say “no.”
Extended Thai families are very close (which will give you a chance to visit your host relatives nearby) and are customarily patriarchal.
Both parents usually work. Caring for the children and managing the household are generally the responsibility of the wife. The father is more involved with work outside the home.
Families are protective. Children ask permission from their parents before going out and teenagers have less independence than those in Western countries.
Young people normally do not drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes. If you smoke, you will probably be asked to do it outside the house, and it is not accepted while in school uniform.
Families enjoy spending weekends together at home, where you will experience how Thai families are still bound by a colorful tradition with a long history.
As far north as the teak forest, as far south as the tropical beaches, passing through the farming central plains, your family could live anywhere around the country but most probably will reside in a regional capital or small town.
Thai host families, like all AFS host families worldwide, are volunteers and are not paid. They open their homes to students in order to share their community and culture as well as to enrich their own family lives.Teen Life
Movies and television are the most popular forms of leisure entertainment. Soccer, table tennis, badminton, and volleyball are the favorite sports.
Thai schools are the center of the community and a teenager’s life revolves around them. AFS students are usually invited to join school trips, take part in English camps, community and regional events (e.g. festivals) and give presentations about their countries.Dress and Appearance
Outside of school, teenagers dress similarly to those in western countries. A conservative approach to clothes is best. Thin cotton is basic material due to high temperatures and the humid climate.
A jacket or sweater may be useful in the cool season, especially in the mountains to the north and northeast.
For students from many countries such as Germany, the U.S.A., or Australia, clothes are inexpensive to purchase.Diet and Meals
Rice is the staple food of Thailand. It is often served with meat, fish, vegetables or egg dishes. Curry, peanut and pepper sauces are popular. Typical meats include pork and chicken. A wide variety of fruit is available year-round.
Most Thai families share the evening meal together. It is considered inappropriate for an individual to request foods that are not served or to prepare his or her own food.
It may be difficult if you are a strict vegan, although vegetarians can often find a number of options.Educational System
School is one of the best places for you to meet people and make friends during your time in Thailand. Thai schools are the center of life for Thai youth, and their social lives revolve around school. Most schools are also the center of the community and teachers are considered important and are highly respected.
The school year runs from mid-May to mid-March. Students attend school Monday through Friday. The national anthem is sung every morning.
There are several types of schools where you may be placed, including government, private, single-sex, co-ed, demonstration (university-linked, using new methodologies), technical, vocational, teacher and Art colleges.
Most AFS participants attend the second-to-last year of public school. Students who are 18 and older may have to consider placement in a school other than a traditional academic high school.
Thai schools offer a wide variety of opportunities in addition to academic courses, including cultural subjects such as Thai language, dancing, sword fighting, music, cooking, arts, history, Buddhism and meditation.
The school you attend and the courses you choose with the assistance of your advisor will depend on your age and interests as well as on the area hosting you. You may have classes with different year groups, depending on your courses. This is a great opportunity to meet more students.
AFS Thailand is school-based. As an AFS student, you will be expected to be a leader and set an example for the Thai students. Most AFS Thailand volunteers are teachers and administrators. School also offers academic, sports and recreational clubs that meet both after school and for one period a week during school sessions. If there is not a club that interests you, you may be able to start your own!
All schools require a uniform, which is provided, as well as textbooks and some other school activities. School rules require male students to keep their hair short.
All instruction, with the exception of foreign languages, is done in Thai. In the beginning, you may find it hard to follow, but as you learn more of the language, school will become less challenging, so be patient, work hard, and keep at it!
While it may be possible to obtain academic credit for the coursework you successfully complete abroad, AFS cannot guarantee this. Please discuss your plans with your school before you go abroad.
Geography and Climate
Thailand is located in Southeast Asia and is surrounded by Myanmar (Burma) to the west and Laos and Cambodia to the north and east. It is about the size of Spain.
It has a long peninsula that juts down to the south separating the Bay of Bengal from the Gulf of Thailand. Parts of Malaysia and Singapore occupy the southern tip of the peninsula.
Drained by a wide network of rivers and canals, Thailand’s four regions are: the central plain, the northeast Korat Plateau, the mountainous north and the rain-forested south.
The climate is tropical monsoon and can be very humid. Temperatures range from 19°C (67°F) to 38°C (100°F). There are three seasons: hot (March to May), rainy (June to October), and cool (November to February). In general, rainfall is heaviest in the south, lightest in the northeast.
Population
The population of Thailand is approximately 65 million. About 20% of the population lives in Bangkok, the capital. Four regional language groups make up the core Thai population: Central Thai (32%); Thai-Lao (30%); Northern Thai (17%); and Southern Thai (5%). The largest minority groups are Chinese, Malay, and various Hill Tribes.
Language
Thai is the official language with dialects spoken in different regions. In some cities, English is understood.
Government
Thailand is a constitutional monarchy that has ruled since 1932. The country has 76 provinces. The government is run by a coalition of elected civilian political parties in which decision-making about affairs of state rests with the prime minister.
Religion
Ninety-five percent of the population is Buddhist, four percent are Muslim, and one percent is Christian or other.
Thai people are very accepting of different religious beliefs and, in fact, religious freedom is guaranteed under the constitution.
Spending Money
The baht is the official currency in Thailand.
Your program and country information packet (provided in the months prior to your departure) will give you an idea of how much spending money is appropriate and whether you should arrive with any amount of the local currency in hand.
Host families pay only for ordinary family events in which you are expected to participate. When you do such things as shopping for yourself or going out with friends, the expenses are your responsibility. Depending on the cost of living in your host country, we recommend you budget about $100-$300 per month.
Remember: never travel with large amounts of cash. Instead, bring travelers checks or follow the advice in the country and program information packet. Another option for obtaining money while overseas is to use a debit card linked to a checking account back home (but try not to use a debit card for daily purchases since there are ATM and currency exchange fees). Or, you can transfer money using wiring services such as Western Union.
You and your parents should determine a budget and preferred money transfer plan before you depart so that you are not caught without spending money while abroad.
Be conscientious of your spending since conspicuous consumption may not be viewed favorably and spending more than your peers and family may create a distance between you and them.
Safety and Support
AFS has the utmost concern for the welfare, safety, and security of our participants. We’ve been exchanging participants throughout the world for 60 years—that’s six decades of history and experience in international education with an exemplary record of safety, security, and service.
AFS maintains a network of experienced staff and trained volunteers who provide support in each country. In the event of an emergency, 24-hour assistance is available to students, their parents, and the host families. Furthermore, your AFS tuition includes comprehensive medical insurance coverage to ensure that medical care is available to our participants anywhere in the world and at all times.
While we have the above support structures in place, we also encourage you to take responsibility for your own safety and we give you the guidance to do so. Many of the AFS orientation activities, both at home and abroad, are intended to give you the tools to stay safe. We also provide country-specific safety tips to each participant prior to departure.
Learn more about the AFS safety and support network.
Fun Facts
- King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) has the longest tenure of any head of state. He has been King of Thailand since June 9, 1946.
- Thailand is called the “the land of smiles.”
- Thailand is the only country of Southeast Asia never to have been colonized by a western nation.
