first by a base price then surcharges are added depending on the train type (special express, express, rapid, ordinary), class and distance. Advance bookings may be made up to 60 days before your intended date of departure. The SRT issues a Thailand Rail Pass that may save on fares if you plan to use the trains extensively over a relatively short interval.

air
Hopping around Thailand by air is becoming more and more affordable these days thanks to airline deregulation. Most routes originate from Bangkok, but Chiang Mai, Ko Samui and Phuket also have flights to other Thai towns.

Thailand’s national carrier is Thai Airways International (THAI), which operates many domestic air routes from Bangkok to provincial capitals. Bangkok Air provides some alternatives between Chiang Mai and the south that bypass Bangkok. One-Two-Go, Nok Air and Air Asia all tend to be cheaper than the older, more established carriers.

motorcycle
Motorcycles can be rented in major towns and tourist centres. Always check the condition of the bike thoroughly before you take off, and remember that the Thais are notorious scoff-laws when it comes to road rules – but, in actual fact, it is reckless tourists who come off motorcycles most frequently, especially in places like Ko Samui and Phuket.

Thailand: History
Pre-20th-Century History
The earliest civilisation in Thailand is believed to have been that of the Mons in central Thailand, who brought with them a Buddhist culture from the Indian subcontinent. In the 12th century, the Mons met a Khmer group moving from the east, the Sumatran-based Srivijaya culture moving north, and people from the Thai state of Nan Chao migrating south. The first Siamese capital was created by Thai princes in Sukhothai with later centres created in Chiang Mai and, notably, Ayuthaya.

The Burmese invaded Siam (as Thailand was known until 1939) in both the 16th and 18th centuries, capturing Chiang Mai and destroying Ayuthaya. The Siamese eventually expelled the Burmese and moved their capital to Thonburi. In 1782, the current Chakri dynasty was founded by King Rama I and the capital was relocated once more, this time across the river to Bangkok.

In the 19th century, Siam maintained its independence by deftly playing off one European power against another.

Modern History
The 20th century brought great change to Thailand. In 1932, a peaceful coup converted the country into a constitutional monarchy and in 1939 Siam became Thailand. During WWII, the Thai government sided with the Japanese. After the war, the country was dominated by the military and experienced more than twenty coups and countercoups, interspersed with short-lived experiments with democracy. Democratic elections in 1979 were followed by a long period of stability and prosperity as power shifted from the military to the business elite.

In February 1991 a military coup ousted the Chatichai government, but bloody demonstrations in May 1992 led to the reinstatement of a civilian government with Chuan Leekpai at the helm. This coalition government collapsed in May 1995 over a land-reform scandal, but the replacement prime minister Banharn Silpa-archa was no better. Dubbed a ‘walking ATM’ by the Thai press, he was forced to relinquish the leadership just over a year later after a spate of corruption scandals. Ex-general and former deputy PM Chavalit Yongchaiyudh headed a dubious coalition until late 1997, when veteran pragmatist Chuan Leekpai retook the reins.