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Thailand in Brief
Thailand was known for centuries by outsiders as Siam, a country as remote and exotic as Japan and China. It first made a real impression on the West at the end of the 17th century through the reports of a series of inquisitive Frenchmen. They were not the first Europans to spend time in the kingdom, however. The Portuguese sent an envoy to the capital in 1511, shortly after they seized Malacca, joining resident Chinese, Japanese, Malays, and Persians to make the Siamese capital one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the vast region now known as Southeast Asia. Modern and predominantly Buddhist, it is a Southeast Asian kingdom whose ancient equilibrium and present standing mingle in evolving harmony.
Substantially, Thailand's distinctive and unparalleled characteristics stem from Indian and Chinese influences (harmoniously blended by Thai eclecticism), rich ethnic diversity, abundant natural and human resources, over seven hundred years of cherished independence, and a traditional culture delicately tuned to the time-honored Buddhist non-confrontational approach to life, and ideals of charity, tolerance, and loving kindness.
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