For centuries,Thailand has delighted visitors. "A city with golden spires and more than 2,000 gilt images", reads the journal of an awe-struck 17th-century traveller after seeing Thailand's royal capital of Ayutthaya for the first time. Thailand has seen considerable change since then but its allure is undiminished; it is easily the most popular travel and business destination in Southeast Asia.

The reasons are not hard to find. For one, there is a incredible scenic diversity, from azure seas and golden sand beaches to misty mountain forests. There are constant reminders of the nation’s rich cultural heritage ranging from its glittering temples to its exquisite crafts. There is superb dining, shopping, and entertainment to fill the days and nights. But most of all, there are the Thai people with their unrushed lifestyles who take time to welcome the stranger, especially in the countryside.

The capital, Bangkok, is an amalgam of in the golden Buddhist temples that glitter in the tropical sun. Or encounter the unexpected in a quiet lane, a temple courtyard, a busy wet market, or deep in a canal filled with orchid nurseries. It is fine food, and a generous people for whom hospitality is a natural grace.

This is THAI's Thailand, and we know it inside and out. Which is why we can take you into its vibrant heart on Royal Orchid Holidays to meet its people and experience its beauty and cultural achievements. This section is devoted to the preliminaries of a visit and a general overview of the country. Here and elsewhere, we will show you how to enjoy it to the fullest.

Thai Airways International Public Company Limited is the national carrier of the Kingdom of Thailand. It operates domestic, regional and intercontinental flights radiating from its home base in Bangkok to key destinations around the world and within Thailand. The company's fully
paid up share capital amounts to 16,988,765,500 Baht (9 May 2005) and is 53.77% owned by the Ministry of Finance, the Thai Government. At the end of September 2004, consolidated total assets of the company amounted to 193,211 million Baht. In its operations, THAI has achieved profitability every year for the last 40 consecutive years.

Thai Airways International was founded in 1960 as a joint venture between Thailand's domestic carrier, Thai Airways Company (TAC) and Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) with the Scandinavian carrier initially providing a 30% share capital of two million Baht. SAS also provided operations, managerial and marketing expertise, with training assistance aiming at building a fully independent national airline within the shortest possible time. Thai nationals, through training and experience, were gradually able to assume full managerial responsibility and the number of expatriate staff duly reduced until, in 1987, expatriates accounted for less than one percent of staff based in Thailand.