Thailand

Capital city Bangkok

Religion Buddhism
Government

Constitutional monarchy under military junta

Monarch

Bhumibol Adulyadej

Prime Minister

Prayut Chan-o-cha

Formerly known as Siam Thai is a country at the centre of the Indochina peninsula
in Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos
and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west
by the Andaman Sea and the southern extremity of Burma. Its maritime boundaries
include Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand to the southeast, and Indonesia and India on
the Andaman Sea to the southwest.
Etymology of "Thailand"
The word Thai is not, as commonly believed,[citation needed] derived from the word
Thai meaning "independence" in the Thai language; it is, however, the name of an
ethnic group from the central plains (the Thai people).[citation needed] A famous
Thai scholar argued that Thai simply means "people" or "human being" since his
investigation shows that in some rural areas the word "Thai" was used instead of
the usual Thai word "khon" for people.
The Thai refer to Thailand as "land of the freedom".[citation needed] This is because
Thailand is the only country in Southeast Asia never colonised by a European power

Thailand Instruments
There are many different varieties of Instruments from Thailand. They have 3 families
of instruments, the wind, percussion, and string instruments. There are 2 main types of
string instruments, plucked and bowed. The Percussion family is separated into 3
main groups, the drums, keyboards, and gongs or cymbals. Also, many Thai
instruments are very similar, just in different sizes to produce higher or lower pitches.

The Ranat Ek

The Ranat Ek has a similar look to xylophones. The keys from the ranad ek do not touch the base
of the instrument, but rather hang over it, similar to a suspension bridge. The keys are wooden,
and are different sizes in order to make different sounds.

Ranat Ek Lek

The Ranat Ek Lek is similar to the Ranat Ek, but is made with metal keys, instead of wooden
ones. The Flat metal keys are placed over a wooden resonater.

Ranat Thum Lek

The Ranak Thum Lek was created to have a lower tone then the Ranat Ek Lek. The only major
difference is that all of the keys are larger, giving it a lower tone.

GrajaBpI

The Grajabpi is a stringed instrument, similar to a lute. The strings are plucked, and it is used in
Thai Classical Music. It is made of jackfruit or teak wood, and has four strings. The Grajabpi is
believed to be one of the oldest Thai instruments.

Saw Duang

The Saw Duang is a string instrument that is played with a bow. The box of the saw duang is
made from either bamboo or hardwood, and the skin on the end of the sound chamber is often
made from snake skin. The strings are often made from silk.

Saw u

The Saw U is similar to the Saw Duang, but larger and produces a lower pitch. It has 2 strings,
and can produce 8 notes. The soundbox of the Saw U is made from a coconut shell with the open
side covered with cowskin. The silk strings of the Saw U are played with a bow.

Taphon

The Taphon is a percussion instrument that is often found in a percussion ensemble called a
piphat. The Taphon has two heads, and is shaped like a barrel. It is played with your hands, not
with mallets. Many taphons have designs woven into the middle of the barrel.

Thon-Rammana

The Thon-Rammana are hand drums that are played in a pair. The Rammana is a frame drum that
gives a higher pitch, while the Thon is a goblet drum that gives a lower pitch.

Khong wong lek

The khong wong lek is a unique instrument. It is comprised of 18 small gongs that are in a circle.
It is similar to the khong wong yai, but has a higher pitch.

Khlui

The Khlui is mostly made from bamboo, but is made from hardwood, and sometimes even
plastic too. The seven lower holes on the Khlui are where the fingers sit, covering and
uncovering them in order to change the note that comes out.

PI Nai

The pi nai has 6 holes, through which it can make varying sounds, and 22 pitches. The pi nai is a
form of oboe, and is classified under the Thai wind instrument catergory. The reed of the pi nai is
made of Bai tan, a form of palm leaf.

JakHe

Approximately 20cm high, and 140cm long, the Jakhe has two strings made from silk, and two
strings made from brass. In order to play this instrument, your left hand goes on the frets, to
change the pitching, while your right hand strikes the strings with a ivory plectrum tied to your
index finger.