Once a pariah state, Myanmar – previously known as Burma – is fast becoming the must-see destination in Southeast Asia, helped by an incredible array of tourist sights: golden stupas as tall as skyscrapers, ancient ruins, fascinating hill tribes, unexplored jungles, peaceful beach resorts, legions of monks, and mesmerising cities made legendary by writers like Rudyard Kipling and George Orwell.

Baht (THB; symbol ฿) = 100 satang. Notes are in denominations of ฿1,000, 500, 100, 50, 20 and 10. Coins are in denominations of ฿10, 5, 2 and 1, and 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1 satang.

Thailand is a serene and thought-provoking place to do some meditation. This centre offers an intensive month-long course and there are strict rules to be observed. The beautiful leafy setting in Chiang Mai is ideal, but there are similar places all over the country; make enquiries at local temples

Duty-free shops are located at Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Had Yai airports as well as in the King Power Complex (www.kingpower.com) on Bangkok's Sri Ayutthaya-Rangnam Road. Items can be purchased there and delivered to the airport in time for the departure flight

Thai food is traditionally fairly hot and spicy, but most tourist restaurants tend to tone down the heat for the more fragile Western palate. Most Thai food is prepared with fresh ingredients such as lemon grass and coriander and rice is commonly eaten with most meals.

Visas for Thailand are not required by all nationals referred to in the chart above for touristic stays of up to 30 days if entering via an international airport. If entering by land, you will usually be granted a stay of 15 days (apart from nationals of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the UK and the USA

Thailand’s climate is tropical with a mean annual temperature of 28°C and high humidity. There are three distinct seasons – the hot season from March to May, the cool season from November to February and the rainy season from about June to October.

The vast majority adhere to Buddhism (Theravada form), 5% are Muslim and there are Christian and Hindu minorities.

Thailand’s social history can be traced back to the Neolithic period and has witnessed the rise and fall of a myriad of empires and dynasties. Thailand, as we know it now, came into effect with the establishment of an alliance between three kingdoms: Lan Na, Sukhothai, and Phayao in the 13th century.

The Kingdom of Thailand is a predominantly Buddhist country, and one of the finest countries in the world in which to spend a vacation. Blessed with a tropical climate that is neither too hot, too dry, nor too wet in the monsoon season, it is possible to travel comfortably in Thailand at any time of the year.

If you are sending mail or packages to anywhere in Phnom Penh City, you can ensure faster and more reliable delivery by using the official area code.