THAILAND

Although their rulers were Khmer with roots in India and its culture (including Buddhism) the ancestors of modern Thais came from southern China between the 10th and 13th centuries. Towards the end of that period, several small states in the Mekong River Valley united to create the Thai kingdom. An enchanting archipelago brimming with cultural history, Thailand is steeped in rich tradition and spirituality that is heavily influenced by ethnic groups from India, Cambodia, China and Southeast Asia.