Thailand Siam Muang Thai

The position of women is good. Polygamy is common only among the upper classes but the first wife is the head of the household.

The Siamese are gentle, patient, law-abiding, kindly and hospitable to strangers, light hearted, sympathetic, and little given to quarrel ling or violent crimes. They are able, intelligent farmers but as they do not care for any other than agricultural labour, most of the industries and trades are in the hands of the Chinese. The national costume is the panung, a piece of cloth i yd. wide and 3 yd. long.

The middle of it is passed round the body, covering it from the waist to the knees, and is hitched in front so that two ends of equal length hang down; these being twisted together are passed back between the legs, drawn up and tucked into the waist at the middle of the back. The panung is worn by both sexes but the women supplement it with a scarf worn round the body under the arms. Among the better classes both sexes wear also a jacket buttoned to the throat, stockings and shoes, and all the men, except servants, wear hats.

The staple food is rice and fish. Meat is eaten, but as the slaughter of animals is against Buddhist tenets, is not often obtain able, with the exception of pork, killed by Chinese. Men but not women smoke. Everybody chews betel. The principal pastimes are gambling, boat-racing, cock- and fish-fighting and kite-flying, and a kind of football.

Slavery has been gradually abolished by a series of laws. No such thing as caste exists and low birth is no insuperable bar to the attainment of the highest dignities. There are no hereditary titles, those in use being conferred for life only and being attached to some particular office.

Towns.

Siam has very few towns with a population of over 10,000,. the majority being scattered townships and villages; the capitals of provinces are often only a few houses gathered round the market place, the offices and the governor's residence. The more important places of northern Siam include Chieng Mai (q.v.) the terminus of the Northern railway; Raheng, a timber station and the starting point of a Burmese trade route; Pitsanu lok of historical interest and a centre of agricultural activity. In

Eastern Siam the only towns of importance are Korat, the centre of a silk weaving industry; Ubon, the future terminus of the Eastern railway, and Nong Kai, an ancient place on the Mekong river. In Central Siam after Bangkok and Ayuthia are Pak Nam, with naval fortifications at the entrance to the Menam river; Paklat, a town of Mons, descendants of refugees from Pegu; Nontaburi, a big market centre; Lopburi, the last capital before Ayuthia and the residence of kings during the Ayuthian period, a city of ruins but now re-awakening as a railway centre. To the west of the Menam Chao Phraya are Suphanburi and Ratburi, ancient cities; Pechaburi Piply of early travellers) ; and Nakon Patom (Phrapatum) with its huge pagoda on the site of the capital of Sri Wichaiya, a kingdom of 2,000 years ago, and now a place of military, agricultural and other schools. To the east in the Bang Pakong basin and on the eastern shore of the Gulf are Petriou; Bang Plasoi, a fishing centre; Rayong, Chanta bun (q.v.) and Krat, which produce gems and pepper. In South ern Siam the chief towns are Puket, the centre of the tin mining of the country; Nakon Sri Tammarat and Patani with a good roadstead which attracted European traders in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Communications.

Central Siam is well supplied with water communications : east to west canals link the three main river systems and bring the farthest parts of the kingdom within touch with Bangkok. In 1903 a department of government was formed to control the canals, the traffic on which is so great that the collection of a small toll more than pays for all maintenance expenses. The low level of the land, the soft soil, the absence of suitable road building material prohibits road construction but a bureau of roads and highways, organized by the railway depart ment hopes to develop a policy of road construction whereby highways will serve as feeders to the railways at the main trading centres. In the mountainous country of northern and southern Siam, road building is again difficult, and travelling in the remoter parts is still a matter of much discomfort.