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Easily the most democratic nation in south-east Asia, the people of Thailand are widely revered for their open-minds and easy-going nature.
Although Thai is the official language, English is widely spoken by the upper class and those living in the heavily-touristed areas. Lao is also prevalent, particularly in the Isan region where most people speak it as their first language.
Over 90% of Thailand practices Theravada Buddhism. Christians, Muslims and Hindus also have a visible presence in the country.
Thailand hasn't engaged in any major conflict since WWII, shortly after which it became a US ally. There has however been a long-standing tradition of border skirmishes with their neighbour to the west, Burma.
Tourism in Thailand is mostly limited to the beach areas and a few of the larger cities like Bangkok and Chiang Mai. There are towns where the tourists almost outnumber the locals and other towns where they're such a rarity that people will openly stare at you. It all depends on where you go.