Cultural Diversity Compare And Contrast Of Thai And Malaysia

Introduction

The forerunners of today's Thais gradually shifted from what is now southern China into the area of the Mekong and Chao Phraya stream basins. They overwhelmed Mon and Khmer peoples, and subsequent intermingled with them. A Thai kingdom called Siam evolved along the smaller Chao Phraya River. (Govind, 266)

Thailand was not ever exactly colonized by the Western colonial powers. It was left as a buffer zone between the British colonial holdings in Burma (modern-day Myanmar) and the French colonies in Indochina (Cambodia, Laos, and Viet Nam). A bloodless coup directed by Western-educated Thai elites put an end to Thailand's absolute monarchy in 1932. Aconstitutional monarchy was established, and early endeavours at democracy were angrye. However, conflicts inside the new government directed to a successful military coup d'état (overthrow).

Many Malays accept as factual that their ancestors were originally from the lowlands of Cambodia and the Mekong River Delta of South Vietnam. They shifted to the Malay Peninsula and the island of Sumatra because of a shortage of land and natural resources in Cambodia and Vietnam, population overcrowding, and the opening to settle new lands in Malaysia.

In the fifteenth 100 years, Malaysia was the site of a popular dock, Malacca, where traders from the east (China) and the west (India, Middle East, and Europe) contacted to trade commodities such as spices. Malacca was conquered by the Portuguese in 1511, taken over by the Dutch in 1641, and handed over to the British in 1811. The British gradually expanded their influence. (Earl, 12)

The up to date homeland, Federation of Malaysia, formed in 1963. It is made up of thirteen states. Sultans direct nine of the states, and three are directed by governors. Malaysia practices a constitutional monarchy alike to what is practiced in England.

LOCATION

Thailand is located in the middle of mainland southeast Asia. The homeland covers approximately 198,455 square miles (514,000 square kilometers). Thailand has four foremost regions. The centered floodplain is watered by the Chao Phraya River and its tributaries. The mountainous north has plantation localities that are quickly being destroyed. The dry northeast on the Khorat Plateau boundaries the Mekong stream to the east. The long coastlines of the peninsula are enclosed by the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand. The Thai population is over 61 million. Around 11 million persons are dwelling in Bangkok, the capital and the only major city. (Govind, 266)

Malaysia has a land area of 127,320 rectangle miles (329,760 rectangle kilometers), making it somewhat bigger than New Mexico. More than half of its land is enclosed with tropical rain forests. Large localities of these rain timber plantations are being depleted by logging. Malaysia's climate is tropical, with monsoons conveying an average annual rainfall of about 95 inches (240 centimeters). It is warm, sunny and humid all through the year with temperatures ranging from 73° to 88° F (23° to 31° C).

Malaysia's 19 million persons are multi-racial. There are three main ethnic groups: the Bumiputera ...