Thailand

**Thailand**, officially the **Kingdom of Thailand**, is a nation located at southeast Asia.

It is surrounded by Myanmar to the northwest; Laos to the north and east; Cambodia to the southeast; and Malaysia to the south.

## Factfile

* Official name: Kingdom of Thailand
* Anthem: Phleng Chat Thai
* Royal anthem: Sansoen Phra Barami
* Official motto: N/A
* Capital city: Krung Thep (Bangkok)
* Official languages: Thai
* State religion: N/A
	+ Major religions: Theravada Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism
* Government: Constitutional monarchy
* King: Maha Vajiralongkorn
* Prime Minister: Prayut Chan-o-cha
* Climate: Tropical
* Population: 66,558,935
* Currency: Baht (100 satang)
* National Day: 28 July (King's Birthday)

## In the Rinnarverse

Thailand was also one of the sources of the Barekis' and Rinnarits' culture.

## In the Rabydosverse

Although Thailand does not exist in the Rabydosverse, its equivalent is the kingdom of Chiangrai.

Chiangrai's kingly depiction of Ravana is popular in Porashon.

## Trivia

* Thailand's culture was influenced by that of Cambodia, and ultimately from India.
* Vozonid culture is influenced to some extent by the cultures of Thailand and Turkey. It was mostly based on the Ramakien, the Thai version of the Ramayana, a Hindu classical work.
	+ Thai classical art is also a major influence in various artistic styles for fictional cultures the author created for the Rabydosverse, as a sort of "fantasy setting" that he used instead of the typical European setting.
	+ Among the cultures partially influenced by Thai art include the Sarmelonid Empire, and its offshoots of Siangwaan and Bujan (who are Cantonese Chinese and Russian).
	+ Vozonid roofs were based on a hybrid of mediaeval Russian and Thai temple architecture.
	+ Sarmelonid writing (along with Bujanski) was also influenced by Thai letters and Glagolitic. Furthermore, the Sarmelonid language and its tones were influenced by the Thai language, mixed with Sanskrit, Turkish, and Russian.
	+ Malendor and Novantirna art was also based on Thai art, along with bits of the Celestial Empire's aesthetic, as he considered the art of the Ramakien to look more fitting for a heavenly setting populated by gods.
	+ The Bujanski word for "cat" is "mæu" (мѣу in Common letters). It resembles the Thai word for "cat", "maew" (แมว).
* Fittingly, Thailand is a popular destination for Russian tourists.
	+ Bujan's culture resembles a mixture of Russian and Thai classical art, so it would look like as if a nation of Slavs lived in Southeast Asia, and adopted Hindu culture. Or if a colony of Russian tourists or exiles formed their own culture.
	+ Sometimes, the author jokingly called Bujanski and Siangwaanians, "Russians and Chinese who behave like Thais".
* The Malendor machine god, Lumbariz, was inspired by the Democracy Monument in Bangkok.
* The Ontemazei Empire's architecture and fashion were inspired by the depictions of asuras and rakshasas (monsters) in the Ramakien, especially Thotsakan, its version of Ravana.
	+ Fittingly, the Porasonid descendants of the Ontemazei Empire worship Ravana as a god of science, war, and monsterhood; they proudly and gladly refer him as "King of the Monsters"
	+ They not only mocked their enemies' depiction of themselves as monsters, but they also embraced it and syncretised it into their version of Hinduism, making themselves more like loyal asuras who serve the Gods.
	+ The author based the Kalokei on the asuras and rakshasas of Hinduism, as the enemies of civilisation. On the other hand, the Porasonids are more akin to asuras who instead protect mankind as their holy duty before the Gods, like Vibhishana (an asura who rejected his brother Ravana's cruelty as the ruin of his city-state of Lanka).
* Yakshas, mythological beings in Hinduism who are more akin to giants, fairies, or ghouls, are also a major influence in Vozonid imperial fashion. The beautiful appearance of the yaksha statues seen in Thai temples inspired the author to depict them more positively in the Rabydosverse.
	+ According to Porasonid mythology, the souls of righteous Ontemazei become into yakshas, tree fairies who guard the living, after they die. They are believed to live at the holy mountain of Kailasha, under the protection of Shiva and Parvati as their King and Queen.
	+ Radumo, a scientist of Ontemazei descent, sometimes dresses up as a yaksha. She does not fear them, but worships them as her ancestors. Her people consider the yakshas and leshi (forest spirits in Slavic mythology) as their ancestors, as they were created from trees. It is also why they worship the forest god Jarilo as their creator.