Introduction
Bird watching and historical sites are among the attractions of the central and western regions of Thailand, parts of which have been given over to mountainous and forested national parks where rare animal species can be seen.
This landscape was the territorial heartland of the kingdom of Siam, but also a place that saw the building of the notorious Thailand-Burma railway during the Second World War.
From the ruins and history at Ayutthaya and the Bridge on the River Kwai to the luxury beachside hotels at Thailand's oldest beachside escape at Hua Hin and the resorts further east of Bangkok on the eastern coast, central Thailand offers history, nature and beachside relaxation.