The monarchy and religion are sacred in Thailand. Buddhism is practiced by 95% of the population. It is quite common to see monks wearing yellow or orange robes.
The culture is reflected by the big temples and religious art, in particular Buddha. Also there are many religious festivals. The school of Theravada is a place where one goes to obtain nirvana without the help of saints or religious teachers. Be sure to dress accordingly before visiting a temple. It is not permitted to wear shorts and sandals. The feet must be totally covered. One can rent the required clothing at the temples.
The Thai language is very complicated. It possesses a unique dialect. The difficulty is that the language is tonal, like Chinese. A word that is said at a different tone can have five different interpretations.
Thai food is quite spicy. It uses lots of garlic, limes, lemons, herbs, and cilantro. Rice, fish sauce and small shrimp come with the majority of the dishes. Some main dishes include a mixture of fishes, green and red curry, some soup and noodles. A very common dish is the Pat Thai that comes with peanuts. They have an incredible variety of fruits. There are small street shops that sell cut fruit in a shish ke-bab style.

From South America there are four ways to get to Thailand: Malaysian Airlines makes a stop in Cape Town and Johannesburg in South Africa. A connecting flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Bangkok or Phuket. That flight is twice a week.
Another alternative is via Los Angeles, but it is a lot longer and more expensive. Quantas is a good alternative if one wants to see Australia and New Zealand. That flight is also twice a week. It can be a much better option than Malaysian Airlines.
Finally, flights from Europe with KLM, British Airways or Lufthansa have good rates.

Transportation (within Thailand)

In Bangkok the best way to move around is by taxi. It is very cheap and comforting. The original cost is 35 Baht and 1 Baht for every two-city block. From Banglampoo to Pratunam it is approximately 70 Bahts. The only problems with the taxis are that they don't always want to use the meter, make sure to insist. Another way is by Tuk Tuk; these are tiny motorized vehicles that seat three people. At first they will appear to be much cheaper, but don't be fooled they are tourist traps. The same trip mentioned above will cost 100 Baht. It is quite ridiculous when a taxi is much more comfortable. Also if it rains the passengers will get wet. There are also public buses, with and without air conditioner. They can be a good option. The traffic in Bangkok can be quite a drag, be sure to be patience. In the islands it is no necessary to use public transportation. It is so slow that one can move by foot. In the islands of Koh Samui and Phuket public transportation is required, they are too big.