Thai History

   The origin of the Thai (or Tai) race is shrouded is shrouded in mystery. One of the convincing hypothesis have been that the Thai, having migrated form Sichuan province in Central China, founded a kingdom in southern China called Nanchao, from which they were driven further south by the all-conquering Mongol ruler Kublai in 1253, into Indochina and present-day Thailand.

   Sukhothai was the first independent Thai kingdom. Sukhothai is remembered as much for its art and architecture as for its political achievements. During the first half of the 13th century, the Thai rulers of Sukhothai thrive off the Khmer yoke an set up an independent Thai Kingdom. King Ramkhamhaeng, was the most famous and dynamic monarch. The inscription is considered a seminal source of Sukhothai history as well as a masterpiece of Thai. Suhkothai was prosperous and well-governed. Its economy was self-sufficient, small-scale and agricultural. In he time of King Ramkhamhaeng, this land of Sukhothai is thriving. There are fish in the water and rice in the fields. ??Sokhothai's decline lasted from the mid-14th until the 15th century.

   For 417 years the kingdoms of Ayutthaya was the dominated power in the fertile Chao Phraya River Basin. It is capital was Ayutthaya, which grow into one of Asia's most renowned metropolises. Ramathibodi I, Ayutthaya 's first King, was both warrior and a lawmaker. He also expended Ayutthaya's territory. The paternalistic and benevolent Buddhist kingship in Sohkothai doesn't work well in Ayutthaya era. Thai society became strictly hierarchical. There were roughly 3 classes of people. with the king at the very apex of the structure. The Ayutthaya period was early Thai history's great era of international trade. The port of Ayutthaya become an entrepot, an international marketplace w. Containing merchandise from all corners of Asia, the thriving markets of Ayutthaya attracted traders from Europe. The Portuguese were the first to arrive in 1511. Spain was the next European nation to arrive toward the end of the 16th century. The early 17th century saw the arrival of Dutch and British. Then the French came. The foreign trade grew continuously.

   In April 1767, after a 15-month siege, Ayutthaya finally succumbed to the Burmese, who sacked and burnt the city, thus putting an end of the most politically glorious and culturally influential epoch in Thai Society. A half-Chinese general Phraya Taksin, within a few years this determined warrior had defeated not only all his rivals but also the Burmese invaders and had set himself as king. Since Ayutthaya has been so completely devastated, King Taksin chose to establish his capital at Thonburi, across the river from Bangkok. Thonburi was strategically situated near the mouth of the Chao Phraya River and therefore suitable as a seaport. The rallying of the Thai nation during a time of crisis was his greatest achievement. King Taksin's achievements have caused posterity to bestow on him the epithet "the Great".
The new king, Rama I (1782-1809) was also a great general. His reign has been called a "reconstruction" of the Thai State and Thai culture. He was the ruler who established Bangkok as the capital and was also the founder of the Royal Hose of Chakri, of which the present monarch. The Grand Palace and its resplendent royal chapel, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha were created during his reign.

   The King Rama I's son, Rama II (1809-1824), accepted to the throne peacefully. His reign was especially notable for the height attained by Thai poetry. King Rama III had many artistic talents. Rama III (1824??1851) ruled firmly and with wisdom His half-brother was accumulating experience which was to prove invaluable to him during his years as king. The King Rama IV (1851-1865) was the first chakri king to embark seriously on reform based on Western models. He concentrated on the technological and organizational aspect of reform.

    King Chulalongkorn , Rama V (1868-1910) carried on the reforms and foreign policy of King Rama IV. He was one of Siam's most loved and reversed Kings. Indeed, modern Thailand may be said to be a product of the comprehensive and progressive reforms of his reign. He was the first Thai king to travel abroad. He put Siam in a stronger international position. He gradually abolished both the telegraph service ere introduced and a railway network was built. Public instruction become more secular than ever before in Thai history. King Rama V kept Siam an independent sovereign state overcoming many crises and all the white he strove to uphold Thai cultural, artistic and religious values.

    
    King Rama VI (1910-1932) was the first Thai King to have been educated abroad. The major achievement of King Rama VI, however, lay in the area of education and related legislation. Chulalongkorn University, Siam's first Western-style university, named in honor of King Chulalongkorn was established by him. King Rama VII (1925-1935) , Rama VI's younger brother, to the throne since King VI has no male heir. He worked hard in addressing himself to Siam's problems, and his comments on various matters of government and administration in the state papers of his reign reveal him to be an admirable ruler in may ways. The 1932 coup d'etat put an end to absolute monarchy in Siam. A formal constitution was promulgated and a National Assembly set up. Siam thus became a constitutional monarchy without any bloodshed or Wholesale change in its society and economy. King Rama VII abdicated in March 1935.