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History:
Archaeological discoveries around
the northeast hamlet of Ban Chiang suggest that the world's oldest
Bronze Age civilization was flourishing in Thailand some 5,600 years
ago. By the early 1200s, Thais had established small northern city
states in Lanna, Phayao and Sukhothai.
In 1238, two Thai chieftains rebelled
against Khmer suzerainty and established the first truly independent
Thai kingdom in Sukhothai (literally, "Dawn of Happiness"). Sukhothai
saw the Thais' gradual expansion throughout the entire Chao Phraya
River basin, the establishment of Theravada Buddhism as the paramount
Thai religion, the creation of the Thai alphabet and the first expression
of nascent Thai art forms, including painting, sculpture, architecture
and literature.
Sukhothai declined during the 1300s.
And it eventually became a vassal state of Ayutthaya, a dynamic
young kingdom further south in the Chao Phraya River valley. Founded
in 1350, Ayutthaya remained the Thai capital until 1767 when it
was destroyed by Burmese invaders.
During Ayutthaya's 417 years
as the capital, under the rule of 33 kings, the Thais brought their
distinctive culture to full fruition, totally rid their lands of
Khmer presence and fostered contact with Arabian, Indian, Chinese,
Japanese and European powers. Ayutthaya's destruction was as severe
a blow to the Thais as the loss of Paris or London would have been
to the French or English. However, a Thai revival occurred within
a few months and the Burmese were expelled by King Taksin who later
made Thon Buri his capital.In 1782, the first king of the present
Chakri dynasty, Rama I, established his new capital on the site
of a riverside hamlet called Bangkok (Village of Wild Plums).
Two Chakri monarches, Mongkut (Rama
IV) who reigned between 1851 and 1868, and his son Chulalongkorn
(Rama V, 1868-1910) saved Thailand from western colonization through
adroit diplomacy and selective modernization.
Culture:
Thailand's world-renowned style of
kick boxing draws big crowds. Another local sport is takraw, which
is played rather like volleyball but with feet instead of hands,
which requires some acrobatic skill. Kite-flying is a popular favourite.
Festivals linked either to Buddhism or to the changing seasons,
are celebrated with exuberance throughout the year.
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