Central Thailand History

The Kingdoms of Central Thailand Over 2000 Years

• There have been seven Kingdoms or Empires of political and administrative significance in Central Thailand during the past 2000 years.
  
• These include, [ 1 ] the Kingdom of Chenla, [ 2 ] the Dvaravati Kingdom, [ 3 ] the Khmer Empire, [ 4 ] the Kingdom of Lop Buri, [ 5 ] the Sukhothai Kingdom, [ 6 ] the Tai Siamese Kingdom of Ayutthaya and [ 7 ] the Tai Siamese Bangkok Empire.
  
• Also we should not forget the efforts of King Taksin [ 1767-82 ].
  
• Each Kingdom is explained in its link. Each had different significance at different times in different neighboring regions as well as in Central Thailand.

• The Kingdom of Chenla. The borders of the Kingdom of Chenla are not precise today nor were they ever constant but at its peak Chenla must have included the lower Menam Valley and the Mun Valley in present day Thailand [ I 'san ] plus what today is Southern Laos and parts of present day North Eastern Cambodia and perhaps at times, stretching to the Annamite Coast [ now Vietnam ]. Chenla was an Empire of the Khmer people distinct from the Chams and the tribes of Funan. Chenla was the precursor to the Khmer Empire.  Read more here...
  

• The Dvaravati Kingdom [ 6th to 11th centuries ] was the Kingdom of the Mon people who were ethnically separate from the Tai, who invaded them from China and the Khmer who also invaded them from Cambodia. Read more here...

• The Khmer Empire [ Angkorian ] in Thailand [ 11th century to 1436 ] was that of the Hindu believing Khmer of Cambodia who ethnically were Austroasians [ as were the Mon ]. The major Khmer settlements in Central Thailand were at, [ 1 ] Prasat Kamphaeng Lang in Phetchaburi Province, [ 2 ] Muang Kosinarayana in Ratchaburi Province, [ 3 ] Muang Singh in Kanchanaburi Province, [ 4 ] Noen Thang Phra in Suphan Buri Province, [ 5 ] Muang Lopburi,[ 6 ] Muang Si Mahosot [ Phra Roth ] in Prachin Buri Province, [ 7 ] Muang Phai and [ 8 ] Prasat Khao Noi, both in Sa Kaeo Province. Read more here...

• The Lop Buri Kingdom was at various times Mon, Khmer and Tai ethnically controlled and at times Buddhist and Hindu, its influence only covered part of the Central Region as and when as explained in the link. Read more here...

• The Sukhothai Empire [ 1238 to 1378 ] was that of the Buddhist Tai Siamese, relatives of the other Tai tribes which originated in China and which formed the various Tai Kingdoms. Read more here...

• The Tai Ayutthaya Empire [ 1351to 1767 ] and its successor after the Burmese invasion, the Bangkok Empire [ 1782 to 1932 ] were both of the Tai Siamese, who ruled an amalgam of ethnic groups [ Mon, Tai, Khmer etc ] the ancestors of whom today are what is now referred to as ’’ Thai ’’. The Kingdom of Ayutthaya was a Tai Kingdom formed at Ayutthaya in the Central region of Thailand. It expanded to conquer most of modern Thailand and some neighbors. In this section we deal with how it started in the Central region and its expanded Empire elsewhere.  Read more here...

• The Kingdoms of Bangkok - Following the collapse of the Ayutthaya Kingdom and its Empire, the survivors of its defeat went to Bangkok and established a new administration, first as the Taksin Thonburi Kingdom and subsequently that of the Chakri Dynasty. These Kingdoms not only expelled the Burmese from Central Thailand, but all of Thailand and regained an Empire in Laos, parts of Burma [ Myanmar ] and Malaysia. However in the late 19th century Siam had to retreat from all of Cambodia, Laos and Burma and parts of Malaysia upon pressure from the European imperialists France and Britain. Read more here...

• 1932 and After