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| 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 Empire is explained in its link and each had different significance at different times in different neighbouring regions as well as in Central Thailand.
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- The Dvaravati Kingdom [ 6th - 11th C ] was that 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
- The Khmer Empire [ Angkorian ] in Thailand [ 11th C -1436 ] was that of the Hindu believing Khmers 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
- 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
- The Sukhothai Empire [ 1238 -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
- The Tai Ayutthaya Empire [ 1351-1767 ] and its successor
after the Burmese invasion, the Bangkok Empire [ 1782-1932 ] 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. 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.
- 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 C Siam had to retreat from all of Cambodia, Laos and Burma
and parts of Malaysia upon pressure from the European imperialists
France and Britain.
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