Thailand means "land of the free",
and throughout its 800-year history, Thailand can boast the distinction of
being the only country in Southeast Asia never to have been colonized. Its
history is divided into five major periods :
NAN CHAO PERIOD (650-1250 A.D.)
The Thai people founded their kingdom in the southern part of China, which is
Yunnan, Kwangsi and Canton today. A great number of people migrated south as
far as the Chao Phraya Basin and settled down over the Central Plain under
the sovereignty of the Khmer Empire, whose culture they probably accepted.
The Thai people founded their independent state of Sukhothai around 1238
A.D., which marks the beginning of the Sukhothai Period.
Thais began to emerge as a dominant force in the
region in the13th century, gradually asserting independence from
existing Khmer and Mon kingdoms. Called by its rulers "the
dawn of happiness", this is often considered
the golden era of Thai history, an ideal Thai state in a land of plenty
governed by paternal and benevolent kings, the most famous of whom was
King Ramkamhaeng the Great. However in 1350, the mightier state of
Ayutthaya exerted its influence over Sukhothai.
AYUTTHAYA PERIOD (1350-1767)
The Ayutthaya kings adopted Khmer cultural influences
from the very beginning. No longer the paternal and accessible rulers that
the kings of Sukhothai had been, Ayutthaya's sovereigns were absolute
monarchs and assumed the title devaraja (god-king). The early part of this
period saw Ayutthaya extend its sovereignty over neighboring Thai
principalities and come into conflict with its neighbours, During the 17th
century, Siam started diplomatic and commercial relations with western
countries.
In 1767, a Burmese invasion succeeded in capturing Ayutthaya. Despite their
overwhelming victory, the Burmese did not retain control of Siam for long. A
young general named Phya Taksin and his followers broke through the Burmese
encirclement and escaped to Chantaburi. Seven months after the fall of
Ayutthaya, he and his forces sailed back to the capital and expelled the
Burmese occupation garrison.
THON BURI PERIOD (1767-1772)
General Taksin, as he is
popularly known, decided to transfer the capital from Ayutthaya to a site
nearer to the sea which would facilitate foreign trade, ensure the
procurement of arms, and make defence and withdrawal easier in case of a
renewed Burmese attack. He established his new capital at Thon Buri on the
west bank of the Chao Phraya River.
The rule of Taksin was not an easy one. The lack of central authority since
the fall of Ayutthaya led to the rapid disintegration of the kingdom, and
Taksin's reign was spent reuniting the provinces.
RATTANAKOSIN PERIOD (1782 - Present day)
After Taksin's death, General Chakri became the first
king of the Chakri Dynasty, Rama I, ruling from 1782 to 1809. His first
action as king was to transfer the royal capital across the river from Thon
Buri to Bangkok and build the Grand Palace. Rama II (1809-1824) continued the
restoration begun by his predecessor. King Nang Klao, Rama III (1824-1851)
reopened relations with Western nations and developed trade with China. King
Mongkut, Rama IV, (1851-1868) concluded treaties with European countries,
avoided colonialisation and established modern Thailand. He made many social
and economic reforms during his reign .
King Chulalongkorn, Rama V (1869-1910) continued his father's tradition of
reform, abolishing slavery and improving the public welfare and
administrative system. Compulsory education and other educational reforms
were introduced by King Vajiravudh, Rama VI (1910-1925). During the reign of
King Prajadhipok, (1925-1935), Thailand changed from an absolute monarchy to
a constitutional monarchy. The king abdicated in 1933 and was succeeded by
his nephew, King Ananda Mahidol (1935-1946). The country's name was changed
from Siam to Thailand with the advent of a democratic government in 1939. Our
present monarch, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, is King Rama IX of the Chakri
Dynasty. Postwar military coups and suppression of democracy activists,
notably in 1973, 1976 and 1991, gave way to democratic reform including a new
constitution.
