| Thailand
has a rich and fascinating past. The land has been a cultural crossroads
and many historical sites exist as testament to the nation's evolution.
Bangkok's many Buddhist temples and theart treasures they contain are usually the first sights the traveller encounters. Wonderful though these are, few are more than 200 years old, Bangkok being founded as the Thai capital in only 1782. Further afield, however, it is possible to trace an intriguing history extending far back in time.
Prior to the Thais' rise to supremacy in the 13th century, much of the region was dominated by the Khmer, whose vast empire was centred on Angkor in present-day Cambodia. The cultural legacy of this influence can be seen at a number of well-preserved Khmer monuments, notably in the Northeast, which are the finest examples of their kind found outside Cambodia.
Past glories have not vanished in the modern world, and Thailand presents myriad wonders of cultural and artistic achievement. please E-mail to : prbs@email.egat.or.th
|
The
area now defined by the borders of Thailand boasts civilizations dating
back to prehistoric times. At Ban Chiang, in the Northeast region, for
example, archaeological finds, including delicately decorated pottery,
date back more than 5,000 years. 
Moving
into the Thai period proper, dating from the 13th century, the historical
development of the Kingdom can be glimpsed at several ancient sites. Reflecting
past glories to the fullest are the surviving ruins of the first two capital
cities: Sukhothai, founded in c 1238, and Ayutthaya, which was the power
centre for over 400 years until its destruction in 1767. At both places,
the former located on the northern edge of the Central Plains and the latter
situated some 80 kilometres north of Bangkok, are impressive ruins attesting
to the architectural achievements of the Thais. 
Sukhothai
and Ayutthaya are two of the well-known ancient sites scattered around
the country. Other range from Chiang Mai in the north, founded as the capital
of the Lan Na Kingdom in the late 13th century, to Nakhon Pathom, an early
and important Buddhist centre lying west of modern Bangkok, and to old
southern cities such as Nakhon Si Thammarat. 
