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Thailand History

Nanchao Period (A.D.650-1250)

Chinese history states that Thai people founded the Nanchaou Kingdom in Southern China. Invasion from the North forced the now Thai people to migrate to Chiang Rai, Sukhothai and as far south as the Chao Phraya basin. Here they stayed under the sovereignty and influence of the Khmer Empire until 1238 when they had the power to become independent and founded the state Sukhothai.

Other history scholars argue that the Thai people can trace there origins to North Eastern Thailand.

Sukhothai Period (A.D.1238-1378)

In the 13th Century the Thai people gained even greater power as their neighbour’s power diminished. Once the state of Sukhothai, meaning 'the dawn of happiness', was established the Thai people experienced the golden age of their history.

King Ramkhamhaeng the Great led Sukhothai to wealth, power, religion and the arts and extended Siam's territory into its neighbouring countries. Theravada Buddhism came to the country, and trade with neighbouring China prospered.

The first written historical record of Thailand dates from this time as the Thai alphabet was developed to give the people cultural independence in 1283.

After some time and successive Kings, Sukhothai declined and Ayutthaya subdued it in 1350.

Ayutthaya Period (1350-1767)

In 1350 the Kingdom of Ayutthaya was established by King Ramathibodi I. Ayutthaya was based on the Western side of the Chao Phraya River. It began to dominate over other Thai regions and spread over from as north as Sukhothai to Malay. For 417 years Ayutthaya strengthened the nation, with language, art and culture and in the 17th Century the nation started diplomatic and trade relations with Western countries.

A large number of foreign visitors come to Siam at this time, the Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, English and French. In 1688 the King's chief minister, a Greek was accused of treason and shortly after all foreigners were expelled from the Kingdom.

The country had been having constant struggles throughout history with its neighbouring Burma, and had been invaded in the 16th and 18th centuries. In 1767 Burmese troops invaded and captured Ayutthaya, after a two year siege.

A general called Phraya Taksin managed to escape to Chantaburi and seven months later returned back to the capital and forced out the Burmese occupation.

Thonburi Period (1767-1772)

Phraya Taksin reunited his forces in Ayutthaya and moved the capital to the Thonburi area. It was necessary at the time to be in a more defensive situation and also it benefited trade being so close to the sea. The new capital of Siam-Thonburi was located on the west side of the Chao Phraya River opposite where Bangkok stands now.

Thonburi had weakened forces due to its previous loss of Ayutthaya and suffered constant battles with Burma and its own internal rebellions, and only lasted 15 years.

Taksin was reported to have gone mad, and was eventually forced to abdicate his throne and was executed.

Rattanakosin Period (1782-present)

The General of Thonburi came to the throne after Taksin's death in 1782, and called himself King Rama I, the first king of the Chakri Dynasty.

In 1785, once again the capital was moved across the Chao Phraya River this time to the present site of Bangkok. It was renamed Krung Tep, which translates as "City of Angels". The Kingdom started to flourish again with arts and culture.

Architecture also done well, The Grand Palace and many other temples were constructed under the influence of Rama I to add splendour to this new site.

After King Rama I further Kings also increased Siam's wealth, financially, through culture and religion.

Siam started modernization and diplomatic with the Western world during the time of King Rama IV and King Rama V.

A trade treaty with Britain in 1855 brought Western imports to Thailand during the reign of King Rama IV. After the King died of Malaria his son, Prince Chulalongkorn became King Rama V and brought about many social reforms and a courageous foreign policy in a time of European expansion.

Even during the times of colonization Thailand managed to retain it's independence through shrewd diplomatic manoeuvres, namely signing a treaty with France and becoming a Buffer State between British and French colonial Asia, to ensure it kept it's independence.

Modern History

In the 20th Century Thailand had some significant changes. 1932 brought a peaceful coup that ruled out absolute monarchy in favour of a constitutional monarchy. King Rama VII went into voluntary exile in England a few years later, in 1935.

In 1939 Siam had a democratic government and changed its name from Siam to Thailand.

In World War II Thailand sided with the Japanese and post war Thailand was run by the military. The country was politically unstable afterwards and had more than twenty coups and countercoups. During the reign of King Rama VIII Thailand experimented with constitutions and democracy.

A military coup in the 1957 general elections gave back the government to full military control. The Thai people at this time were tired of there unstable political situation and in 1973 there were protests made by students on Bangkok's Democracy Monument. In the following years many activists left the city and become part of Communist guerrilla forces. In October 1976 the government sent troops to Thammasat University, and more than 300 were killed it's what's known as the October Massacre.

After the October massacre the King shamed the Prime Minister and other high ranking officials into voluntary exile.

1979 brought democratic elections and the power shifted away from the military and to the business men of Thailand, this brought stability and prosperity to the country for a long time afterwards.

The Chatichichai Government was thrown out in February 1991 by a military coup, but was reinstated after the demonstrations of May 1992.

This new civilian coalition government was led by Chuan Leekpai but collapsed in 1995 after a land reform scandal.

The next Prime Minister was Banharn Silpa-archa, who was forced to resign a year later after further scandals, this time about corruption.

The former deputy Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh run the coalition until 1997, before Chuan Leekpai come back to lead the country.

Thailand's economic growth started to slow between 1992 and 1995 and by 1996 the stock market prices dropped by 30%, and in 1997 the Thai Baht collapsed in what is known as the Asian Financial Crisis. The International Monetary Fund helped with a bailout package in August, but still the Baht value fell 40%.

By 1998 things started to improve again and though Thailand's growth was slowed, by the start of the 21st Century the economy had stabilised again.

King Bhumipol Adulyadej is King Rama IX and the present king of the Chakri Dynasty.

In February 2005 the present Thai Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra was re-elected with the Thai Rak Thai (Thai love Thai) party to lead Thailand.