Sukhothai Period (The Dawn of Happiness)
-The first kingdom of Thailand
-Ruled by 9 successive kings for about 200 years
- King Sri Inthrathit was the 1st king
King Ramkamhaeg
1. He was interested in his people and become a
father figure and everyone was treated fairly and
as equals.
2. Anyone with a problem could ring a bell outside
the palace and ask the King to help find solution.
3.The people of Sukhothai had a lot of freedom
and were allowed to farm and trade without being
taxed.
4.He established the first Thai alphabet in 1283.
The characters were adapted from Mon
(Myanmar), Khmer (Cambodia), and Pali Sanskrit
(India).
5.He had a stone inscription carved and it was
found in the ruins of the royal palace in Sukhothai
by King Mongkut (Rmam IV)
Ayutthaya Period (The Undefeatable)
- Ruled by 33 successive kings for 417 years
- King Uthong was the 1st king of Ayutthaya
King Naresuan
1.He was taken hostage by the Burmese when he was just
nine years old. He was treated well as he grew up in the
Burmese royal household, were he spent 6 years.
2.In 1592 Burmese army threatned the kingdom. King
Naresuan led his army to the enemy and, mounted on an
elephant, single-handedly killed the Burmese Crown prince.
The Burmese fled back to Burma and did not threaten
Ayutthaya again over 100 years.
3. King Naresuan had an unfortunate death when a boil on
his cheek became infected and led to blood poisoning.
King Narai
1.During his reign the kingdom was described as the most
powerful and magnificent in Asia. The port were crowded
with hundreds of boats from Asia and Europe.
2.Diplomatic offices were opened in Ayutthaya and
hundreds of Europeans lived and worked in the city.
3. Kind Narai welcomed these foreigners as they brought
with them knowledge of military affairs, medicine,
astronomy and architecture.
Thonburi Period
- The third kingdom of Thailand
- Ruled by 1 king for 16 years
King Taksin
1. He was at the siege of Ayutthaya. Before the
city was invaded and destroyed, Taksin was able
to get through the enemy lines and escape
2. He established his new capital at Thonburi.
3. He spent the next 14 years fighting the
Burmese and uniting the different Thai groups
that had appeared after the fall of Ayutthaya.
4. He successful warior King who, in a very short
space time, had driven the Burmese out of the
country and expanded the Kingdom of Thonburi
until it was even larger than Ayutthaya.
5. He death in 1782, his field Marshall and
friend Chaophraya Chakri was asked to become
King.
Rattanakosin Period (Chakri Dynasty)
-The present kingdom of Thailand
-Rule by 9 successive king for 234 years
Rama I
-King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke, the Great was king for 27 years
-He placed Buddhism at the center of Thai culture and life .
-He built the Wat Pho, Wat Phra Keaw and Grand Palace.
-He removed the Burmese threats to Thailand's independence.
-He made Thailand as the buffer zone between French and British empires that is
why Thailand is the only Indo-china country that has not been colonized.
Rama IV
-He was king for 18 years
-He was known as the father of Thai Science (Astronomy).
-He calculated the solar eclipse at his time.
-He started the use of Thai baht.
-He required that Thai should wear proper clothes inside the palace.
Rama V
-He was king for 42 years.
-He was the first king who traveled to the western countries.
-He stopped the use of pot dung and use baht and satang only.
-He removed slavery inside and outside the palace.
-He introduced modern electricity, water supply, roads and bridges in the
country.
-He modernized the communication system (post and telegram).
-He introduced railway system (Hualumphong railway station).
-He enjoy Thai Kickboxing (Muay Thai) and made it as the official sports of
Thailand.
Rama IX
-He made the "artificial rain" project for farmers during drought.
-He made big dams to keep water from wasting.
-He made the "Monkey Cheek" project to have water supply during dry
season.
-He help stop soil erosion with the use of "Vetiver" project.
-He made the "Chai Phatthana Aerator" project to put oxygen to
stagnant water.
-He made the "Trick the Soil" project to reclaim flooded land for
agriculture.
-He provided free education to poor children and salaries to their
teachers.
-He provided free medical help to those people who lived far from the
town.
-He modernize transportation and communications.
-After the 1997 economic downfall, he encourage Thai people to
practice his philosophy, "sufficiency Economy" to live in moderation and
being reading for future crisis.