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HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Sukhothai
was
the
first
kingdom
of
the
Thais
in
this
peninsula.
Two
princes-Pho
Khun
Pha
Muang
and
Pho
Khun
Bang
Klang
Hao
combined
their
forces
and
fought
the
Khmers
who
commanded
an
extensive
empire
throughout
this
part
of
the
world.
They drove the Khmers out of Sukhothai, a major frontier post of
the
Khmer
Empire,
and
established
it
as
their
capital
in
1238.
Pho
Khun
Bang
Klang
Hao,
urged
by
the
people
to
be
king,
was
enthroned
with
the
royal
title
of
Pho
Khun
Si
Indrathit.
King Si Indrathit had two sons-Pho Khun Ban Mueang and Pho Khun
Ramkhamhaeng.
After
his
death,
Pho
Khun
Ban
Mueang
succeeded
him.
His
brother,
Pho
Khun
Ramkhamhaeng,
ascended
the
throne
in
1278
and
reigned
for
forty
years.
He
was
Thailand's
first
great
king.
One of Thailand's finest warriors, King Ramkhamhaeng made Sukhothai
a
powerful
and
extensive
kingdom
which
included
many
parts
of
what
are
today
neighbouring
countries.
A
number
of
ancient
cities
paid
him
tribute.
King
Ramkhamhaeng
opened
direct
political
relations
with
China
and
made
two
trips
to
China
-
the
first
in
1282
to
visit
Emperor
Kublai
Khan
and
the
second
in
1300
after
Kublai
Khans
death.
From the second visit, he brought back Chinese artisans who taught
the
Thais
the
art
of
pottery.
Today,
the
old
Sangkhalok
Potteries
are
eagerly
sought
by
collectors.
A major achievement of King Ramkhamhaeng was the revision of various
forms
of
Khmer
alphabets
into
a
system
suitable
for
the
writing
of
Thai
words.
The
alphabet
that
he
invented
in
1283
was
essentially
the
same
as
that
in
use
today.
During
his
reign,
there
was
prosperity
and
happiness.
There
was
water
in
the
paddy-fields
and
fish
in
the
water.
A stone inscription reads in part, This Muang Sukhothai is good. In
the
water
there
are
fish;
in
the
field
there
is
rice.
The
ruler
does
not
levy
a
tax
on
the
people
who
travel
along
the
road
together,
leading
their
oxen
on
the
way
to
trade
and
riding
their
horses
on
the
way
to
sell.
Whoever
wants
to
trade
in
elephants,
so
trades.
Whoever
wants
to
trade
in
horses,
so
trades.
Whoever
wants
to
trade
in
silver
and
gold,
so
trades.
King Ramkhamhaeng also promoted religion and culture, and through
his
efforts,
Buddhism
progressed
among
the
people.
Inspirational
faith
gave
birth
to
classic
forms
of
Thai
religious
arts.
Images
of
the
Lord
Buddha
sculptured
during
the
Sukhothai
Era
are
cultural
treasures
which
impart
a
feeling
of
peace
and
serenity.
A total of eight kings ruled Sukhothai. The gradual decline of Sukhothai
occurred
during
the
reigns
of
the
last
two
kings.
The
end
of
this
first
Thai
kingdom
occurred
in
1365
when
it
became
a
vassal
state
of
Ayutthaya,
a
young
and
rising
power
to
the
south.
Ayutthaya
became
the
capital
of
Thailand
before
Thon
Buri
and
Bangkok. |
