Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
History
The area was the site of a Khmer empire until 1238, when two Thai rulers, Pho
Khun Pha Muang and Pho Khun Bang Klang Hao, decided to unite and form a new
Thai kingdom.
Sukhothai's dynasty lasted 200 years and spanned nine kings. The most famous
was King Ramkhamhaeng, who reigned from 1275 to 1317 and is credited with de-
veloping the first Thai script - his inscriptions are also considered the first Thai liter-
ature. Ramkhamhaeng eventually expanded his kingdom to include an area even
larger than that of present-day Thailand. But a few kings later in 1438, Sukhothai
was absorbed by Ayuthaya.
Buddhist monks, Sukhothai
JEAN-PIERRE LESCOURRET/LONELY PLANET IMAGES ©
Sights
The Sukhothai ruins are one of Thailand's most impressive Unesco World Heritage
Sites. The
Sukhothai Historical Park
includes the remains of 21 historical sites
