Traveling somewhere isn’t only about staying at luxury five-star hotels and enjoying the most expensive foods and attractions. You must also learn about the place’s culture and history to understand the complete background of everything you see.
Thailand’s culture is extremely rich, but not many people know everything it has gone through in the past centuries. That’s why this article is meant to teach you all the basics about Thailand’s history, including everything that tourists need to know to properly honor the land they are going to visit. Keep reading to learn more about this.
Modern History
A huge part of Thailand’s history is pretty recent, as the Ayutthaya kingdom was one of the most powerful ones of the 20th century. Thailand’s state was constantly being threatened by several other countries, including Vietnam, France, and Britain. However, Thailand managed to stay independent as neutral territory.
Then, the Siamese Revolution happened in 1932, in which the Ayutthaya Kingdom finally ended, and it began the constitutional monarchy era, in which military factions shared a lot of political power. Nonetheless, many people were reluctant to trust the new government, as they feared ultra-nationalism and communism, which caused it to be pretty unstable for several decades.
During World War II, Thailand created close relationships with Japan and the United States, which allowed them to avoid communist influences and establish a democratic government in 1992.
Ayutthaya Kingdom by Alice
Ancient History
Thailand also has a fair share of ancient historical tales and cultural backgrounds that shaped the way Thai civilization is nowadays. However, a considerable part of Thai history is lost, as there aren’t many sources before the 13th century, and most of the information we have comes from archeological records.
Some of Thailand’s most significant influences include India, the Khmer Empire, and the Kingdom of Funan, which is why Buddhism is so widely represented in this country’s historical background and population.
In the 10th century, Thailand was dominated by the Khmer empire, but it gradually became independent as the empire disappeared. Then, several other kingdoms started battling for control of the land, but the Ayutthaya kingdom succeeded and maintained Thailand’s independence for several centuries until the Burmese took over.
In 1768, Thonburi was taken over by General Taskin, who used his power and influence to liberate the entirety of Thailand and create the country of Siam. Thailand then made several treaties during the 18th century, which allowed them to keep being a powerful country as it maintained diplomatic relations with Britain and France. This is why we can observe a substantial western influence on Thailand’s culture.
Bottom Line
Thailand has a fascinating historical and cultural background, so you should try to learn more about it during your visit. We highly encourage you to visit its main tourist attractions, such as museums and galleries, as you are sure to learn a lot more about this wonderful country.
Siam History by Norbert Braun
