Little is known about the first inhabitants of what is now Thailand, but 5000 years of archaeological
excavations in the north of the country, is believed to contain the earliest evidence of rice cultivation and bronze casting in Asia and perhaps the world. In the early historical times, a number of tribal groups controlled what is now Thailand. Mon peoples and red established powerful kingdoms, including most of the country. Absorb the contact with the peoples of Asia, of religious ideas on the Internet, the social, political and cultural factors that have influenced the development of Thai culture and national identity.
Tai, the people who originally lived in the southwest of China, migration to the mainland of Southeast Asia for centuries. The first mention of their existence in the region, the inscription of the twelfth century Khmer temple complex of Angkor Wat in Cambodia, which refers to Syam or "black" people (the origin of the term Siam) as vassals of the king, as the reds. In 1238, the Thai leader declared independence from the Khmer kingdom of Sukhothai and established a broad valley Phraya Mae Nam (river) Chao, the center of modern Thailand. Sukhothai was replaced in the fourteenth century, the Kingdom of Ayutthaya. Burmese invasion of Ayutthaya in 1767 and destroyed the capital, but two national heroes, and Chakkri Taksin soon expelled the invaders and the unification of the country under the dynasty Chakkri.
Over the centuries, the Thai national identity evolved around a common language and religion, and the institution of the monarchy. While the Thai people are a mixture of Thai, Mon, red and other ethnic groups, most of the family in Thai. Tai language alphabet based on Indian and red, founded in the fourteenth century. Later in the century, the famous monarch, Ramathibodi, Theravada Buddhism is the official religion of his kingdom, and Buddhism continued in the twentieth century as a dominant factor for the development of social, cultural and political life of the country. Finally, the monarchy, supported ideologically Hindu and Buddhist mythology, was the center of popular loyalty for more than seven centuries. In the twentieth century, the monarchy remained at the center of national unity.
In the nineteenth century, European expansion, rather than the traditional enemies of Thailand raised the greatest threat to the survival of the kingdom. Thailand's success in maintaining the independence of the country (it was the only South Asian country to do so), was partly the result of the willingness of the United Kingdom and France for a buffer state between their possessions stable Burma, Malaysia and Indochina. More important, however, was that of King of Thailand, Mongkut (Rama IV, 1851-1868 biennium) and Chulalongkorn (Rama V, 1868-1910), to negotiate openly with the European powers and adopt European-style reforms to modernize the country and won the world's sovereign nations. Thailand (then called Siam) has paid a high price for its independence, however, the loss of sovereignty over Cambodia and Laos in France, and sales of the northern states of Peninsular Malaysia, the United Kingdom. In 1910, the area under the Thai government was part of what was a hundred years ago.
In the first decades of the twentieth century, the political system in Thailand, the military, schools and the economy has undergone a radical change. Many Thais studied abroad, and a small educated elite, less traditional Western ideas emerged. In 1932, a revolution without bloodshed, the military and the government closed the era of absolute monarchy and constitutional Thailand. Progress in the development of a stable and democratic political system, since then, however, was not uniform. Politics is dominated by the military-bureaucratic rival gang led by powerful overall. These clicks started repeated coups and entered a long period of martial law. Parliamentary institutions, according to Thailand's fourteen constitutions of 1932 and 1987, and the competition between civilian politicians were generally facades of the military government.
Tai, the people who originally lived in the southwest of China, migration to the mainland of Southeast Asia for centuries. The first mention of their existence in the region, the inscription of the twelfth century Khmer temple complex of Angkor Wat in Cambodia, which refers to Syam or "black" people (the origin of the term Siam) as vassals of the king, as the reds. In 1238, the Thai leader declared independence from the Khmer kingdom of Sukhothai and established a broad valley Phraya Mae Nam (river) Chao, the center of modern Thailand. Sukhothai was replaced in the fourteenth century, the Kingdom of Ayutthaya. Burmese invasion of Ayutthaya in 1767 and destroyed the capital, but two national heroes, and Chakkri Taksin soon expelled the invaders and the unification of the country under the dynasty Chakkri.
Over the centuries, the Thai national identity evolved around a common language and religion, and the institution of the monarchy. While the Thai people are a mixture of Thai, Mon, red and other ethnic groups, most of the family in Thai. Tai language alphabet based on Indian and red, founded in the fourteenth century. Later in the century, the famous monarch, Ramathibodi, Theravada Buddhism is the official religion of his kingdom, and Buddhism continued in the twentieth century as a dominant factor for the development of social, cultural and political life of the country. Finally, the monarchy, supported ideologically Hindu and Buddhist mythology, was the center of popular loyalty for more than seven centuries. In the twentieth century, the monarchy remained at the center of national unity.
In the nineteenth century, European expansion, rather than the traditional enemies of Thailand raised the greatest threat to the survival of the kingdom. Thailand's success in maintaining the independence of the country (it was the only South Asian country to do so), was partly the result of the willingness of the United Kingdom and France for a buffer state between their possessions stable Burma, Malaysia and Indochina. More important, however, was that of King of Thailand, Mongkut (Rama IV, 1851-1868 biennium) and Chulalongkorn (Rama V, 1868-1910), to negotiate openly with the European powers and adopt European-style reforms to modernize the country and won the world's sovereign nations. Thailand (then called Siam) has paid a high price for its independence, however, the loss of sovereignty over Cambodia and Laos in France, and sales of the northern states of Peninsular Malaysia, the United Kingdom. In 1910, the area under the Thai government was part of what was a hundred years ago.
In the first decades of the twentieth century, the political system in Thailand, the military, schools and the economy has undergone a radical change. Many Thais studied abroad, and a small educated elite, less traditional Western ideas emerged. In 1932, a revolution without bloodshed, the military and the government closed the era of absolute monarchy and constitutional Thailand. Progress in the development of a stable and democratic political system, since then, however, was not uniform. Politics is dominated by the military-bureaucratic rival gang led by powerful overall. These clicks started repeated coups and entered a long period of martial law. Parliamentary institutions, according to Thailand's fourteen constitutions of 1932 and 1987, and the competition between civilian politicians were generally facades of the military government.
