In recent years, Thailand has become one of the favorite vacation spots of many Russians. They are attracted to the magnificent beaches of this country, its rich cultural heritage and an abundance of exotic fruits. However, only a few are familiar with the history of the state of Thailand. This article will help fill this gap.
The origins
Thanks to the latest archaeological discoveries, it was possible to prove that in the northeast of Thailand more than 5500 years ago, an ancient civilization flourished. Scientists believe that the archaeological site discovered near the village of Bang Chiang is the earliest of the Bronze Age culture found among currently discovered on our planet.
What happened on these lands in the next several millennia is not known to anyone, since the following archaeological finds date back to the 4th century. BC e., when fairly large rural settlements appeared in the Chaupya River Valley, and the cities of Nakhon Pathom and Lopburi appeared only in the 7-8th centuries A.D. e.
Later, in the 11th and 12th centuries, the territory of modern Thailand was part of the Khmer state.
The formation of statehood
The turning point in the history of Thailand was the 12th century. At the beginning of this century, several city-states appeared in the north of the country. In 1238, two of their princes revolted against the Khmers. As a result of the victory, they got the opportunity to establish their first independent Thai state. Its capital was the city of Sukhothai, whose name translates as "Dawn of happiness."
For 2 centuries, this kingdom has expanded its territory. The national religion of Sukhothai became southern Buddhism. The first Thai alphabet was invented and various areas of art and literature began to develop.
Ayutthaya
However, the golden age did not last long. By the beginning of the 14th century, the state of Sukhothai was forced to recognize the supremacy of the kingdom of Ayutthaya and become its vassal.
The young state was located in the Menam Valley, where the Thais were not Aboriginal. Nevertheless, they managed to enslave the local monks and establish their power over the neighboring principalities.
The rulers of Ayutthaya created quite progressive laws for that time. In particular, all the land was considered the property of the king, and the farmers paid a tax in the form of a tenth of the harvest only to the state treasury.
Thanks to wise rulers, the country, which they began to call Siam, began to turn into one of the most developed and powerful in all of Asia.
Relations with Europeans
In the 16th century, an important event in the history of Thailand took place - King Ramathibody the Second signed an agreement with Portugal, according to which he granted merchants from this country the right of duty-free trade on the shore of the Bay of Bengal.
Thais have always been extremely tolerant of other religions, so European businessmen were allowed to establish a Christian mission and church in the capital of Ayutthaya. In addition, the Portuguese were recruited as military consultants and gun casting specialists.
In the 17th century, the population of the capital Ayutthaya reached 1 million inhabitants, and the city itself amazed travelers with magnificent temples and magnificent architecture.
Over time, the French, Portuguese, British and Dutch began to compete among themselves for influence in Siam. However, the government of the country pursued a flexible policy, not allowing any of the European countries to feel in a privileged position in Thailand.
Moreover, when in 1688 the “guests” began to attempt to intervene in the internal politics of the authorities, they were simply asked to leave the state.
Loss and restoration of independence
For several centuries, the kings of neighboring Burma sought to enslave Ayutthaya. However, until 1767 their attempts failed. But under King Prachai they managed to take the capital by storm. The Burmese sacked the city, and then put it on fire. It was not possible to restore the capital, and its residents founded the new city of Thonburi, located on the opposite bank of the Menam Chao Phraya River from modern Bangkok. For the next 15 years, Thonburi remained the place where the remains of Thai troops who fought with the Burmese were quartered.
Only in 1780 a turning point occurred in the history of Thailand, and the future King Rama the First was able to finally expel the invaders from his territory.
This monarch became the founder of the dynasty that rules the country to this day.
Thailand under the reign of Rama the First
The new king, one of his first decrees, moved the capital to the small village of Bangkok and built a magnificent temple of the Emerald Buddha there. Under his rule, known as the beginning of the era of the kingdom of Rattanakosin, the city was renamed Krungtep and soon became the center of the country's cultural life.
In 1792, the Thais captured Cambodia and Laos. By the time of the death of Rama the First in 1809, the state created by him occupied twice as much area as modern Thailand.
History of the country from 1809 to 1868
After the death of Rama the First, the throne was inherited by his son. He allowed Europeans to return to Thailand, but imposed various restrictions on their activities. The king had to pursue a flexible policy amid the growing expansion of European colonialists in the region.
In 1821, the diplomatic mission, which arrived from British India, demanded that the king remove the restrictions on trade with the English businessmen.
After the death of the monarch, his son did not want to obey the British. However, he was made to understand that otherwise his country would share the fate of Burma and become a colony of Great Britain.
Rama the Third had to come to terms, and he concluded the first trade agreement with the West in the history of the Kingdom of Thailand. This agreement created the prerequisites for the economic prosperity of the country in the second half of the 19th century.
Rama Four
This monarch has done much for the prosperity of Thailand. He entered the history of the country under the name Rama the Great. Before ascending the throne in 1851, he spent 27 years in a Buddhist monastery. In his youth, he had the opportunity to communicate with European missionaries, thoroughly studied English, and was also imbued with the ideas of progress that were popular in the Old World.
Rama the Great decided to reform Thailand (a brief history of the state in antiquity is described above) and began by paving the first paved road, which became a catalyst for the development of trade. In addition, during his reign, Siam turned into a kind of buffer between the French and British colonial possessions, which allowed the country to maintain independence.
The reign of Chulalongkorn and Rama the Sixth
Rama the Fifth ruled Siam for 42 years. He continued his father's reforms: paved the railway, founded universities and developed the economy in every way. Under him, young Thai aristocrats were sent to study in the UK, France, Germany and Russia. Thanks to his wise foreign policy, Siam was never colonized by Europeans.
Rama Six, who inherited Chulalongkorn during World War I, declared war on Germany and received the right to participate in the Versailles Conference, at which his country demanded the abolition of conventions restricting Siamese sovereignty.
A constitutional monarchy
After the death of the king, who had no heirs, his younger brother ascended the throne. He tried to restore through the reforms the economic power of the state, which was undermined by the mistakes of the former monarch. They did not lead to anything, and in 1932 an uprising broke out in the country. As a result, the absolute monarchy was replaced by the constitutional monarchy, which continues to this day.
Thailand in the 20th century
From 1932 to 1973, a military dictatorship operated in one form or another in the country. Berzin's History of Thailand details the main events that took place during this period.
During the Second World War, the country was actually under Japanese occupation and in 1942 declared war on Great Britain and the USA. However, she did not take a special part in hostilities, and in August 1945, Thailand asked peace from the participants of the anti-Hitler coalition.
After 2 years, the local military elite carried out a coup and brought Field Marshal Pibusongram to power. The latter banned trade with the countries of the socialist bloc and the Communist Party.
This was followed by a series of military coups. In 1962, the first American military bases appeared on the territory of Thailand, which were also used to organize attacks on Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.
In October 1973, mass protests began in the country, forcing the government to adopt a new constitution and revise foreign policy.
Recent story
Thailand, the tradition of democracy in which began to emerge only at the beginning of the 20th century, by 1980 became one of the main tourist centers of the region, but significantly lagged behind, for example, South Korea in other areas of the economy.
In 2004, the country's coast was “attacked” by the tsunami. This natural disaster claimed the lives of 5,000 people, mostly tourists.
Two years later, the country was shocked by another military coup, which continued the traditions of its predecessors.
After that, an unstable political situation was established in Thailand.
In 2016, King Bhumibol Adulyadej died . In 2018, the coronation of his son Mahi Vachiralongkorn should take place.
Culture
The cultural traditions and history of Thailand (Pattaya - the most famous resort city in the southeast of the state) indicate strong ties connecting the country with India and Sri Lanka. Along with religious traditions, the epic of the Ramayana, or, as the Thais call it, Ramakien, penetrated into Siam. He formed the basis of the plots of the traditional theater of masks, shadows and so on.
Along with this, the country celebrates many primordially Siamese festivities, which, however, ritually retain their connection with Buddhism.