Thailand history

It is difficult to determine the type of culture whichThais regained control of their country and thus
existed in Thailand before the Christian era, since noscattered themselves to the provinces in the north
written records or chronologies exist but archeologicaland central part of Thailand. Taksin eventually turn
excavations in the area north of Nakorn Ratchasimahimself to be the next Buddha and was dismissed
indicate that there were people living here over 4000and executed by his ministers who did not approve
years ago. Thailand (previously known as Siam) hashis religious values.The British gained a colonial
been populated ever since the dawn of civilization infoothold in the region in 1824, but by 1896 an
Asia. There are conflicting opinions of the origins ofAnglo-French accord guaranteed the independence of
the Thais. It presumed that about 4,500 years theThailand. A coup in 1932 demoted the monarchy to
Thais originated in northwestern Szechuan in Chinatitular status and established representative
and later migrated down to Thailand along thegovernment with universal suffrage. At the outbreak
southern part of China. They split into two mainof World War II, Japanese forces attacked Thailand.
groups. One settled down in the North and becameAfter five hours of token resistance Thailand yielded
the kingdom of "Lan Na" and the other one is into Japan on Dec. 8, 1941, subsequently becoming a
further south, which afterward was defeated by thestaging area for the Japanese campaign against
Khmers and became the kingdom of "Sukhothai".Malaya. Following the demise of a pro-Japanese
In the early 16th century, the European visitedpuppet government in July 1944, Thailand repudiated
Ayutthaya, and a Portuguese embassy wasthe declaration of war it had been forced to make in
established in 1511. Portugal's powerful neighbor Spain1942 against Britain and the U.S.
was the next European nation to arrive in AyutthayaThe politics of Thailand took some significant turn on
forward the end of the 16th century. In the early24 June 1932 when a group of young intellectuals,
17th century they saw the arrival of two northerneducated abroad and imbued with the concept of
European, the Dutch and the British, and France inWestern democracy, staged a bloodless coup,
1662.demanding a change form absolute to a constitutional
In the mid-16th century, Ayutthaya and themonarchy, Determined to avoid any bloodshed, His
independent kingdom in Chiang Mai was put under theMajesty King Prajadhipok (Rama VII) agreed to the
control of the Burmese, but Thais could regain bothabolition of absolute monarchy and the transfer of
of the capitals by the end of the century.power to the constitution-based system of
The Burmese invaded Ayutthaya again in 1765. Thisgovernment as demanded. On 10 December 1932, His
time Burmese caused much fear to Thais. BurmaseMajesty King Prajadhipok signed Thailand first
soldiers destroyed everything, including temples,constitution and thus ended 700 years of Thailand
manuscripts, and religious sculpture. After the capitalabsolute monarchy. Despite the number of
fell in their hands for two years, the Burmesesuccessive constitutions that followed in the span of
effectiveness could not further hold the kingdom.just over half a century, the basic concepts of
Phaya Taksin, a Thai general, promoted himself to beconstitutional government and monarchy laid down in
the king in 1769. He ruled the new capital of Thonburithe 1932 constitution have remained unaltered.
on the bank of Chao Phraya River, opposite Bangkok.