Loading

History of Thailand

Thailand, once called Siam, was the only country in Southeast Asia to avoid colonisation by European powers.. 5 eras, 1238 to today.

Sukhothai Kingdom, 1238–1438 Draft, not yet reviewed

The Sukhothai Kingdom was a Siamese kingdom centred on the ancient city of Sukhothai in present-day north-central Thailand. The events of 1238, which brought Si Inthrathit to power, are traditionally taken as the kingdom's formation, though how they should be read is disputed. Sukhothai remained a separate polity until 1438, when it passed under Ayutthaya after the death of Borommapan.

Seat of power: Sukhothai Historical Park

Rulers

Ayutthaya Kingdom, 1350–1767 Draft, not yet reviewed

The Ayutthaya Kingdom was a Thai kingdom that existed in Southeast Asia from 1351 to 1767, centered around the city of Ayutthaya. In the 17th and 18th centuries it became a centre of international trade and its culture flourished. In April 1767, after a 14-month siege, the city fell and was destroyed, ending the 417-year-old kingdom.

Seat of power: Historic City of Ayutthaya

Rulers

Thonburi Kingdom, 1768–1782 Draft, not yet reviewed

The Thonburi Kingdom was a major Siamese kingdom in Southeast Asia, centred on the city of Thonburi. The kingdom was founded by Taksin, who reunited Siam following the collapse of the Ayutthaya Kingdom, which saw the country separate into five warring regional states. The Thonburi Kingdom lasted for only 14 years, ending in 1782 when Taksin was deposed by a major Thonburi military commander, Chao Phraya Chakri, who subsequently founded the Rattanakosin Kingdom, the fourth and present ruling kingdom of Thailand.

Seat of power: Thonburi Province

Rulers

Rattanakosin Kingdom, 1782–1932 Draft, not yet reviewed

The Rattanakosin Kingdom, also known as the Kingdom of Siam after 1855, refers to the Siamese kingdom between 1782 and 1932. It was founded in 1782 with the establishment of Rattanakosin (Bangkok), which replaced the city of Thonburi as the capital of Siam. In its second period, Siam engaged with the colonial powers of Britain and France and remained the only Southeast Asian state to maintain its independence. The failure to implement democratic reforms culminated in the Siamese revolution of 1932 and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy.

Seat of power: Bangkok

Rulers

Kingdom of Thailand, 1932 to today Draft, not yet reviewed

Following the Siamese revolution of 1932 by the Khana Ratsadon, Siam transitioned to a parliamentary constitutional monarchy and was officially renamed Thailand. During World War II, the country was under the military dictatorship of Plaek Phibunsongkhram and allied with the Empire of Japan as part of the Axis powers. In the 1970s through 1990s, Thailand alternated between liberal democracy and military dictatorship. In the 21st century, Thailand has experienced political conflict between supporters and opponents of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, leading to the 2006 and 2014 coups d'état.

Seat of power: Bangkok

Rulers

Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.