History and Culture in
Ayutthaya
Ayutthaya is an extremely important province as far as the
history and culture of Thailand is concerned, a fact
reflected in the number of historical and cultural
attractions seen in the area.
Ayutthaya is a province of museums, temples, palaces and
historical sites, most revolving around the ancient city
of Ayutthaya. Most sites are within reasonable travelling
distance of each other so most can be covered in less than
a day. Given its close proximity to Bangkok, this means
those with a limited time frame can approach Ayutthaya as
a day trip. Some of the highlights of the area include The
Chao Sam Phraya National Museum, Wat Phra Si Sanphet and
Ancient Palace, Bang Pa-In Palace and Ayutthaya Historical
Study Centre. Ayutthaya is green and pleasant with
excellent waterways that take you around the province and
its sites. If you are going to spend any time in Thailand,
a visit to Ayutthaya would be well worth the effort.
Ayutthaya, the capital of the Thai
Kingdom was found by U-Thong King in 1350. Ayutthaya as an
island is formed by the gathering of three rivers, the
Chao Phraya, the Pasak, and the Loburi and surrounded by
rice terraces. It is easy to see why the Ayutthaya area
was settled prior to this date since the site offered a
variety of geographical and economic advantages. The Thai
kings of Ayutthaya became powerful in the 14th and 15th
centuries, taking over U-Thong, Lopburi, and Ayutthaya.
King U-Thong and
his immediate successors expanded Ayutthaya's territory,
especially northward towards Sukhothai and eastward
towards the Khmer capital of Angkor. The greater size of
government could not remain the same as during the days of
King Ramkhamhaeng. The society during the Ayutthaya period
was strictly hierarchical. There were, roughly, three
classes of people king at the top of scale. At the bottom
of social scale were commoners and the slaves.
In the early 16th
century, the European visited Ayutthaya, and a Portuguese
embassy was established in 1511. Portugal's powerful
neighbor Spain was the next European nation to arrive in
Ayutthaya forward the end of the 16th century. In he early
17th century they saw the arrival of two northern
European, the Dutch and the British, and France in 1662.
In the mid-16th
century, Ayutthaya and the independent kingdom in Chiang
Mai was put under the control of the Burmese, but Thais
could regain both of the capitals by the end of the
century.
The Burmese
invaded Ayutthaya again in 1765. This time Burmese caused
much f ear
to Thais. Burmase soldiers destroyed everything, including
temples, manuscripts, and religious sculpture. After the
capital fell in their hands for two years, the Burmese
effectiveness could not further hold the kingdom. Phaya
Taksin, a Thai general, promoted himself to be the king in
1769. He ruled the new capital of Thonburi on the bank of
Chao Phraya River, opposite Bangkok. Thais regained
control of their country and thus scattered themselves to
the provinces in the north and central part of Thailand.
Taksin eventually turn himself to be the next Buddha and
was dismissed and executed by his ministers who did not
approve his religious values.
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