HISTORY Prehistory
That we today call Thailand origins from smaller countries. The earleast country from 200 BC was Suvarabhumi who laid in central Thailand and which was shaped by people of Indian origin. This was realsesed in 6 th to 11 th century by Dvaraavati and the Monpeople who had origins in todays west Thailand. Dvaraavati wa also an coalition by kingdoms in Burma.
Almost at the same time at year 600 to 1200 flourished in the southern a mighty kingdmon on Sumatra in Indonesia called Srivijaya which also dominated Malacka Pensylvania and southern Thailand.
East of Thailand in Kampuchea there was since year 800 the Khmers kingdom with the capital Angkor. From year 1000 they occupied the central and north Thailand and set up an occupationheadquarter in Lopburi 10 miles north of todays Bangkok.
The first thaipeople had with great probability their origin from southern China and the following centuries they searched to the south in bigger scales. >From the 10 th centuries they established several small countries in the north with the state Chiengaein far in the north with the Mekong-river as the most importance. Probably have a mass emigration been in the mid of 12-th when the Mongols under Kublai Khan expanded his empire to southern China and drifted the thaipeople south against Thailand.
A very important date in thai history is year 1238 when the two thaichiefs Bang Klan Tao and Pa Muan managed to join their forces and conquer the oppression Khemers in Lopburi. They founded the Sukhothai kingdom, and 1238 is seen as the birth of Thailand. The other small countries adhered after som time to Sukhotai and the Khmers was forced more and more to the east.
Up in the nortwest Thailand had some small countries with the Monpeople as leding managed to build an own kingdom Lanna . They begin to build their capital Chiang Mai year 1281. This kingdom was a long time independ to the rest of Thailand but came later under dependent from Burma. It was as late as 17-th centuries that Lanna came to belong to Thailand.
SukhothaiThe first king who was crowned in Sukhotai was thaichief Bang Klan Tao who took the name Intharathit. With growing military power he expanished the area of the new nation.
His youngest son Ramkamheng who became the third king is the one who got most importance for the develoment of Thailand, and whith great reverence is called the father of the nation. He had great political and diplomatic success and under his ruling the country was administrated by a peaceful feodal system instead by military power.
Ramkamhaeng also slot agreement with Lanna in the north and China which also made temperateness on the revenged Khmers in the east. The king also made tradeagreements with Burma, India, Sri Lanka.
From Sukhothai and king Ramkamhaeng the country became to get its present embrace. Ramakamheng also introduced Theravada-buddism as state religion, and devised the first thai written alpabeth. He also laid the basic for the thais freedom and citizens wrights.
AyuttahyaSukothai kingdom became unfortunately not long because king Ramkamhaengs followers on the throne didn´t get the same power as theirs predecessor and the state was shrinking more and more. In the south in the fertility valley of Chao Phraya-river a new great power was growing which was founded by king Ramathibodi in year 1350.
The kingdom was called Ayuttaya as their name of the capaital. After some time Sukhothai came under the new kingdom. From east the khmers did repetead attacking against Ayuttaya. As an answer his son Rasusuan take over Angchor twenty years later in year 1431. After that the khemrs moved their capital to east to Phon Penh by the Mekong river.
Ayutthaya became the capital in a glorious empire under many decades with autocrats kings.The capital became a big and important city with international connections. The portuguise was invited as the first european country and they begin with trade in 1500. At the same time the name for the country Siam was taken.
After the dead of king Ramathibodis II:s year 1529 a period of week kings, complots and scandals followed. This used the king of Burma to attack Ayutthaya several times ehich later was conquerd in year 1569 and Ayutthaya became a sattelite state to Burma. After fifteen years managed the sixteen year old prins Naresuan to take back his land. He had several years before been taking to the court of Burma and there been educated as a warrior. But he returned back to Ayutthaya and shaped an own army and after that he liberated his land. When Naresuan died in year 1605 Ayuttaya was on the top of their power and he leaved a kingdom that no enemy dared to atack for over 150 years.
In the mid and rest of 17 th centuruy Ayuttaya was a really cosmopolitic city. Historinas claims that the city was the biggest city in the world with over one miljon inhabitans, much bigger than Paris or London. Europeans likened Ayuttaya to Venice in Italy and called Ayuttaya the most beautiful city in the East. Under this period trading agreements had been made with Spain, Holland, England, Japan, Denmark and France. The trading was not made by the thais themselves, instead the buisines was lent over to indians and chines who have imigrated to the kingdom.
In the mid 18 th century the country once again got week kings and the power of Ayutayas was declining. The main enemy Burma had instead grown in power and was waiting for revenge. After 14 months of besiege Ayuttaya was falling year 1767 in the hands of Burma. Ayutthaya was burned down and destroyed. Thousands of people was killed or moved away as slaves. Only 10.000 people was left in the city after the catastrophe.
Thonburi period
One of the generals a halfchinese with the name of Taksin did managed to flee with 500 soldiers from Ayuttaya before it was taking. He moved to Rayong and shaped as the time went on a greater army in the area that wasn´t controlling by the Burmese. After some time his army took over one places after another from the Burmeses. Then they sailed upwards Chao Pharya and within a year Ayuttaya was liberated. In competition with earlier prince´s Taksin was elected as the new king. Because it was not possibly and suitable to rebuild Ayuttaya he instead choosed to build a new capital at the end of Chao Phraya river in the Siam bay. As time went on king Taskin get control of the rest of the kingdom after repetingly fighting with Burma.
Chakridynasty
The king began as the time went on to become more and more paranoid. He therefor was prisoned and later executed. Instead did one of his generals Chao Phya Chakri take over the throne in year 1782 and he proclaimed himself as Rama I. He shaped then the dynasty who rules Thailand also in present time.
But still the treat from Burma was a reality. The king then determined because of strategical reasons to move the city to the other side of the river so it could be more protected from attacks from the west. The place was in that time a little tradeplace as the foregineers called Bangkok, while the thaipeople called it Krungthep "the Angels city"
Bankok was building with Ayuttaya as model, to recieve the glory of Ayuttaya as faithfully as possibly. Carpenters and artists who had survived Ayuttaya was taken to Bangkok to build the new capital. A lot of copys of tempel from Ayuttaya were made, andt even a copy of the royal palace was rebuilt in the new capital. After a decade of rebuilding the country and endless fighting with Burma , the europeans could once again visting the country.
With the two kings Rama II and III, Bangkok expanded to a new great city with many inhabitans and did once again became one of the most glorified capitals in the Orient. Under this time the agricultural production was developed, and at the same time the trade was developed with China.
When contacts was expanded with the Western Countries king Mongut became Rama IV 1851. He had a long time earlier been at monk and he had also read natural science and could read many language. He had also been travelling and had close relationsship with his inhabitans. Therefor he begin by legislation improve the social situations for childs and womans. King Mungot also modernisized thervada-buddismen.
Rama biggest IV:s contribution was his clear and diplomatic realations. At this time both England and France was expanding their colonies in Asia. When China was defeated in the opiumwar against England, Mungot understood he had not much to stand up agains this superpowers. With skilled diplomacy he managed to balance the superpowers with longoing trade agreements, and at the same time a less territory in the west of Burma was lost to England. In the future both England and France promised Siam selfindependence.
His son Chulalongkorn Rama the V became king 1868 and he continued in his fathers footprints. Under his period the country was modernirised. Siam selfindependence was unforunately not respected and the country was shrinking, when territory in southern present Malysia was incoperated to England 1909 and France took over present Laos 1893 and Kampuchea 1907. But Chulalongkorn did managed the both superpowers to understand the advantage with having Siam as a selfindependence buffertzone against the two superpowers. Siam had the lucky to continue to be the only selfindependence kingdom in the region.
With help from european technicians and administrators Siam were buildning roads, railways, post and telegraph. The king himself was travel a lot in Europe. He was also sending houndreds of students to go to university in Europe. He was also preparing for a more democrat system, when he managed a system for provinces and municipality and also a ministary with employees paid by the state as european pattern. Rama V also organized hospitals, and schools run by the state. He also year 1905 forbid all forms of slavery.
A couple of decennium later had several coups been prevented when strong forces was in the move to abuse the monarchy. Finally some radical students who had been studying in Paris, had been succeding to infiltrade officers and made an unbloody coup 1932 when the king Prajadhipok, Rama VII was on a holiday in Hua Hin. The king approved after that a new constitution with two chambers and the country became a constitutional monarchy similar to the system in England.
The coupmakers had formed a partythey called The Peoples Party who formed the government. Through many years forward there was many internal struggle of the power who led to unbloody coups with different leaders, and at the same time the corruption spread around which angered the ordinary people. In year1935 the king abdikated and moved to England. Instead his nephew Mahidol should be the new king. He was living and was also educated in Schwitzerland, but he was just ten years old and should not become of age until year 1946. Under the meantime a special government of advice should represent him in the homeland..
WAR WORLD II
Just before war world II took one of the leaders from the coup 1932 over power. It was Phibul Songkhram and he was from 1938 prime minister but in reality he was a dictator. When the japanese in 1941 was approching Bangkok did Siam gave up without resistance, and Songkhram who admired Hitler choose to stay on their side.
The Japanese could therefor use Siam for their continuing plans of counqering westwards against Burma and Indien. From Singapore and Indonesien thousands of allied prisoners was taken to build a new railway against the border of Burma which the japanese should use later when attacking Burma.
When the war har turned unlycky for Japan Siam moved over to Amerikas side on the war and a civil government took over power with Pridi Phanomyong as prime minister. He had earlier been on the resistencemovement in the war against the japanese. At this time Siam had changed name from Siam to Thailand.
King Ananda did a couple of years later return to Thailand after studies in europe. In the same year 1946 he died in mysterious circumstances when he was found shoot in his bed. Instead did his younger brother Bhumibol Adulyadej took over the throne, and he is still today the king of Thailand.
The officiel explanation to the death of king Anandas was that he had been playing with a gun att by misstake the gun had gone off and he had shoot himself. Another theory was that the prime minister Pridi had been interfered in the kings dead. This was used by the former prime minister Phibul to once again make a coup in 1948 to take back the power. He did also take away the democratic efforts which had been made before and after the war. After he came to power the constitution was sharpening and the country almost went to be a policestate with hard cencor. Phibul did also a very much USA-friendly politic and even thai-military took part in the Korea-war. Later at Vietnam-war Thailand was a important basic territory for the amerikans war-maschine, and at the most there was 50.000 amerikan soldiers in the country.
THE WAY AGAINST DEMOCRACY
In the beginning of 1970 the political oposition in Thailand was growing, among students from Bangkok who did claims on economic reforms and democracy. From provinces in both north and the south communistic guerillamovement was growing which was inspiered from the neighbouring countries and from China.
A new proposal for a new consitution that should have sharped the militarys power even more, turned out to great studentdemonstrations, who also demonstrated against USA:s influence in the country.
Demonstrations was kept for several months and ended with ”The bloody sunday” (14 oktober 1973) when thousands of people was marching through the capital wearing pictures of the king and the queen and claimed a democratic constitution. They were then stopped by soldiers, tanks, helicopters and hundreds of people were shoot dead. The following resultate was that the military government fleed the country.
The king then appointed a civil government and the first free elections in 30 years was held. Unfortunately the selected representetives was missing routine and they were split 21 partys. Therefor there was no strong governmentsbuildning. Although the political freedom did make the possibility to build unions and people began to organize, demand reforms, but also strikes became common.
In 1976 the military took over again and with a bloody coolision the students resistance was smashed. The constitution from 1973 was annulled, partys was forbidden and radical litterature was set over fire. Thousands of lefwings sympathys was arrested, many fled pr just disappear. The coups could be done beacuse of the conservatives who had military, police and USA with CIA as support.
After the communists victorys in Vietnam 1975 and also in Laos and Kampuchea, Thailand moved into a new situation and the american troops left the country. The government in Bangkok tried to adapt there policies to their neighbour countries.
Some years later in 1979 the situation was changed again when Vietnam conquered Kampuchea. Against the Vietnames a resistance-movement was fighting and they had their bases along the border to Thailand and even inside Thailand. The reistansce-movement was attacking by vietnameese troops and therefor Thailand was forced to strengthen its defence. From USA they once get weapons and advantageous economic conditions, and at the same time get US as an ally.
At the same time China and Vietnam was enemys and therefor Thailand also got some cooperation from China.
Refugees from Kampuchea and Laos had seen 1970 moved inte refugee-camps in Thailand. In year 1986 there was 250.000 refugees and the most of them were from Kampuchea. It was in this camps the resistence-movement got their geurillasoldiers from, and therefore the camps was attacking by vietnameese trops, and often there was hard struggle between thai and Vietnameese soldiers.
From 1980 the government in Thailand got more stability then ever before. For eight years the former general Prem Tinsulanonda was prime minister. His government contained four parties and had good contacts with the military and also with the king. Prem himself didn´t belong to any party but he had strong prestige because he had been armychief and had been fighting agains communist-guerilla in 1970. But two coops against him did happen before he droped of because of high age.
NEW CONSTITUTION 1978
According to the constitution from 1978 Thailand has a parlamentary government with a constitutional monarchy at the throne. Formally the king is the head of the state, but he has only symbolic and ceremonious tasks. the kingdom is also heriditary and if there are no prince, the princess take over the throne.
The king also appoints the prime minister, who ares leading the government and who are responsibly to the national asembly. It´s not neccesary that the prime minister is from the national assembly or even are a politican. There has almost been a high military on the post as prime minister. That did happen in the election 1988 when general Chatichai Choonhavan was prime minister from the party Chart Thai who got most of the votes in that election and formed a coalition government..
In the constitution from 1978 the National assembly (or the parlament) consist of two chambers, the senates and the house of representatives. The 244 senatores was elected by the king after proposals from the prime minister, and they sat for six years. In the house of representativs there was 357 members who was elected i public elections and sat for four years.
Thailand is also divided into 72 provinces and is administered by a governor appointed by the ministry of Interior. The provinces are then sub-divided into districts and sub-districts.
In the first election according to the new constitution the participation raidsed from 44 percent 1979 to 61 percent in 1986.
A stabilizing factor in thai community is the monarchy. The king has no direct power, but he has big influence because almost a "divine role" and he has several times discreet intervened to awoid greater conflicts.
But Thailand had still a long way to go in spite of the democratic front with political partys, general elections and free press is Thailand still a feodal community because the power more follows personal groups than political ideologies.
DEVELOPMENT SINCE 1992
In 1991 there was once again an unbloody coup when Choonhavans ineffective and corrupt regim was overtrowned by general Suchinda Kraprayoon. In may 1992 there was a new election and the coup-general was elected as prime minister. But the accusation of cheating turned into street disturbance. Together with 60.000 students it turned out to great demonstrations in may 17 for turning Krapayoon to leave his post. In Bangkok there was violent disturbance and at the same time groups of terrorist and communists saw the opertunity to rubber banks, shops and to set fire at several buildnings and a even a policestation in the capital.
The police were then forced to get help from the military to get an end to the violent disturbance. In 19 of may, 41 persons get killed and almost 700 get hurt and was driven to hospital, and at the same time many got arrested.
The demonstration leader Jumlong Simung who was mayor in Bangkok had been house-arrested and was the 22 of may together with the prime minister invitated to the king to discuss the situation. The following days the prime minister left the government and the decission was that a new election would be held in 90 days.
In the new election in september the Demcratic party and their leader the layer Chuan Leekpai won. The party got strong forwards and got 79 places. Together with four smaller parties they together got 193 vots majority in the house of representatives. Leekpai was the countrys first civil prime minister since many years.
Leekpai did managed to keep the power for three years before his coalation-government fell after been accused of corruption. After that Banhard Silpa-Archa take over who led the Chart Thai-party, but also this government fell after a year, also accused of corruption 1996. The next government was led by general Cavalit Youngchaiyudh from Nationella aspirationsparty (NAP) which the following year lost the power because of the economic crise which strike the country. After that the former prime minister Leekai took over and led a fiveparty coalition to year 2000.
In spite of many relapse in unbloody coups, the way to Western democracy has gone forward since 1970. The way forward have been edged by corruption, cheating in the elections and military power. Although the thai politicians are aware of the bad circle of bying votes and corruption at the highest level.
In 1998 the constitution was changed to strengthen the democracy. For example are the senate not selected by the king from a proposal from the prime minister. Instead they are elected in general elections. At the same time the member of house of representatives raised from 357 to 393.
In the latest election to the parlament in february 2001 was Thaksin Shinawatra elected as prime minister. He had been the leader of Thai Rak Thai Party since 1998.
FOREIGN POLITIC
Thailands foreign politic have always been to quickly adapt the new situations. In ASEAN (Association of South East Asians Nations) which was founded in 1967 the purpose was to be an economic organizations such as European Union (EU) in Europe. But the economic cooperation had been almost zero.
After the war in Korea the anticommunist defendalliance SEATO (Southest Asia Treaty Organization) was founded. The alliance made a front against the communist states in Indochina which became specially important after Vietnams invasion of Kampuchea in 1979. The red khmers was then forced against and over the thai border. Thailand then been forced to strengthen its defence because vietnamees troops attacked the khmers camps inside the thai border.
Then chinese weapon and other support from ASEAN-lcountries was sent through Thailand to the antivietnameese guerillagroups against the border since they lost all their bases inside Kampuchea, when they was forced away by the vietnameese.
Since the vietnameese had drawn back their forces and Kampuchea was going against democracy Thailand prime minister Chatichai in 1988 changed the strategy to instead transform the battlefield to a marketplace with extended business against the indochina countries. This policy became popular among thai businessmen who travels a lot to Vietnam, Laos and Kampuchea.
