History of the Kingdom of Thailand - the most significant events

Many tourists, going on holiday to a particular country, first decide to get acquainted with its features and formation as a state, since this allows you to better understand the significance of various cultural and architectural monuments. This article will examine the history of the Kingdom of Thailand from ancient times to the present day. It should be noted that the first civilization lived on the territory of the modern state more than 5 thousand years ago, according to scientists, the ancestors of the Thais were immigrants from China, who gradually populated the northern part of the country.

The Birth and Formation of Thailand

The history of the Kingdom of Siam began in the 13th century. At that time, there was a Khmer state (viceroyal), which was captured by local Thais in 1238 and gained independence. At the same time, the Thai version of Buddhism and writing began to form. 

In 1438, Sukhothai came under the control of the Ayutthaya state, founded in 1350. The kingdoms of Ayutthaya and Chiang Mai, which emerged in the north, defended their territories from the Khmers and Burmese. In 1569, Ayutthaya was captured by Burma, but after some time the invaders were expelled, and the states of Ayutthaya and Chiang Mai with nearby territories were transformed into the Kingdom of Siam.

Then, over the course of 400 years, a special culture was formed there. In 1767, Ayutthaya, which became the capital of Siam, was captured again by Burma and completely destroyed, but later the Burmese army was liquidated thanks to the Thai general Taksin. His comrade, Pya Chakri, became the king of the country (Rama I) and the founder of the Chakri dynasty. In 1782, the capital of Siam was moved to Bangkok.

Afterwards, Siam developed very actively in all directions, maintaining an open policy with the Europeans. During the reign of Rama V, the state was accepted into the world community, and in 1932, after the revolution, the regime of absolute monarchy was replaced by a constitutional one.

In 1939, Siam was named Thailand, the "land of the free" or "land of the Thais." During World War II, it was an ally of Japan, which wanted to avoid losses when capturing Malaysia. After the war, Thailand supported the United States, and over the next few years, the country experienced a series of coups.

The Cold War Era

In 1947, a new military coup took place in the country, as a result of which Phibunsongkhram came to power, establishing diplomatic relations with the United States in the conditions of the ongoing Cold War. In 1949, a new constitution was adopted in the country, which established a senate appointed by the monarch. 

During the Vietnam War, Thailand supported the Americans, which led to anti-government protests. The American presence somewhat changed the traditional way of life of the Thais and led to the so-called "westernization". The defeat of the United States in Vietnam led to student protests in 1973 and a new stage of democratization of the country, but in 1976 Thailand came under the control of a military junta, which appointed Thanin Kraivichien as Prime Minister. A year later, he was removed by General Kriangsak Chamanan, who had more moderate political views.

The modern history of the country

In the 80s of the 20th century, the tourism industry began to actively develop in Thailand, and even today the tour catalog of almost any travel agency includes this destination. 

In 1997, the country was affected by the Asian financial crisis, and in the fall of 2006, another military coup took place, as a result of which the main government facilities were seized, and after the putschists declared loyalty to the king. In 2008, the military handed over power to Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, at the same time he was removed and replaced by Somchai Wongsawat. In 2009, new protests began, demonstrators demanded the resignation of Abhisit and supported the previously expelled Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. In 2010, Shinawatra was charged with terrorism. In late spring 2014, martial law was reintroduced in the country, as a result of which the constitution was suspended. Two days later, it became known that the new military government of the state was headed by Prayut Chan-ocha, the commander of the ground forces.

It should be noted that all the above-mentioned coups and changes in the government have had virtually no impact on Thailand's popularity as a tourist destination and have not worsened the quality of holidays in the country. The tourist infrastructure is at a decent level and continues to develop intensively. The country has a sufficient number of comfortable hotels and all the conditions for a full-fledged beach and excursion holiday. At the moment, the most popular holiday destinations are Phuket, Samui, Bangkok and a number of islands.