Military history of Thailand

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History of Thailand
Timeline Prehistory Spirit Cave 9000 BCE–5500 BCE Ban Chiang 2,100 BCE–200 CE Initial states Suvarnabhumi Legendary Singhanavati 691 BCE–638 CE Raktamaritika 200 BCE–700 CE Chin Lin 9 CE – 200 CE Tun Sun 52 CE–600 CE Tambralinga 100 CE–1277 CE Langkasuka 100 CE–1500 CE Pan Pan 300 CE–700 CE Lavo 468 CE–1388 CE Dvaravati 500 CE–1200 CE Tou Yuan 600 CE – 647 CE Wen Dan 600 CE–800 CE Haripuñjaya 629 CE–1292 CE Ngoenyang 638 CE–1292 CE Srivijaya 671 CE–1025 CE Canasapura 790 CE–974 CE Ny Wang 800 CE – 1289 CE Regional kingdoms Xiān 1000 – 1438 Phayao 1094–1338 Suphannabhum 1150 – 1438 Nakhon Si Thammarat 1278–1782 Lan Na 1292–1775 Pattani 1457–1902 Singora 1605–1680 Satun 1808–1916 Reman 1810–1902 Main history Sukhothai Kingdom 1238–1438 Ayutthaya Kingdom 1351–1767 Thonburi Kingdom 1767–1782 Rattanakosin Kingdom 1782–present 1782–1932 1932–1973 1973–2001 2001–present
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The military history of Thailand encompasses a thousand years of armed struggle, from wars of independence from the powerful Khmer Empire, through to struggles with her regional rivals of Burma and Vietnam and periods of tense standoff and conflict with the colonial empires of Britain and France. Thailand's military history, dominated by her centrality in the south-eastern Asian region, the significance of her far flung and often hostile terrain, and the changing nature of military technology, has had a decisive impact on the evolution of both Thailand and her neighbours as modern nation states. In the post-war era, Thailand's military relationship with the United States has seen her play an important role in both the Cold War and the recent War on Terror, whilst her military's involvement in domestic politics has brought frequent international attention.