Early 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 known early history of Thailand begins with the earliest major archaeological site at Ban Chiang. Dating of artifacts from this site is controversial, but there is a consensus that at least by 3600 BCE, inhabitants had developed bronze tools and had begun to cultivate wet rice, providing the impetus for social and political organisation.

Later, Malay, Mon, and Khmer civilisations flourished in the region prior to the domination of the Thais, most notably the kingdom of Srivijaya in the south, the Dvaravati kingdom in central Thailand, and the Khmer Empire based at Angkor.

The Thai are part of a larger ethno-linguistic group known as the Tai, a group which includes the Lao, the people of the Shan region of northeastern Burma, the Zhuang people of Guangxi Province in China and the Thổ people and Nùng people of northern Vietnam. Migrations from southern China to Southeast Asia took place primarily during the first millennium CE, most likely via northern Laos.

During the first millennium CE the Tai peoples were loosely organised in small entities known as muang. They were heavily influenced by the more advanced cultures around them: the Khmer to the east, and the Hindu cultures of India to the west. Most of the Tai were converted to a form of Hinduism, traces of which can still be seen in Thai religious practice today. Between the 6th and 9th centuries CE, Buddhism was introduced into the Tai-speaking lands, probably via Burma, and became the dominant religion. The Theravada Buddhism now practised in Thailand was introduced by missionaries from Sri Lanka in the 13th century.

Phongsawadannuea (Chronicle of the North) is a historical record of this period. The date of its first compilation is unknown, but its content stretches from 500 CE down to the early 11th century. The recent edition was compiled in early Rattanakosin period.