Sukhothai, which means Dawn of Happiness, is a rural city situated about 400km north of Bangkok in Northern Thailand. It is home to the Sukhothai Historical Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the place I currently call home. Sukhothai is the first official kingdom of Siam and is considered the birth of Thai culture, language and art. It was established on 1238 and was ruled by King Ram Khamhaeng the Great. He ruled Sukhothai during its glory period and is credited with creating the Thai alphabet and firmly entrenching Buddhism as the religion of preference. He was afforded the nickname of “Rama the Strong” due to his strength and strategy shown during the war that established the independence of the Sukhothai Kingdom. It is claimed that his rule extended as far as modern-day Vientiene in Laos and Myanmar.
This period of Sukhothai rule under King Ram marked the beginning of Thai trading with China, with exports of ceramics a key feature of this period. Sukhothai Historical Park features a plethora of ruins, with over 190 that you can explore at your own leisure. A key highlight is the ancient Royal Palace, which is now collapsed. The Kingdom of Sukhothai was overthrown by the Ayutthaya Kingdom in 1438. Visitos to this historical site often stay in the quite rural city of New Sukhothai is 12 km away. It’s a quiet area and a day or two is more than sufficient to explore the surrounding attractions.
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July 2017
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