Sukhothai is the first capital of Siam (Thailand) was established in 1238 and ending the Khmer kingdom of Angkor Wat.
Sukhothai was listed in 1991 as World Heritage of Humanity.
Sukhothai was the capital of the first Thai kingdom overlord on the Chao Phraya River basin, west of the Bay of Bengal and the entire peninsula. This kingdom, after free from the Khmer guardianship, managed to preserve its independence from 1250 until the fifteenth century.
Under royal patronage, Buddhism flourished and many impressive monasteries were built of brick covered with carved stucco, showing the idealized beauty and superhuman characteristics (mahapurisalakkhana) of the Buddha and his teachings. It is thanks to these religious monuments in ruins today we know and appreciate the best achievements of the inhabitants of the historic town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns.
Attributed to the kingdom of Sukhothai the invention and development of the most unique features of the Siamese Culture (Thai), many of which are directly attributed to the most famous king and most beloved, Ramkhamhaeng, which is considered the founding father of the Thai nation.
The many examples of sculpture, murals and decorative elements found in all temples and abandoned monasteries are important to establish the uniqueness and the exceptional importance of these three cities. The art and architecture of Sukhothai, Si Satchanalai and Kamphaeng Phet have been widely studied by art historians have identified and described its unique style, distinct style of Khmer and other previous regional styles, and consider Buddhist monuments and sculptures of the three cities involved as masterpieces of artistic creation, giving this style of art his own name, “Sukhothai style ‘. The stone inscriptions found on the sites are the first examples of Thai writing and provide detailed accounts of the economy, religion, social organization and governance of the kingdom of Sukhothai.
In addition to being the scene of innovations in architecture and art, language and writing, religion and law, historic cities of the kingdom of Sukhothai welcomed pioneer in hydraulic engineering. These have changed the landscape of the kingdom by creating dams, building reservoirs, ponds and canals, controlling floods, and water has been supplied for different uses, agricultural, economic and rituals, as well as for the daily life of residents, to the ways of communication and protection ditches in the city.
From that time until the Rattanakosin period, the kings of Thailand were known for their ability to control the water in the kingdom.
The state of Sukhothai was unique in terms of political and administrative system, remarkably egalitarian for the time, based on patron-client relationships, strong social and religious institutions, and codified laws. The diversified economy of the kingdom was based on agricultural production, but was also heavily dependent on exports of industrial products, especially high-quality ceramic. These features together made Sukhothai a time and a prosperous place, known in Thai history as a golden age, “Thai happiness” or “dawn of happiness”.
The historic town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns represent a masterpiece of the first Siamese distinctive architectural style, which is reflected in the planning of cities, many impressive civil and religious buildings, urban infrastructure, and a hydraulic system (water management) sophisticated.
the historic town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns are representative of the first era of architecture and Siamese art, language and literature, religion and the codification of laws, from which was created the first Thai state.
