Thailand's current Prime Minister is Yingluck Shinawatra, who assumed office as the … The capital of Thailand is Bangkok, and the city’s metropolitan area is the preeminent urban center in the country. The Thai are descended from a much larger group of Tai-speaking peoples. The Thai's are the most illustrious of the Tai people but it is instructive to look as the more general family of Tai's. From the 9th to the 11th century the western and central regions of Thailand were occupied by a Mon civilization known as Dvaravati. The independent Thai state of Sukhothai was founded in approximately 1238 AD. Thailand adopted the western calendar, a new flag was created and a new national anthem, while Phibun demanded that Thais wore western-style clothes, including hats.

Thailand encompasses some of the oldest settled areas in the world. The United States and Thailand established relations in 1818 and signed a Treaty of Amity and Commerce in 1833, formalizing diplomatic relations. Early History In the ninth century B.C., Mon and Khmer people established kingdoms that included large areas of what is now Thailand. Thai nationalism is summed up by the expression “king, country and religion.” The land known today as Thailand has a long history of human habitation dating back to the Neolithic Period. Excavations of settlements from the Bronze Age at Ban Chiang uncovered ancient earthenware believed to date from around 3600 B.C. Helpful book explaining Thai history I've lived in Thailand since 2005, and this is a good record of Thai history. This was an Indian culture and Theravada Buddhism was the main religion in the region. From the most broke of backpackers to those who travel in the lap of luxury, this country receives a good variety of travelers, and it certainly has the hotels and activities to accommodate their broad tastes. Modern linguistic theory and archaeological evidence suggest that the first true agriculturists in the world, perhaps also the first metal workers, spoke an early form of Thai and lived in what we know today as Thailand. In Thailand: History. Homo erectus, dated to between 1.6-0.5 million years ago, has been discovered here.Later prehistoric periods include the emergence of agriculture some 6,000-7,000 years ago, the Bronze Age around 4,000 years ago, and an early form of urbanization at about 2,300-2,500 years ago. Sukhothai Period (1238 - 1378 AD): Thai history's 'golden era', the 13th Century was a time when the Thais became a powerful force in independence and forged an ideal state governed by kind rulers.