History Thailand

 Historical dates

8th century:The Thais' ancestors migrate from southern China down to present day Thailand
11th - 13th century:Khmer domination, centred around Lopburi
1238: Sukhothai, the earliest Thai kingdom of Siam, declares its independence from the Khmers
1378: Ayuthia, the rival kingdom subjugates Sukhothai
1431: Ayuthia captures Angkor
1549: The first Burmese attack on Ayuthia
1685: Louis XIV in Ayuthia
1688: Expulsion of the French, closing the country to the West
April 1767: Ayuthia is looted by the Burmese
November 1767: General Taksin defeats the Burmese and is crowned king
1782: General Chakri takes the crown and starts the current dynasty, Bangkok becomes the capital
1868-1910: The reign of Chulalongkorn (Rama V) opens up the kingdom to westernisation and safeguards its independence against the English and the French
1932: Coup d'état. Beginning of the constitutional monarchy
1941: Collaboration with the Japanese
1944: Close ties with the United States of America
1946:Crowning of Bhumibol Adulyadej, the current king
1947-1973: Successive coups d'état and miltiary regimes
1973-1976: Incidental democracy, left-wing reforms
October 1976: Military coup d'état, right-wing repression and birth of communist regime
1988: Restoration of democracy
1991-1992: Last military rule, crushed by student riots
1997: The fall of the Thai Baht signals the beginning of the economic crisis for the country
2001: Election of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra
2004: A majority of theThai people are discontent with the government
6 February 2005: Legislative elections. Another landslide victory for the Thai Rak Thai party; 399 seats out of 500. Thaksin Shinawatra, the Prime Minister, thus has more powers than any other democratically-elected Prime Minister has ever had in Thailand.