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Thailand: History


Here, this is a Thai History page.
Looks like the age as an unified nation is younger, compared to the history of Japan,

Let's study with me. I'm going to inquire the history more.



 Kingdom of Thailand

Thailand is a kingdom.
The present king is Rama 9.
(King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) the Great)
(The left photo is from the factory in Ayuttaya that Queen Sirikit manages.)

It appears that the country was being unified around Sukhothai period in 13 century under kings.

Even while another countries around Thailand got colonialized by England or France, Thailand kept itself independent.

Related Links
- History of Thailand (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

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 Buddhist Calendar

In Thailand, they use the Buddhist calendar, not the Gregorian calendar used in western countries.
(Japan had been used the traditional lunisolar calendar up to 1872, but has changed to the Gregorian calendar since then.)


  • Buddhist Calendar (BE): Gregorian Calendar (AD) + 543 years

  • Gregorian Calendar (AD): Buddhist Calendar (BE) - 543 years



By the way, our wedding ceremony was held in Thailand and I found the year showing on the wall by the Buddhist calendar. I was wondering what it was then. :-D )
Related Links
- Buddhist calendar (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

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 Thai Dynasty, History, and Japan

Here, let's check the major Thai Dynasty and the chronological table with the history of Japan.

Major Dynasty of Thailand

Japanese History

 < under investigation >

From the Stone Age, people live here and there throughout the country.
Then, the unit of society is getting developed.
- 538: Buddhism is imported from Kudara (China).
- 645: The Taika Reforms
  • Nara period
    710- (Genmei Tenno)
  • Heian period
    794- (Kanmu Tenno)
  • Kamakura period
    1192-
    (Shogun: Minamoto no Yoritomo)

  • Sukhothai (around 1240-1438)
    (around 1783 B.E.-1981 B.E.)

- Sukhothai is the first unified kingdom of Thais.
- Thai alphabet made by Ramkhamhaeng the Great

< To Sukhothai Photos >

  • Muromachi period
    1338- (Shogun: Ashikaga Takauji)

- 1397: Yoshimitsu builds Kinkaku-ji temple in Kitayama.
  • Ayutthaya (1351-1767)
    (1893 B.E.- 2310 B.E.)
- 1360(1903): Theravada Buddhism is declared as the official religion of Ayutthaya.


- 1511(2054): Ayutthaya receives a diplomatic mission from the Portuguese.
- 1516(2059): Treaty of trade btwn Ayutthaya Portuguese.
- 1569(2112): Ayutthaya is defeated by Burma.
- 1592(2135): Treaty of trade btwn Ayutthaya Dutch.



(Japanese town (Ban Yipun) flourishes. )
- 1617-1630(2150-2173 B.E.):
Yamada Nagamasa from Japan lives in Ayutthaya and contributes to the trade btwn Siam (Thailand) and Japan.



- 1767(2310): Ayutthaya is defeated by Burma the second time.

アユタヤーのフォトギャラリーは、こちら
<To Ayutthaya Photos 1 >
<To Ayutthaya Photos 2 >





- 1467: Onin civil war breaks out



- 1560: Battle of Okehazama happens.
 (Oda Nobunaga)
- 1582: The incident at Honnoh-ji occurs.
 (Akechi Mitsuhide)

  • Azuchi-Momoyama period
- 1590: Toyotomi Hideyoshi unifies the nation.
- 1600: The Sekigahara battle occurs

  • Edo period
- 1702: The raid of Kira's mansion by the 47 Ako ronin

- 1776: Hiraga Gennai develops the first electrostatic generator called Elekiter in Japan.
  • Thonburi (1767-1782)
    (2310 B.E. - 2325 B.E.)

- 1767(2310): Defeats Burma and re-establishes a Siamese state with its capital at Thonburi.





- 1783: Tenmei Famine caused by cold weather lasts for six years.
  • Rattanakosin (Chakri)
    (1782 - Present) (2325 B.E. - Present)
- 1782(2325): Rama I the Great is crowned on April 6 and moves the capital from Thonburi to Bangkok.
- 1826(2369): The Burney Treaty: the Treaty of Amity and Commerce with the United Kingdom in Thailand.
- 1833(2376): Similar treaty to the Burney Treaty, with the United States.



- 1872(2415): English school starts.
- 1887(2430): The Declaration of Amity and Commerce between Japan and Siam(Thailand)
 (Established formal diplomatic relations between Japan and Siam(Thailand))

- 1887(2430): the Military Academy starts.


- 1906(2449): the Naval Academy starts.



- 1932(2475): the Government of Thailand is Transformed from the absolute to the constitutional monarchy.


- 1939(2482): Siam changes its name to Thailand ("Land of the Free").


- 1945(2488): the status of slave is abolished.



- 1823: Siebold arrives in Nagasaki to serve as resident physician on Dejima.

- 1853: Governor General of America, Perry visits the Uraga shore by ship.
- 1854: U.S.-Japan Peace Treaty
- 1860: Ii Naosuke is assassinated out side Sakurada-mon.
- 1863: Shinsengumi organized; official Protector of Kyoto.
- 1867: Taisei-Hokan; The Tokugawa Shogunate restores the reins of the government to the Emperor.

  • Meiji period
- 1889: The Constitution of Great Empire of Japan
- 1894: The First Sino-Japanese War (btwn China and Japan)
- 1904: The Russo-Japanese War (btwn Russia and Japan)

  • Taisho period
- 1914: World War I
- 1923: The Great Kanto Earthquake

  • Showa period
- 1937: The Second Sino-Japanese War (btwn China and Japan)
- 1940: The triple military alliance concluded by Japan, Germany, and Italy.
- 1941: World War II

Related Links
- History of Thailand (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
- History of Japan (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

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 Chakri Dynasty

The present dynasty is Chakri.
It's also called "Rattanakosin" because the new capital, Bangkok, is located on the island of Rattanakosin.

チャクリー王朝の歴代の王の写真 Chakri Dynasty: The successive Kings

- On the top step: Rama I.
From the second and left: Rama II, Rama III, Rama IV,
From the first step and left: Rama V, Rama VI, Rama VII, Rama VIII)
(From [Bangkok etc 2] THAI HUMAN IMAGERY MUSEUM)


  • Rama I (1782 - 1809) (2325 - 2352 B.E.)




  • Rama IV (1851 - 1868) (2394 - 2411 B.E.)
    Around this period, Siam(Thailand) started diplomatic relations with western countries.
    The king in the movie "Anna and the King"(1999) is Rama IV.


  • Rama V (1868 - 1910) (2411 B.E. - 2453)
    He made two visits to Europe, one in 1897 and another in 1907. Bonds of friendship between various European royal families were formed.
    Rama V is one the three great kings in Thailand who modernized the country, abolished the status system and kept the country independent in the period of colonial expansionism by European countries.

    He is known as "Chulalongkorn the Great".


  • Rama IX (1946 - Present) (2489B.E. - Present)
    (King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) the Great)

    The present King and highly worshipped in Thailand.


<About King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) the Great>

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