Sukhothai: An Introduction
Lying approximately 450km north of Bangkok and 300km south of Chiang Mai, Sukhothai, meaning Dawn of Happiness, was founded in the 13th century and was the first truly independent Thai Kingdom.
Sukhothai enjoyed something of a ‘golden age’ under King Ramkhamhaeng who is also credited with creating the Thai alphabet. The end of this first Thai kingdom occurred in 1365 when Ayutthaya became the centre of Siamese power and, in later years, the first capital of Thailand.
The city, with its wonderful temples and monuments, has in recent years been restored to its former glory and is now the UNESCO protected Sukhothai Historical Park.