Cool, exotic, affordable and renowned for superlative service, the land of smiles, which attracted a record 14 million tourists last year (2007), is of special interest to discerning Indian tourists. Ayutthaya, the earlier capital of the Thai kingdom founded by King U-Thong, was named after the sacred city of Ayodhya in IndiaThe south-east Asian kingdom of Thailand (pop. 63 million) is among the worlds most popular tourism destinations because of its unique environment, which combines an experience ranging from the culinary to the esoteric. Last year (2007) a record 14.46 million tourists including 500,000 from India visited Thailand. Cool, exotic and affordable, and matched by superlative service, this land of smiles beckons and welcomes visitors perennially. Bounded by Myanmar to the north, Laos in the east, Cambodia to the south-east and the Andaman Sea on its western seaboard, Thailand is a constitutional monarchy with His Majesty King Rama IX serving as the incumbent (ceremonial) ruler. Earlier known as Siam, the kingdom is a functional democracy spread over 513,000 sq. km in south-east Asia, with its southern peninsula jutting into the south China Sea. Historical evidence indicates that humans have inhabited this nation since the Paleolithic period (about 10,000 years ago). Excavations in the village of Ban Chiang in north-east Thailand have uncovered architectural evidence of a Bronze Age dating back to 3600 B.C. Subsequently, from 800-1200 A.D, the Khmer people of contemporary Cambodia occupied the central and eastern regions of Thailand, leaving behind their architecturally distinct stone temples of Phimai and Phanom Rung. In 1238, the Sukhothai Kingdom wrested independence from the Khmer rulers. In 1279, King Ramkhanhaeng united the regions and ascended the throne, bequeathing the legacy of the Thai alphabet. After his death the Sukothai Kingdom fell into decline, and thereafter was born the Ayutthaya Kingdom (1351-1767), which dominated southern and central Thailand until the 18th century. Contemporary Thailand is of special interest to the more selective Indian tourists, because the country has an ancient linkage with India. Ayutthaya, the earlier capital of the Thai Kingdom, was founded by King U-Thong (later known as King Ramathibodi I), who named it after the sacred city of Ayodhya in India. He imported Theravada Buddhism from India and decreed it as the official religion. Ramathibodi I also adopted the Dharmashastra — a legal code of Hindu origin — and blended it with traditional Thai customs to establish a legal system which was in force until the late 19th century. However in 1767, a Burmese expeditionary force destroyed Ayutthaya, leaving it in ruins, which is now a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. European traders arrived in Thailand in the 16th century, led by the Portuguese. Portuguese traders were followed by the French, Dutch and the British, who through their trademark artifices transformed it into a British protectorate for over 300 years (1600-1900s). Nevertheless as in India, British influence in the kingdom was not an unmixed blessing and resulted in the construction of a national railway, waterways and roads, schools and the countrys…
