Ep. 47 - Sukhothai, Thailand
The Kingdom of Sukhothai, translated literally as the Dawn of Happiness, is the feature of our 47th episode. The ancient kingdom, located in today's north central Thailand, burned bright during its short existence as the "First Thai Kingdom". Join us in a five minute adventure to learn the story of this destination and relics from its past that can still be visited and learned from today.
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Transcription:
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Hey there, you’re listening to The Friday Take Five, the best five minute podcast for history and adventure and this is episode 47. I'm Mark, your host, and with another Friday comes another opportunity to jump in and discover the story of a new destination. If I have you walking away from today’s episode with a renewed appreciation for history, or a new travel destination added to the bucket list, then I’ll be feeling pretty good. And so without further ado… Episode 47.
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Episode 47 brings us to Thailand and takes us back in time hundreds of years to the Sukhothai Kingdom. The Sukhothai Kingdom was a kingdom with loose borders centered around the ancient city Sukhothai in what is now present day north central Thailand. It rose and fell in roughly 200 years, but shined brightly enough to have an impact lasting to today.
Formerly of the Khmer empire, the city of Sukhothai was little more than a trading post, until the central Thai people rebelled to establish their independence. Their leader, Si Inthrathit, became the first to rule over what would become the Phra Ruang dynasty.
Fast forward approximately 40 years, and we find the period of time where the Sukhothai empire would burn its brightest.
Ram Khamhaeng ascended the throne in 1279. Ram Khamhaeng is considered by many to be the father of the Thai nation. He is credited by many historians with introducing the initial written form of Thai and Theravada Buddhism to the country, he was also responsible for forging relationships with Yuan China, from which the kingdom learned the critical skills necessary for production and export of ceramics. Furthermore, Ram Khamhaeng also went on to great lengths to expand the influence of the kingdom east into modern day Laos, and West to Myanmar’s coast along the Indian ocean through a combination of diplomacy, and military campaigns.
Unfortunately, in 1298, after Ram Khamaeng’s death, the kingdom began its decline. Fifty years later the Sukhothai kingdom was invaded by a neighboring Thai kingdom on the rise, the Ayutthaya Kingdom. For the next hundred years or so, the Sukhothai kingdom would hold on as a tributary to the more powerful kingdom, before having its flame extinguished by annexation in 1438. Despite the formal collapse of the Sukhothai kingdom, its nobility managed to stick around and maintain influence within the annexing Ayutthaya Kingdom.
The Sukhothai have now faded to time, but there are still remnants of the once impressive kingdom that can still be visited today in north central Thailand.
The Sukhothai National Park, a UNESCO world heritage site, features over 190 ruins from the kingdom on a plot of roughly 70 square km or 29 square miles. Some of the top features of the park that have made it onto my list are the Wat Mahathat, the Wat Si Sawai, and the Wat Si Chum. The Wat Mahathat, is arguably the most important temple in the entire park. It was founded by the first ruler of the Sukhothai kingdom and was intended to be the main temple of the city and the kingdom. The Wat Si Sawai is one of the oldest temples, and in my view, one of the best architected. I’m a sucker for great architecture and would love to see this one in person. Finally, is the Wat Si Chum. The Wat Si Chum is a pillared pavilion inside of which sits a massive 11 meter by 15 meter statue of Buddha. I find it absolutely incredible a massive statue like this has stood the test of time, and I can’t wait to be able to see it in person.
Sukhothai is less talked about than your typical Greek or Roman empires, but it’s still an example of how great history and beauty are in all parts of the world around us. I can’t wait to make it out to Thailand and to have this ancient kingdom as part of my itinerary. I hope with today’s episode I helped you relive some awesome travel memories, or I’ve helped you learn something new and got you to consider adding this cool place to your travel bucket list. That’s all for today folks. We’ll see you next time.
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Hey there! Thanks for going on another adventure with me in episode 47. If you haven’t already, be sure to give the show a 5 star rating on podcasting platforms, and share this episode with a friend. Have your own stories about Sukhothai, feedback on the show or suggestions for new episodes? I’d love to hear it so follow me and DM me on socials @FridayTakeFive or email me at thefridaytakefive@gmail.com. Stay curious, stay adventuring, and have a great weekend!
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