The earliest civilization in Thailand is
believed to have been that of
the Mons in central Thailand, who brought a Buddhist culture from the Indian
subcontinent. In the 12th century, this met a Khmer culture moving from the
east, the Sumatran-based Srivijaya culture moving north, and citizens of the
Thai state of Nan Chao, in what is now southern China, migrating south. Thai
princes created the first Siamese capital in Sukhothai, and later centres in
Chiang Mai and, notably, Ayuthaya.
The Burmese invaded Siam in both the 16th and 18th centuries, capturing Chiang
Mai and destroying Ayuthaya. The Thais expelled the Burmese and moved their
capital to Thonburi. In 1782, the current Chakri dynasty was founded by King
Rama I and the capital was moved across the river to Bangkok.
In the 19th century, Siam remained independent by deftly playing off one
European power against another. In 1932, a peaceful coup converted the country
into a constitutional monarchy, and in 1939 Siam became Thailand. During WW II,
the Thai government allowed Japanese troops to occupy Thailand. After the war,
Thailand was dominated by the military and experienced more than twenty coups
and counter coups interspersed with short-lived experiments with democracy.
Democratic elections in 1979 were followed by a long period of stability and
prosperity as power shifted from the military to the business elite.
In February 1991 a military coup ousted the Chatichai government, but bloody
demonstrations in May 1992 led to the reinstatement of a civilian government
with Chuan Leekpai at the helm. This coalition government collapsed in May 1995
over a land-reform scandal but replacement Prime Minister Banharn Silpa-archa
was no better. Dubbed a 'walking ATM' by the Thai press, he was forced to
relinquish the prime minister ship just over a year later after a spate of
corruption scandals. Ex-general and former deputy PM Chavalit Yongchaiyudh
headed a dubious coalition until late 1997 when veteran pragmatist Chuan Leekpai
retook the reins. Thai cynics will tell you that, despite all the
leader-swapping, things never change. Widespread vote-buying and entrenched
corruption make a joke of democracy at any rate, and until this is rectified
Thailand's claims to democratic status and political stability will remain as
shaky as ever. In 1997 the Thai baht pretty much collapsed, dragging the economy
(and many other South-East Asian economies) down in a screaming heap. In August
the International Monetary Fund stepped in with a bailout package of austerity
measures, which - although it slowed Thailand's growth dramatically and hit the
poor hardest - seemed to have turned things around by early 1998.