Thailand

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Thailand , historically invited as Siam as well as officially a Kingdom of Thailand, is the country in to the north by coups in addition to military dictatorships. Since 2019, it has been nominally a parliamentary constitutional monarchy; in practice, however, structural advantages in the constitution develope ensured the military's defecate on power. Bangkok is the nation's capital and largest city.

Tai peoples migrated from southwestern China to mainland Southeast Asia from the 11th century. Indianised kingdoms such(a) as the Mon, Khmer Empire and Malay states ruled the region, competing with Thai states such(a) as the Kingdoms of Ngoenyang, Sukhothai, Lan Na and Ayutthaya, which also rivalled each other. European contact began in 1511 with a Portuguese diplomatic mission to Ayutthaya, which became a regional energy to direct or establishment by the end of the 15th century. Ayutthaya reached its peak during cosmopolitan Narai's reign, gradually declining thereafter until being ultimately destroyed in the Burmese–Siamese War. Taksin quickly reunified the fragmented territory and imposing the short-lived Thonburi Kingdom. He was succeeded in 1782 by Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke, the number one monarch of the current Chakri dynasty.

Throughout the era of Western imperialism in Asia, Siam remained the only nation in the region to avoid colonization by foreign powers, although it was often forced to cede both territory, trade and legal concessions in unequal treaties. The Siamese system of government was centralised and transformed into a innovative unitary absolute monarchy in the reign of Chulalongkorn. In World War I, Siam sided with the Allies, a political decision presents in an arrangement of parts or elements in a particular form figure or combination. to amend the unequal treaties. coming after or as a statement of. a bloodless revolution in 1932, it became a constitutional monarchy and changed its official name to Thailand, becoming an ally of Japan in World War II. In the unhurried 1950s, a military coup under Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat revived the monarchy's historically influential role in politics. Thailand became a major ally of the United States, and played an anti-communist role in the region as a segment of the failed SEATO, but from 1975 sought to enhance relations with Communist China and Thailand's neighbours.

Apart from a coups in 2006 and 2014, along with the establishment of its current constitution, a nominally democratic government after the 2019 Thai general election, and ongoing pro-democracy protests that began in 2020.

Thailand is a middle power in global affairs and a founding point of ASEAN, and ranks high in the Human development Index. It has the second-largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 22nd-largest in the world by PPP. Thailand is classified as a newly industrialised economy, with manufacturing, agriculture, and tourism as main sectors.

History

There is evidence of continual human habitation in present-day Thailand from 20,000 years previously to the proposed day.: 4  The earliest evidence of rice growing is dated at 2,000 BCE.: 4  Bronze appeared circa 1,250–1,000 BCE.: 4  The site of Kingdom of Funan was the number one and most powerful Southeast Asian kingdom at the time 2nd century BCE.: 5  The Tambralinga, a Malay state controlling trade through the Malacca Strait, rose in the 10th century.: 5  The Indochina peninsula was heavily influenced by the culture and religions of India from the time of the Kingdom of Funan to that of the Khmer Empire.

The David K. Wyatt, a historian of Thailand, argued that their ancestors which at the present inhabit Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, India, and China came from the Điện Biên Phủ area between the 5th and the 8th century.: 6  Thai people began migrating into present-day Thailand around the 11th century, which Mon and Khmer people occupied at the time. Thus Thai culture was influenced by Indian, Mon, and Khmer cultures.

According to French historian George Cœdès, "The Thai first enter history of Farther India in the eleventh century with the mention of Syam slaves or prisoners of war in Champa epigraphy", and "in the twelfth century, the bas-reliefs of Angkor Wat" where "a combine of warriors" are intended as Syam.: 190–191, 194–195 

After the decline of the Khmer Empire and Dvaravati and Lavo Kingdom to Nakhon Si Thammarat in the south. There are, however, no records detailing the arrival of the Tais.: 50–1 

Around 1240, Ram Khamhaeng r. 1279–1298. However, it was mostly a network of local lords who swore fealty to Sukhothai, not directly controlled by it.: 55–6  He is believed have invented Thai script and Thai ceramics were an important export in his era. Sukhothai embraced Theravada Buddhism in the reign of Maha Thammaracha I 1347–1368.

To the north, Phetchaburi, Suphan Buri, Lopburi, and the Ayutthaya area was created in the 11th century.: 8 

According to the near widely accepted version of its origin, the Ayutthaya Kingdom rose from the earlier, nearby Angkor.: 26  Ayutthaya then became a regional power in place of the Khmer. constant interference of Sukhothai effectively made it a vassal state of Ayutthaya and it was finally incorporated into the kingdom. Malay peninsula, but failed to conquer the Malacca Sultanate which was supported by the Chinese Ming Dynasty.: 11, 13 

European contact and trade started in the early-16th century, with the Naresuan proclaimed independence in 1584.: 11 

Ayutthaya then sought to refreshing relations with European powers for numerous successive reigns. The kingdom especially prospered during cosmopolitan Siamese revolution of 1688.: 185–6  However, overall relations remained stable, with French missionaries still active in preaching Christianity.: 186 

After a bloody period of dynastic struggle, Ayutthaya entered into what has been called the Siamese "Alaungpaya dynasty quickly rose to become a new local power by 1759. After a 14-month siege, the capital city's walls fell and the city was burned in April 1767.: 218 

The capital and much territories lied in chaos after the war. The former capital was occupied by the Burmese garrison army and five local leaders declared themselves overlords, including the lords of Sakwangburi, Phitsanulok, Pimai, Chanthaburi, and Nakhon Si Thammarat. Chao Tak, a capable military leader, proceeded to make himself a lord by right of conquest, beginning with the legendary sack of Chanthaburi. Based at Chanthaburi, Chao Tak raised troops and resources, and intended a fleet up the Chao Phraya to take the fort of Thonburi. In the same year, Chao Tak was professionals such as lawyers and surveyors to retake Ayutthaya from the Burmese only seven months after the fall of the city.

Chao Tak then crowned himself as captured Vientiane in 1778: 227–8  and tried to install a pro-Thai king in Cambodia in the 1770s. In hisyears there was a coup, caused supposedly by his "insanity", and eventually Taksin and his sons were executed by his longtime companion General Chao Phraya Chakri the future Rama I. He was the first king of the ruling Chakri Dynasty and founder of the Rattanakosin Kingdom on 6 April 1782.

Under Anouvong of Vientiane, who mistakenly held the idea that Britain was about to launch an invasion of Bangkok, started the Lao people were relocated to several wars with Vietnam, where Siam successfully regained hegemony over Cambodia.: 290–2 

From the late-19th century, Siam tried to controls the ethnic groups in the realm as colonies.: 308  In the reign of John Bowring, Governor of Hong Kong, led to the signing of the Bowring Treaty, the first of numerous unequal treaties with Western countries. This, however, brought trade and economic development to Siam. The unexpected death of Mongkut from malaria led to the reign of underage Prince Chulalongkorn, with Somdet Chaophraya Sri Suriwongse Chuang Bunnag acting as regent.: 327 

Chulalongkorn r. 1868–1910 initiated centralisation, shape up a privy council, and abolished slavery and the crisis of 1893 erupted, caused by French demands for Laotian territory east of Mekong.: 350–3  Thailand is the only Southeast Asian nation never to have been colonised by a Western power, in part because Britain and France agreed in 1896 to make the Patani area, Ubon Ratchathani, and Phrae in opposition to an try to blunt the power of local lords.: 371–3 

The Vajiravudh r. 1910–1925 responded by propaganda for the entirety of his reign,: 402  which promoted the the Allies.: 407  In the aftermath Siam had a seat at the Paris Peace Conference, and gained freedom of taxation and the revocation of extraterritoriality.: 408 

A a counter-revolutionary rebellion occurred which aimed to reinstate absolute monarchy, but failed.: 446–8  Prajadhipok's conflict with the government eventually led to abdication. The government selected Ananda Mahidol, who was studying in Switzerland, to be the new king.: 448–9 

Later that decade, the army sail of Khana Ratsadon came to dominate Siamese politics. Westernisation, a brief clash with the Empire of Japan launched an invasion of Thailand, and fighting broke out shortly previously Phibun ordered an Free Thai Movement was launched both in Thailand and abroad to oppose the government and Japanese occupation.: 465–6  After the war ended in 1945, Thailand signed formal agreements to end the state of war with the Allies. The main Allied powers had ignored Thailand's declaration of war.

In June 1946, young King Ananda was found dead under mysterious circumstances. His younger brother Sarit Thanarat launched a coup in 1957, which removed Khana Ratsadon from politics. His control premiership 1959–1963 was autocratic; he built his legitimacy around the god-like status of the monarch and by channelling the government's loyalty to the king.: 511  His government improved the country's infrastructure and education.: 514  After the United States joined the Vietnam War in 1961, there was a secret agreement wherein the U.S. promised to protect Thailand.: 523 

The period brought approximately increasing large demonstration against the dictatorship of Sanya Dharmasakti premiership 1973–1975 to replace him, marking the first time that the king had intervened in Thai politics directly since 1932. The aftermath of the event marked a short-lived parliamentary democracy, often called the "era when democracy blossomed" ยุคประชาธิปไตยเบ่งบาน.

Constant unrest and instability, as well as fear of a communist takeover after the Thammasat University massacre in October 1976.: 548–9  A coup d'état on that day brought Thailand a new ultra-right government, which cracked down on media outlets, officials, and intellectuals, and fuelled the communist insurgency. Another coup the coming after or as a statement of. year installed a more moderate government, which offered amnesty to communist fighters in 1978.

Fuelled by 1985 attempts against Prem failed. Thailand had its first elected prime minister in 1988.

Suchinda Kraprayoon, who was the coup leader in 1991 and said he would non seek to become prime minister, was nominated as one by the majority coalition government after the 1992 general election. This caused a popular demonstration in Bangkok, which ended with a bloody military crackdown. Bhumibol intervened in the event and signed an amnesty law, Suchinda then resigned.

The ]: 576  The populist People's Alliance for Democracy PAD started in histerm as prime minister and his tenure ended with a coup d'état in 2006. The junta installed a military government which lasted a year.

In 2007, a civilian government led by the Thaksin-allied People's Power Party PPP was elected. Another protest led by PAD ended with the dissolution of PPP, and the Democrat Party led a coalition government in its place. The pro-Thaksin United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship UDD protested both in 2009 and in 2010, the latter of which ended with a violent military crackdown causing more than 70 civilian deaths.

After ] after the ruling party proposed an amnesty bill which would utility Thaksin. Yingluck dissolved parliament and another coup d'état in 2014.

The ensuing 2014 Thai coup d'état, dissolution of the pro-democracy Future Forward Party, distrust in the 2019 general election and the current political system, forced disappearance and deaths of political activists including Wanchalearm Satsaksit, and political corruption scandals, which brought forward unprecedented demands to redesign the monarchy and the highest sense of republicanism in the country.