Thailand's History
The earliest civilisation 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 stateof Nan Chao, in what is now southern China,
migrating south. Thai princes created the first Siamese capital in Sukhothai,
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 andthe 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, theThai government allowed Japanese troops to occupy Thailand.After
the war, Thailand was dominated by the military and experienced more than
twenty coups and countercoups interspersed with short-lived experiments
with democracy. Democratic elections in 1979 were followed by a long period
ofstability 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 ministership 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, 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.
By the turn of the new century, Thailand's economy had stopped going into
free fall, but rebuilding had only just begun. Genuine attempts to weed
out corruption seem underway, but the poverty-stricken members of Thailand
are still wary of promises and agitating for more reforms.
*The above information was obtained from
www.lonelyplanet.com and Youth International
wants to acknowlege all due credit to the source of the information.
