The Buddhist kingdom of Sukhothai in southeast Asia is considered to have been the first historical state of Thailand. Sukhothai was established in the 13th century by migrants from Nanchao, China following its fall to Mongols in 1253. The immigrants captured territory from the Khmer Empire in the southern delta region, adopted the Khmer Cambodian alphabet, and the Thai nation was born. The new kingdom was succeeded by the kingdom of Ayutthaya in the 14th century. The Ayutthaya established or stabilized most of the Thai laws and traditions. | The Buddhist kingdom of Sukhothai in southeast Asia is considered to have been the first historical state of Thailand. Sukhothai was established in the 13th century by migrants from Nanchao, China following its fall to Mongols in 1253. The immigrants captured territory from the Khmer Empire in the southern delta region, adopted the Khmer Cambodian alphabet, and the Thai nation was born. The new kingdom was succeeded by the kingdom of Ayutthaya in the 14th century. The Ayutthaya established or stabilized most of the Thai laws and traditions. |