KTMphil
Senior member
45km from the Sukhothai Historical Park, you have the ancient city of Si Satchanalai, which dates back to 1250 AD. During the 16th century a huge wall was built to prevent invasions from neighboring Burma (Myanmar).
DSC_3781_edited by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr
The Si Satchanalai Historical Park (Thai: อุทยานประวัติศาสตร์ศรีสัชนาลัย) is a historical park in Si Satchanalai district, Sukhothai Province, northern Thailand. The park covers the ruins of Si Satchanalai and Chaliang. Si Satchanalai, which literally means "City of good people", was founded in 1250 as the second center of Sukhothai Kingdom and a residence of the crown prince in the 13th and 14th centuries.
The city was rectangular in shape. In the 16th century, a 5-metre high wall with an upstream moat was built to fend off the growing Burmese attacks. The location of the town was facilitated by two the neighborhood dominant hill. The park is maintained by the Fine Arts Department of Thailand with help from UNESCO, which has declared it a World Heritage Site together with the associated historic parks in Kamphaengphet andSukhothai. Similar to Sukhothai Historical Park, Si Satchanalai Historical Park attracts thousands of visitors each year, who marvel at the ancient Buddha figures, palace buildings and ruined temples. The park is easily toured by bicycle or even on foot.
DSC_3764_edited by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr
Prior to the 13th century, Tai migrated into upper Chao Phraya valley and established a town named Chaliang (Thai: เมืองเชลียง), which means "City of Water" on the bank of Yom River. Chaliang gaudually developed into an important trade center between China and Khmer Empire. The Chineses called the town as "Chengliang". The town enjoyed a substantial autonomy under Khmer until 1180, during the reign of Pho Khun Sri Naw Namthom who was the local ruler of Sukhothai and Sri Satchanalai, Khmer general Khomsabad Khlonlampong started to take control directly and introduced prohibitive taxes. In 1239 Pho Khun Bangklanghao and Pho Khun Pha Mueang decided to rebel and declare independence from Angkor and captured Chaliang. Chaliang was then became part of Sukhothai Kingdom.
DSC_3765_edited by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr
Under the reign of Sri Indraditya, in 1250 the new town area was built in the western area of Chalianf and named Si Satchanalai. Sri Indraditya send his sons, Ban Mueang, as a crown prince to govern the town. When Ban Mueang ruled the kingdom, he gave his brotherRamkhamhaeng control of the town of Si Satchanalai, and became a Sukhothai Kingdom's royal succession tradition to have a crown prince or heir of the throne ruled Si Satchanalai. The town had been granted the status of princely city (Thai: เมืองลูกหลวง) or inner provincial city (Thai: หัวเมืองชั้นใน) for its strategic location to the defense of kingdom capital in the northern direction, similar to Kamphaeng Phet in the west, Pitsanulok in the east, and OldPhichit in the south. There was a direct road from Sukhothai to Si Satchanalai called Phra Ruang Road (Thai: ถนนพระร่วง). In 1345 Luethai wrote one of greatest works in Thai literature, Traibhumikatha or Traiphum Phra Ruang (Thai: ไตรภูมิกถา หรือ ไตรภูมิพระร่วง) in Si Satchanalai.[SUP][1][/SUP][SUP]:221[/SUP]
The stele of Ram Khamhaeng states a stupa was erected in the center of Si Satchanalai, that took six years to build.[SUP][1][/SUP][SUP]:197
DSC_3771_edited by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr
After the death of Ramkhamhaeng, Sukhothai Kingdom's dominance was reduced periodically, but unlike Sukhothai which suffered from urban decline, Si Satchanalai still abled to maintain its trading and industrial roles. In 1451 Tilokarat ofChiangmai annexed Si Satchanalai to his Lanna Kingdom and renamed the city to Chiangcheun (Thai: เชียงชื่น). In 1474Trailokkanat of Ayutthaya Kingdom started Ayutthaya-Lanna War and recaptured the city and renamed the city to Sawankhalok (Thai: สวรรคโลก). During the reign of Ramathibodi II, the story of war campaigns between Tilokarat andTrailokkanat on Si Satchanalai inspired unknown poet to write Lilit Yuan Phai (Thai: ลิลิตยวนพ่าย), which is considered one of the best poetries of Ayutthaya Kingdom. Si Satchanalai became the thriving center of porcelain production for Ayutthayan court to export to oversea countries like Philippines, Japan and Indonesia. This prosperous period started in the 13th century and continued until the 16th century. The city reached its apex in economic and cultural development in the 14th century. In 1766 as part of Burmese–Siamese War (1765–67), the Burmese army from Lampang attacked Si Satchanalai and destroyed the city. After war, the city was rebuilt in the new area of present-day Sawankhalok thus the abandonment of the old city.
DSC_3766_edited by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr
In 1907 Vajiravudh as a crown prince, made two months archaeological field trip to Nakhon Sawan, Kamphaeng Phet, Sukhothai, Si Satchanalai, Uttaradit and Pitsanulok. After return to Bangkok, he published "Phra Ruang City Journey" (Thai: เที่ยวเมืองพระร่วง; rtgs: Tiew Muang Phra Ruang) to promote historical and archaeological study among general public. The work has been used as structure by later archaeologists and historians includingDamrong Rajanubhab, the founder of the modern Thai education system and George Coedès, a 20th-century scholar of southeast Asian archaeology and history. As part of this trip Vajiravudh found beautiful relics of Buddha image's head, a hand and feet in Si Satchanalai and brought back toBangkok. In 1911 he rebuilt the Buddha image which finished in 1913.
DSC_3772_edited by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr
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This 7.20 meters high standing Buddha image was named Phra Ruang Rojanarit Sri Indraditya Dhammobhas Mahavajiravudh Pujaneeya Bophitr (Thai: พระร่วงโรจนฤทธิ์ ศรีอินทราทิตย์ธรรโมภาส มหาวชิราวุธปูชนียบพิตร) and installed in the front of Phra Pathommachedi in Nakhon Pathom.
Bhumibol and Sirikit, king and queen of Thailand, visited old Si Satchanalai, Chaliang and Sawankhalok in 1958. The protection of the area was first announced in Volume 92, Part 112 of the Royal Gazette on August 2, 1961. In 1976 the restoration project was approved, and in July 1988 the park was officially opened. On December 12, 1991, it was declared a World Heritage Site as part of the Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns together with the associated historical parks in Kamphaeng Phet and Sukhothai.
During 2011 Thailand floods, flooding water from Yom River entered Si Satchanalai Historical Park inundating two historical pottery klins.[SUP][2]
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DSC_3781_edited by Triangle Golden 007, on FlickrThe Si Satchanalai Historical Park (Thai: อุทยานประวัติศาสตร์ศรีสัชนาลัย) is a historical park in Si Satchanalai district, Sukhothai Province, northern Thailand. The park covers the ruins of Si Satchanalai and Chaliang. Si Satchanalai, which literally means "City of good people", was founded in 1250 as the second center of Sukhothai Kingdom and a residence of the crown prince in the 13th and 14th centuries.
The city was rectangular in shape. In the 16th century, a 5-metre high wall with an upstream moat was built to fend off the growing Burmese attacks. The location of the town was facilitated by two the neighborhood dominant hill. The park is maintained by the Fine Arts Department of Thailand with help from UNESCO, which has declared it a World Heritage Site together with the associated historic parks in Kamphaengphet andSukhothai. Similar to Sukhothai Historical Park, Si Satchanalai Historical Park attracts thousands of visitors each year, who marvel at the ancient Buddha figures, palace buildings and ruined temples. The park is easily toured by bicycle or even on foot.
DSC_3764_edited by Triangle Golden 007, on FlickrPrior to the 13th century, Tai migrated into upper Chao Phraya valley and established a town named Chaliang (Thai: เมืองเชลียง), which means "City of Water" on the bank of Yom River. Chaliang gaudually developed into an important trade center between China and Khmer Empire. The Chineses called the town as "Chengliang". The town enjoyed a substantial autonomy under Khmer until 1180, during the reign of Pho Khun Sri Naw Namthom who was the local ruler of Sukhothai and Sri Satchanalai, Khmer general Khomsabad Khlonlampong started to take control directly and introduced prohibitive taxes. In 1239 Pho Khun Bangklanghao and Pho Khun Pha Mueang decided to rebel and declare independence from Angkor and captured Chaliang. Chaliang was then became part of Sukhothai Kingdom.
DSC_3765_edited by Triangle Golden 007, on FlickrUnder the reign of Sri Indraditya, in 1250 the new town area was built in the western area of Chalianf and named Si Satchanalai. Sri Indraditya send his sons, Ban Mueang, as a crown prince to govern the town. When Ban Mueang ruled the kingdom, he gave his brotherRamkhamhaeng control of the town of Si Satchanalai, and became a Sukhothai Kingdom's royal succession tradition to have a crown prince or heir of the throne ruled Si Satchanalai. The town had been granted the status of princely city (Thai: เมืองลูกหลวง) or inner provincial city (Thai: หัวเมืองชั้นใน) for its strategic location to the defense of kingdom capital in the northern direction, similar to Kamphaeng Phet in the west, Pitsanulok in the east, and OldPhichit in the south. There was a direct road from Sukhothai to Si Satchanalai called Phra Ruang Road (Thai: ถนนพระร่วง). In 1345 Luethai wrote one of greatest works in Thai literature, Traibhumikatha or Traiphum Phra Ruang (Thai: ไตรภูมิกถา หรือ ไตรภูมิพระร่วง) in Si Satchanalai.[SUP][1][/SUP][SUP]:221[/SUP]
The stele of Ram Khamhaeng states a stupa was erected in the center of Si Satchanalai, that took six years to build.[SUP][1][/SUP][SUP]:197
DSC_3771_edited by Triangle Golden 007, on FlickrAfter the death of Ramkhamhaeng, Sukhothai Kingdom's dominance was reduced periodically, but unlike Sukhothai which suffered from urban decline, Si Satchanalai still abled to maintain its trading and industrial roles. In 1451 Tilokarat ofChiangmai annexed Si Satchanalai to his Lanna Kingdom and renamed the city to Chiangcheun (Thai: เชียงชื่น). In 1474Trailokkanat of Ayutthaya Kingdom started Ayutthaya-Lanna War and recaptured the city and renamed the city to Sawankhalok (Thai: สวรรคโลก). During the reign of Ramathibodi II, the story of war campaigns between Tilokarat andTrailokkanat on Si Satchanalai inspired unknown poet to write Lilit Yuan Phai (Thai: ลิลิตยวนพ่าย), which is considered one of the best poetries of Ayutthaya Kingdom. Si Satchanalai became the thriving center of porcelain production for Ayutthayan court to export to oversea countries like Philippines, Japan and Indonesia. This prosperous period started in the 13th century and continued until the 16th century. The city reached its apex in economic and cultural development in the 14th century. In 1766 as part of Burmese–Siamese War (1765–67), the Burmese army from Lampang attacked Si Satchanalai and destroyed the city. After war, the city was rebuilt in the new area of present-day Sawankhalok thus the abandonment of the old city.
DSC_3766_edited by Triangle Golden 007, on FlickrIn 1907 Vajiravudh as a crown prince, made two months archaeological field trip to Nakhon Sawan, Kamphaeng Phet, Sukhothai, Si Satchanalai, Uttaradit and Pitsanulok. After return to Bangkok, he published "Phra Ruang City Journey" (Thai: เที่ยวเมืองพระร่วง; rtgs: Tiew Muang Phra Ruang) to promote historical and archaeological study among general public. The work has been used as structure by later archaeologists and historians includingDamrong Rajanubhab, the founder of the modern Thai education system and George Coedès, a 20th-century scholar of southeast Asian archaeology and history. As part of this trip Vajiravudh found beautiful relics of Buddha image's head, a hand and feet in Si Satchanalai and brought back toBangkok. In 1911 he rebuilt the Buddha image which finished in 1913.
DSC_3772_edited by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr[/SUP]
This 7.20 meters high standing Buddha image was named Phra Ruang Rojanarit Sri Indraditya Dhammobhas Mahavajiravudh Pujaneeya Bophitr (Thai: พระร่วงโรจนฤทธิ์ ศรีอินทราทิตย์ธรรโมภาส มหาวชิราวุธปูชนียบพิตร) and installed in the front of Phra Pathommachedi in Nakhon Pathom.
Bhumibol and Sirikit, king and queen of Thailand, visited old Si Satchanalai, Chaliang and Sawankhalok in 1958. The protection of the area was first announced in Volume 92, Part 112 of the Royal Gazette on August 2, 1961. In 1976 the restoration project was approved, and in July 1988 the park was officially opened. On December 12, 1991, it was declared a World Heritage Site as part of the Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns together with the associated historical parks in Kamphaeng Phet and Sukhothai.
During 2011 Thailand floods, flooding water from Yom River entered Si Satchanalai Historical Park inundating two historical pottery klins.[SUP][2]
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