Painting of Ayutthaya Commissioned by the Dutch East India Company
The only Southeast Asian nation to successfully withstand European colonisation attempts, Thailand’s history as a unified kingdom stretches back into the Middle Ages. Today, Bangkok stands as the kingdom’s vibrant capital. 11,000,000+ inhabitants strong, the city is a powerhouse in this region of the world and attracts visitors from all corners of the globe. Visit Bangkok today and its size, density and centuries-old temples will make it hard to believe that there was a ever a time when the country’s capital laid elsewhere.
150 years before Columbus set sale for India, Bangkok was merely a fishing village and Thailand’s King U-Thong made his way to the Valley of the Chao Praya River after fleeing an outbreak of smallpox. It was there that he founded the Kingdom’s capital of Ayutthaya, 80km north of modern-day Bangkok. Named after the birthplace of Rama in India, Ayutthaya rose to become one of the most powerful cities in Asia over the next 400 years.
Set amongst a lush valley with excellent waterway access, Ayutthaya flourished thanks in part to an open and friendly trade policy with the Dutch, French, Spanish and Portuguese. By the year 1600 there were an estimated 300,000 people living within its borders – 100,000 more than London at the time. Over the next 150 years the city thrived and its population ballooned to over 1,000,000 in the mid-1700s, asserting Ayutthaya as the strongest power within Southeast Asia. French ambassadors likened the city’s size and wealth to that of Paris and at the height of its influence it was poised to become a major contender in a rapidly globalising world. Then, in 1767, after series of long battles with the Burmese, the walls of the city were breached and Ayutthaya was burned to the ground. With the city destroyed and the king murdered, Ayutthaya was abandoned and construction of a new capital to the south began.
Prang in Ayutthaya
Today, only a trace of once was remains, but the ruins of Ayutthaya still evoke a sense of grandeur and elegance. Distinctive prangs crooked from the war and centuries of rainfall, jut out organically from the grassy lawns of the Ayutthaya Historical Park. With their protective sheaths eroded, the original brickwork is exposed which allows you to peer into the very heart of each structure. Sculptures of Buddha dot the landscape and are carefully tended to by locals as many Thai nationals still come to Ayutthaya to pray.
On the ground you can feel the crunch of broken bricks beneath your feet, perhaps shattered in the bloody war that took place here 250 years ago. In the air dragonflies buzz in dense clusters and effortlessly navigate their way around ancient temple spires partially painted with the green of clinging plants. In the distance walk a line of elephants, though carrying tourists, they still add to the mystique of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Elephants with the Ruins in the Background
Ayutthaya may no longer be compared to Paris, but I would argue that its ruins are as fascinating as those of the Roman Empire. Left mostly unpreserved, the physical condition of the ancient city have become a spectacle in its own right. Partially reclaimed by nature, the ancient temples feel more organic than man made and are reminiscent of Incan or Mayan ruins.
Ayutthaya Historical Park
Easily accessible from Bangkok via a cruise along the Chao Praya River or car, the ruins of Ayutthaya can be easily explored in a day with plenty of time leftover for elephant rides and viewing the city’s old Portuguese settlement. For those staying in Bangkok, this is a day trip that cannot be missed.