Research & Article

Sukhothai Kingdom and Cultural Heritage for Tourism

By Songkran Klomsook

Published on 23 May 2024

Cultural Tourism
Location of original sources

Christian University Journal, Vol. 20 No. 2 (2014): April - June 2014


The remains of ancient monuments and art objects at the sites of resent day. Sukhothai, SiSatchanalai and Kamphaeng Phet reflect the called “dawn of happiness” period and the dawn of Thai history. From the declaration of independence from the Khmers and the formation of the first Thai kingdom, until the 13th to 14th centuries when Sukhothai was one of the most important centres in Southeast Asia, spans a period of over two hundred years. Because of its historical importance, Sukhothai and its associated towns were developed as historical parks and were added to the World Heritage List in 1991.

This article discusses on the cultural heritage that have been establishing while Sukhothai was the capital of Thailand both of the self idea's invention and from the outer Kingdom culture influences. Sukhothai Kingdom received the cultures to be adapted and applied to the social and cultural compatibility context. Those cultural examples were historical sites, sculptures, paintings and traditions which were the most valuable and positively tourism image to the present society. Further objective of the article is also focus on the important information for tourists who interested in this kind of tourism to read and gain more knowledge and understand about the cultural and heritage attractions in Sukhothai and its associated towns as well.