Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya (Thai: พระนครศรีอยุธยา, pronounced[pʰráʔná(ʔ).kʰɔ̄ːnsǐːʔā.jút.tʰā.jāː]), commonly known locally as Ayutthaya, is the capital of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province in Thailand. It lies on an island at the confluence of the Chao Phraya and Pa Sak rivers. Ayutthaya was the capital of the Ayutthaya Kingdom and, between the 14th and 18th centuries, grew into one of the world's largest cities and a major hub of diplomacy and commerce, before its destruction during the Burmese invasion of 1767.
Today, Ayutthaya is a major centre of cultural tourism, while the surrounding area forms part of Thailand's industrial and transport corridor north of Bangkok; its historic core is protected as the Ayutthaya Historical Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
👉 Ayutthaya (city) in the context of Ayutthaya Historical Park
Ayutthaya Historical Park (Thai: อุทยานประวัติศาสตร์พระนครศรีอยุธยา (Pronunciation)) covers the ruins of the old city of Ayutthaya, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province, Thailand. The city of Ayutthaya was founded by King Ramathibodi I in 1351, though it is likely to be significantly older, based on evidence showing that the area was already populated during the MonDvaravati period. Sources further mention that around 850 AD, the Khmers occupied the area and established a stronghold there, naming it Ayodhya, after one of the holiest Hindu cities in India of the same name. The early history of Ayutthaya is connected to this Khmer settlement. Additionally, Prince Damrong has also attested to the existence of a city named Ayodhya, founded by the Khmers ruling from Lopburi at the point where the three rivers meet. An excavation map shows traces of an ancient baray (water reservoir) close to the southwestern tip of Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon, which could have been built on a former important Khmer temple complex.
The principal basis for the aforementioned claims is the Śri Canāśa Inscription K.949 inscription, which is dated to the reign of Bhagadatta, a ruler of Qiān Zhī Fú who presided over Si Thep in the 850s. This inscription has frequently been cited as evidence for Ayutthaya's early existence. It has been argued, however, that the inscription may have been relocated to Ayutthaya at a considerably later time than that indicated by its original dating, a view supported by the absence of archaeological materials in Ayutthaya that can be securely attributed to the period in question. The earliest extant reference to Ayutthaya is found in the Royal Northern Chronicle [th], which attributes the foundation of the city to a nobleman from the northern region in the year 944.
The Ramakien (Thai: รามเกียรติ์, RTGS: Rammakian, pronounced[rāːm.mā.kīa̯n]; lit.'Glory of Rama'; sometimes also spelled Ramakian) is one of Thailand's national epics. It is a Thai version of the ancient Indian epic Ramayana, and an important part of the Thai literary canon.
King Rama VI was the first person to shed light first on the Ramayana studies in Thailand, by tracing the sources of the Ramakien, comparing it with the Sanskrit Valmiki Ramayana. He found that the Ramakien was influenced by three sources: the Valmiki's Ramayana, the Vishnu Purana, and Hanuman Nataka . A number of versions of the epic were lost in the destruction of Ayutthaya in 1767. Three versions currently exist, one of which was prepared in 1797 under the supervision of (and partly written by) King Rama I. His son, Rama II, rewrote some parts of his father's version for khon drama. The work has had an important influence on Thai literature, art and drama (both the khon and nang dramas being derived from it).
The valley of the Pa Sak through the Phetchabun Mountains is a dominant feature of Phetchabun Province. Water levels vary seasonally. To address drought problems in the lower Pa Sak valley, the Pa Sak Cholasit Dam (เขื่อนป่าสักชลสิทธิ์) in Lopburi Province was built in the 1990s. The 4,860-meter (15,940 ft) wide and 36.5-meter (120 ft) high dam retains 0.785 km (0.188 cu mi) of water. The dam also supplies about 6.7 MW of electricity.
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