The ancient Lanna

Lanna

The Kingdom of Lanna was a kingdom centered in present-day northern Thailand from the 13th to 18th centuries. The cultural development of the people of Lanna, the Tai Yuan people, had begun long before as successive Tai Yuan kingdoms preceded Lanna...

 society of the northern Thailand

Northern Thailand

Thailand's northern region is geographically characterised by multiple mountain ranges which continue from the Shan Hills in bordering Myanmar and Laos, and the river valleys which cut through them...

 is considered more progressive than societies in other regions of the same period in that the Lanna people recorded their history and social development. Records concerning cities in the Chiangmai and Chiangrai Basin have proved well-grounded. A large number of stone tools were excavated in this area. That there were settlements in this region is supported by Thai north chronicle and the record of Yonok-nagabundhu, which is about people migrating to settle in this region.

Location of Sinhanavati Kingdom

Sinhanavati Kingdom was seated on the river named Kok, which descends from the mountain in Fang District

Amphoe Fang

Fang is a district in the northern part of Chiang Mai Province, northern Thailand.-History:According to the Yonok chronicle, Mueang Fang was built in 641 by King Lawa Changkarat. Later King Mengrai the Great reigned Fang before building Wiang Kumkam and Chiang Mai of Lanna Kingdom for one year...

 (Chiangmai), and runs into the Kong River at the east of Chiangsaen District

Amphoe Chiang Saen

Chiang Saen is a district in the northern part of Chiang Rai Province, northern Thailand.-History:According to an ancient chronicle, the original city of Chiang Saen was built in 545 in an area called Yonok, by Tai migrants from the Chinese province of Yunnan, and was an important city of the...

 (Chiangrai, shown as No.8 on the map), from which the city itself was about 3 km. distant. This city submerged below Chiangsaen Lake due to an earthquake.

The city is located in Chiangrai Basin, northern Thailand where archaeological evidence such as ancient community sites, religious sanctuaries, and artifacts has been found. The ruins of fifteen ancient cities have been found in various parts of Chiangrai.

Kururath-Indrapath Kingdom

Due to a disaster, Samantaraja of Pataliputra obliged all his people to follow him to the region of Bodhisaanluang. He built the city of Indrapath which he surrounded with a stone wall. His daughter married Kuruvamsa, the grandson of Samantaraja’s minister, who built the nearby city of Kururath.

When the king of Bodhisaanluang learned of the new settlements in his territory, he declared the war against them, but eventually he was defeated.

Kuruvamsa began to reign and promoted both cities, Kururath–Indrapath as the capital of the new kingdom. Three other kings succeeded him: Sirivamsa, Indravamsa, and Indrapathom.

Umongasela city

The royal counselor of King Indrapathom, Aya-Uparaja, who was also the king’s uncle and father-in-law, had resigned from his position. King Indrapathom assigned Bahira-Brahmin to be his new royal counselor.

Afterword Bahira-Brahmin was dishonest, and so was banished from the capital. He then went to ask for help from Suvarnamugadavaan of Suvarnagomgum City, who let him come to build the new city at the source of Kok River named the city of Umongasela.

Suvarnagomgum city

Aya-Uparaja resigned and came to the new city which Bahira-Brahmin had built. This city is at a distance of a 3-month journey along Kong River

Mekong

The Mekong is a river that runs through China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is the world's 10th-longest river and the 7th-longest in Asia. Its estimated length is , and it drains an area of , discharging of water annually....

 from Bodhisaanluang City.
The next ruler, Suvarnamugadavaan, the 7th grandson of Ayauparaja, was assigned by King Indrapathom to rule this city. Later he renamed the city Suvarnagomgum.

Later still this city was ruled by Kom-dum, the Khmer ruler who was corrupt, and therefore was resisted by the local people. And due to a flood, Suvarnagomgum submerged in the Kok River

Kok River

The Kok River originates in Shan State, Burma. It flows down and across the Burma-Thailand border to Mae Ai district, Chiang Mai Province, passing under Phahonyothin Road. Most of its length is in Chiang Rai Province passing the districts Mueang Chiang Rai, Mae Chan, Chiang Saen and Wiang Chai. It...

, where now it is known as Wieng-Prueksha. The survivors evacuated to Umongasela City and this district has been abandoned since then.

Singhanavati kingdom

Around 757 AD, Khun Saiphong, one of the sons of Khun Borom

Khun Borom

Khun Borom Rachathirath is the legendary progenitor of the Tai-speaking peoples, considered by the Lao and others to be the father of their race....

 of Tai

Tai

Tai may refer to:*Tai peoples*Tai languages*Tai , a Chinese surname*Mount Tai, in Shandong, China*Lake Tai, on the border of the Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, China...

-desa, obliged his people to follow him from northern Myanmar

Myanmar

Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....

 across the Salawin River to this region. The word “Khun” in his name suggests his status as leader of the group. After his period of rule ended, there was no successor. Therefore his uncle, Sinhanavati came in 773 AD and built the city named Nagabundhu-Singhanavatinagorn, due to the support given him by the Naga

Naga people

The term Naga people refers to a conglomeration of several tribes inhabiting the North Eastern part of India and north-western Burma. The tribes have similar cultures and traditions, and form the majority ethnic group in the Indian state of Nagaland...

. The new city was located near to the submerged Suvarnagomgum City, and forty-five other kings succeeded him.

Singhanavati Kingdom subjugated Umongasela City, which was then ruled by the Khmer

Khmer Empire

The Khmer Empire was one of the most powerful empires in Southeast Asia. The empire, which grew out of the former kingdom of Chenla, at times ruled over and/or vassalized parts of modern-day Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Burma, and Malaysia. Its greatest legacy is Angkor, the site of the capital city...

, and other nearby states to extend its territory. Sometimes it was defeated, for example in the reign of Pra-ong Pung the royal seat was removed to the nearby city of Paan-gum, a city seated on Sai River (Chiangrai northernmost district), but it always eventually restored its independence.

The last king of Singhanavati Kingdom was named Phramahajaijana. In his reign Singhanavatinagorn submerged in the Chiangsaen Lake due to the earthquake.

The survivors went east to inhabit Wieng–Prueksha led by Khun Lung. For 93 years they selected their ruler from among the leaders of their 14 villages to rule the region. After this period, the record mentions the development of high land communities, led by Lavachakaraj, which later were the beginning of the Lanna Kingdom and continued through the founding of Chiangmai City at the end of 13th century.

M. de la Loubere’s record

References to M. de la Loubere’s record, the first King was named Pathomsuriyadhep (Singhanavati). The chief place where he kept his Court was called Jayaprakaan Mahanagorn (Nagabundhu-Singhanavatinagorn, Chiangrai Province), and he began to reign An. 1300. Ten other kings succeeded him the last of whom, named Dipayasoondorndhep, removed his royal seat to the city of Dhatu Nagornluang (Nan

Nan Province

Nan is one of the northern provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Uttaradit, Phrae and Phayao. To the north and east it borders Sainyabuli of Laos.-Geography:...

) which he had built, the situation of which is also unknown to me. The 22nd king after him, whose name was Boromjayasiri

Boromma Chayasiri

King Boromma Chayasiri was a ruler of the Singhanavati City-State Kingdom in Thailand, prior to the Sukhothai Period.-Accomplishments:According to M...

, obliged all his people in 1188 AD to follow him to Nakhon Thai

Nakhon Thai

Nakhon Thai is a subdistrict in the Nakhon Thai District of Phitsanulok Province, Thailand.-Geography:Nakhon Thai lies within the Nan Basin, which is part of the Chao Phraya Watershed.-History:...

 (Pitshanulok

Phitsanulok Province

Phitsanulok is a provinces of Thailand, located in the north. Neighboring provinces are Loei, Phetchabun, Phichit, Kamphaeng Phet, Sukhothai, Uttaradit. In the north-east it also has a short border with Xaignabouli of Laos....

). But this Prince did not always reside at Nakhon Thai, for he came, built, and inhabited the city of Pipeli (Petchaburi

Phetchaburi Province

Phetchaburi is one of the central provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Ratchaburi, Samut Songkhram and Prachuap Khiri Khan...

). Four other kings succeeded him; of which Ramadhiboti

Ramathibodi I

Uthong or Ramathibodi I was the first king of the kingdom Ayutthaya , reigning from 1351 to 1369. He was known as Prince U Thong before he ascended to the throne on March 4, 1351...

, the last of the four, began to build the city of Thailand (Ayudhya) in 1351 AD, and there established his Court.