Sukhothai was the first ancient capital of Siam, from 1292 - 1438.  It's name means the "Dawn of Happiness" and its people thrived under the gentle rule of King Ramkamhaeng.  Located on a fertile plane, Sukhothai was self-sufficient and the king invited representatives from many other nations to visit and stay, allowing their cultures to influence the daily lives of the Thais.  Through the influence of both Indian princes and Sri Lankan monks, Buddhism became the national religion and the centre of society.  By 1438, Ayutthaya had grown so much in strength and importance that Sukhothai had become a vassel state.  Ayutthaya then became the new capital of Siam for the next 417 years.

 

Famous for:

• UNESCO World Heritage Park
• 14th century pottery, which was exported throughout Asia
• The birthplace of the Thai alphabet     

Climate:

Season	Months	Aveg Temp (Celsius)
Cool	Nov - Jan	21
Hot	Feb - April	32
Green	May - Oct	25

 

• Getting to & Around: By bus - Air-conditions and non-air-conditioned buses leave Bangkok’s northern terminal daily. The trip takes around 7 hours.

• By train - catch the train to Phitsanulok and then a bus to Sukhothai.

• By air - there are daily flights with Bangkok Airways.

Some of the best recommended sites are:

Sukhothai World Heritage Site – ringed by ancient stone walls, ruined temples, palaces and irrigation systems help evoke much of the former capital’s splendour. Admission into Sukhothai Historical Park is only Baht 40 per person.	Sukhothai World Heritage Site
The Royal Palace & Wat Mahathat - Wat Mahathat is the city’s most important and largest temple and is located within the royal palace’s 160,000 square-metres, ringed by a moat. Massive stone Buddha statues, a huge array of columns, towers, pagodas and lotus ponds make up this fascinating and ancient site.	Wat Mahathat
King Ramkhamhaeng, the Great Statue - this monarch’s most enduring and noted accomplishment was the creation of the Thai alphabet in 1283. Ramkhamhaeng National Museum - contains artefacts unearthed in Sukhothai and nearby provinces. Open daily from 9am – 4pm, except government holidays. Admission is Baht 40 per person.
Wat Si Chum – outside of the city walls but only 1500 metres from Wat Mahathat, Wat Si Chum is a temple housing a massive stone Buddha image, measuring more than 11metres from knee to knee.
Wat Chang Lom – the most important structure within eastern Sukhothai, this Sri-Lankan style chedi is supported at its base by 36 buttresses designed to resemble elephants
Wat Saphan Hin – located on top of a 200-metre high hill, this temple offers panoramic views over Sukhothai Historical Park and is home to a 12.5 metre standing Buddha statue.
Wat Traphang Thong Lang – the exterior of this temple is decorated with stuccoes depicting certain events in the history of the Lord Buddha and are considered masterpieces of Sukhothai art.
Ko Noi Thuriang Kilns –Just outside of Sukhothai city, approximately 500 kilns occupy and area of around one square kilometre. This was once the major centre of Sukhothai’s famous 14th and 15th century Sangkhalok pottery, which is still prized today.	Sangkhalok from Thuriang Kiln
Special events & festivals:
Buddhist Ordination Ceremonies – on 7th and 8th April every year, a mass Buddhist ordination ceremony is conducted, in which ordination candidates are delivered to the temples on colourfully decorated elephants.
Loi Krathong (Festival of Lights) – this festival is celebrated nationwide on the night of the full moon in the twelfth lunar month (normally mid-November), however it is particularly picturesque amid the ruins of Sukhothai’s Historical Park. Here, the event becomes a 3-day affair of parades, beauty pageants, homage-paying and folk entertainment. Loi Krathong is believed to have originated in the royal court of Sukhothai some 700 years ago. The idea behind this festival is to set a lit candle and a small coin on a banana leaf and float it down the river, allowing the previous year’s misfortunes to drift away, leaving a clean slate for the future.