Sukhothai
Thailand's founding capital—13th-century first Siam kingdom, UNESCO World Heritage since 1991, 70 km² historical park, medieval hydraulic engineering and ceramics.
Sukhothai—"Dawn of Happiness"—was where Thailand began. The first Kingdom of Siam emerged here in the 13th century, establishing the architectural, artistic, linguistic, and legal foundations that defined Thai civilization. UNESCO designated the historic town and its associated sites a World Heritage Site in 1991, recognizing 29,000 acres of temples, palaces, and hydraulic engineering across Sukhothai, Si Satchanalai, and Kamphaeng Phet.
The Sukhothai Historical Park covers 70 square kilometers divided into five zones. Most tourists concentrate in the central zone, cycling between ruined temples and ancient Buddha figures. Beyond the monuments lies the engineering: the Sukhothai kings modified landscapes to dam water, construct reservoirs and canals, control flooding, and irrigate agriculture. Si Satchanalai, 56 kilometers north, produced ceramics exported across Asia—the factories that supplied medieval Southeast Asian households.
Modern Sukhothai lives on heritage tourism and rice farming. The Ramkhamhaeng National Museum displays excavation artifacts. Local guides receive UNESCO training. But the province competes with Ayutthaya for tourist attention and with Isan for agricultural labor. By 2026, Sukhothai tests whether being Thailand's founding capital translates to economic priority—or whether first kingdoms become forgotten provinces.