Thailand Through History: Who Ruled Its Lands
The land of today's Thailand appears on 39 historical border maps from 500 BC to today. Over that time it was held, in whole or in part, by 26 different states, among them Rattanakosin Kingdom, Ayutthaya, Thailand, Khmer Empire, Sukhothai.
ThailandExplore the history of Thailand in the interactive map
Compare 1000 with today · Thailand as a state on the map
Who ruled the land of Thailand, map by map
Share of sample points inside today's borders held by each state on each map. Areas with no organised state on the map are left out.
Historic cities in Thailand
Famous people of Thailand
| Lived | Person | |
|---|---|---|
| 1853 – 1910 | Chulalongkorn (Rama V) | King of Siam |
Landmarks
Wat Phra Si SanphetRuins · 1448
Questions
Which empires and states ruled the territory of Thailand?
On the border maps from 500 BC to today, the largest shares of the territory of modern Thailand belonged to Rattanakosin Kingdom, Ayutthaya, Thailand, Khmer Empire, Sukhothai, Siam, along with 20 other states.
What was Thailand part of in 1000?
On the border map for 1000, most of the territory of today's Thailand lay within Haripunjaya.
What was Thailand part of in 1500?
On the border map for 1500, most of the territory of today's Thailand lay within Ayutthaya.
What was Thailand part of in 1900?
On the border map for 1900, most of the territory of today's Thailand lay within Rattanakosin Kingdom.
Further reading
Last updated 9 November 2026. Sources: border data from historical-basemaps, land and rivers from Natural Earth; texts written for Chronica Maps from standard reference works. How we make the maps.