Warangkana spent years studying old texts, murals and images from the Ayutthaya period to collect bits and pieces of historical evidence. "When people talk about Ayutthaya, they tend to focus on the grandeur of the cultural heritage and the wars with Burma. The Buddha images in Wat Thammikarat and Wat Phananchoeng in Ayutthaya confirm the Chinese presence before the rise of Ayutthaya. Sailors would stop their vessels in Ayutthaya before travelling further, making Ayutthaya a vibrant trade city. In addition, Siamese kings were open to foreign trade.

Source: Bangkok Post April 16, 2017 00:00 UTC