The Sukhothai kingdom was an early kingdom in the area around the city Sukhothai, in north central Thailand. The Kingdom existed from 1238 till 1438. The old capital, now 12 km outside of New Sukhothai in Tambon Mueang Kao, is in ruins and has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage historical park.

The history of Sukhothai as a kingdom lasted for about two centuries. Interestingly, there were only 9 Kings in that period, suggesting some stability. Theravada Buddhism became the common religion. At the peak of its power, the Kingdom of Sukhothai exerted control and/or influence over an area that is actually greater than present day Thailand. Control supposedly stretched to Martaban (now in Myanmar), Luang Prabang (Laos) and down the Malay Peninsula. Sukhothai’s prosperity was greatest at the time of its third King, Ramkhamhaeng the Great. King Ramkhamhaeng is also credited with the design of the Thai alphabet, although there is continuing debate about this issue.

The Sukhothai Historical Park covers the ruins of Sukhothai, capital of the Sukhothai kingdom in the 13th and 14th centuries in what is now the north of Thailand. It is located near the modern city of Sukhothai, capital of the province with the same name.

The city walls form a rectangle about 2 km east-west by 1.6 km north-south. There are 193 ruins on 70 square kilometers of land. There is a gate in the centre of each wall. Inside are the remains of the royal palace and twenty-six temples, the largest being Wat Mahathat. The park is maintained by the Fine Arts Department of Thailand with help from UNESCO, which has declared it a World Heritage Site. The park sees thousands of visitors each year, who marvel at the ancient Buddha figures, palace buildings and ruined temples. The park is easily toured by bicycle or even on foot.

The protection of the area was first announced in the Royal Gazette on June 6, 1962. In 1976 the restoration project was approved, and in July 1988 the park was officially opened. On December 12, 1991, it was declared a World Heritage Site as part of the Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns together with the associated historic parks in Kamphaeng Phet and Si Satchanalai.

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