Article excerpt
In recent years, scholars of Southeast Asian history have highlighted the difference between hinterland and coastal states. In the early historiography, Ayutthaya rose as a hinterland state, heir to the traditions of Sukhothai and Angkor. More recently it has become viewed as a hybrid of the two types, but still one which emerged initially in the hinterland mode and only later became a commercial power. This essay assembles the evidence for viewing early Ayutthaya as a maritime state, and examines the implications for the nature of early Ayutthaya and the interpretation of its history.
The historiography of Ayutthaya