Thailand history
11th-12th centuries
Thais migrate from southern China to present Thailand.
17th century
King Narai welcomes foreign diplomats, traders and missionaries who are astonished at the size and opulence of his capital Ayutthaya.
19th century
King Rama III reopens Siam to foreign influences. King Mongkut (Rama IV), fictionalized in The King and I, sends diplomats to England and France and offers Abraham Lincoln a pair of elephants to help fight the Civil War. Mongkut's son, Rama V, abolishes slavery and establishes schools, a museum, a national library, and Siam's first post office.
21st century
Six provinces of Thailand are devastated by the tsunami of December 26, 2004: part of Phuket, Krabi, Phang Nga, Trang, Satun and Ranong are swept by the waves. The resorts of Kao Lak and Ko Phi Phi are the hardest hit; these areas are currently inaccessible.
