Ramkhamhaeng was the third king of Sukhothai in what is now Thailand, said to have reigned from 1279 to 1298, and is remembered in Thailand as Ramkhamhaeng the Great. The stone inscription that bears his name, found in 1833 by Prince Mongkut and dated 1292, was made for the setting up of a stone throne for him, and it records that he himself invented the Thai script in 1283 by adapting the Khmer script. That is why Thai tradition credits him with creating the Thai alphabet. The inscription gives some of the earliest historical information about Sukhothai, praising the king and the kingdom. Some historians have called the inscription a later forgery, though most, including David Wyatt and Charles Keyes, accept it as a document from his lifetime.
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Classification
Veneration StatusOfficially Recognized or Venerated 2 Ramkhamhaeng
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Attributed Works
Source Omniglot: Thai language page
Belongs to Tradition
Source Facts and Details: Sukhothai and Early Thai Kings
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Nationality
Also in History Atlas: the nationality of this subject.
Source Tim's Thailand: About the Ramkhamhaeng InscriptionSecond paragraphQuote, Second paragraph
The inscription says it was made for the occasion of setting up a stone throne for King Ramkhamhaeng (r. 1279-1298, Sukhothai’s third king) amidst a sugar palm grove that the king had previously planted when he first became king.
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Source Tim's Thailand: About the Ramkhamhaeng InscriptionSecond paragraphQuote, Second paragraph
The inscription says it was made for the occasion of setting up a stone throne for King Ramkhamhaeng (r. 1279-1298, Sukhothai’s third king) amidst a sugar palm grove that the king had previously planted when he first became king.
Sources
1. Facts and Details: Sukhothai and Early Thai Kings
Facts and DetailsKing Ramkhamhaeng and Other Sukhothai Period Rulers
The best-known ruler of the Kingdom of Sukhothai, however, was King Ramkhamhaeng, his second son, who guided the Sukhothai Kingdom to the zenith of progress and prosperity in terms of the economy, the arts, culture, and power.
Ramkhamhaeng as first ruler with surviving records
Ramkhamhaeng (Rama the Great, 1277-1298) is the first ruler of Sukhothai for whom historical records survive.
View the Source 2. Ancient Origins: Kingdom of Sukhothai and the Birth of Thailand
Ancient OriginsThe Ramkhamhaeng Inscription of the Sukhothai KingdomQuote, The Ramkhamhaeng Inscription of the Sukhothai Kingdom
Since then, Ramkhamhaeng has been considered to be a national hero in Thailand.
Tim's Thailand: About the Ramkhamhaeng Inscription
Omniglot: Thai language page
Attributed Works: Thai, Thai alphabet sectionQuote, Attributed Works: Thai, Thai alphabet section
According to tradition, the Thai alphabet was created by King Ramkhamhaeng ( พ่อขุนรามคำแหงมหาราช ).
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