Sukhothai Overview Trip ideas Experiences Places to visit Best time to visit Accommodation Back to all places It’s difficult to overstate the importance of Sukhothai in the history of Thailand. Abandoned for four centuries, today its 193 restored temples offer a glimpse into the civilisation that created the Thai alphabet, spread Theravada Buddhism, and presided over an artistic flowering that gave birth to Thai culture. Connects with Thailand AyutthayaBefore it was razed to the ground by the Burmese in 1767, Ayutthaya had a million inhabitants and was one of the biggest cities in the world. Enthusiastically absorbing influences from across Europe and Asia, its cosmopolitan roots stretch as far as Japan, Arabia, Portugal and Italy. Thailand KanchanaburiThree hours’ drive from Bangkok, in a sleepy, riverside town surrounded by jungle, is the site of one of the most traumatic periods in Thai history. This is Kanchanaburi, home of the real-life Bridge on the River Kwai. Thailand Chiang MaiIn contrast to the mile-a-minute chaos of Bangkok, Chiang Mai is a breath of fresh air. Here, leafy boulevards and European architecture survive alongside temples dating back to the twelfth century.