Ram Khamhaeng Inscription

The Ram Khamhaeng Inscription, also known as Sukhothai Inscription No. 1, is a stone stele bearing inscriptions that have been regarded as the earliest example of the Thai script.

The stele was discovered in 1833, and it was eventually deciphered and dated to 1292. The text describes the Sukhothai Kingdom during the time of King Ram Khamhaeng, to whom it is attributed.

The inscription had immense influence over the development of Thai historiography.

The stele is in the shape of a four-sided pillar, mostly square with a rounded pyramidal top. The upper section, which bears the inscriptions, is polished, and the lower part, which fitted into a base, remains rough.

During the 1980s, assertions were made that the stele was a forgery from a later date; this controversy led to intense scholarly debate, which has not been settled. However, the inscription is widely regarded as the most crucial document in Thai history.

Ram Khamhaeng Inscription

• Title:                   Ram Khamhaeng Inscription
• Alternative:        Sukhothai Inscription No. 1
• Discovered:       1833
• Date created:    1292, but under disputed
• Material:            Siltstone
• Inscribed:           UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register in 2003.
• Dimensions:      W: 35.50 cm (13.98 in) H: 114.50 cm (45.08 in)
• Museum:          National Museum, Bangkok

Explore the Bangkok National Museum

• Mucalinda Sheltering Buddha
• Ram Khamhaeng Inscription
• Buddha Protected by Mucalinda
• Neolithic Pottery from Ban Chiang

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Photo Credit: 1) By Iudexvivorum (Own work) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons