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The King Ram Khamhaeng inscription

Inscribed 2003

What is it

A siltstone from the royal palace grounds of the old city of Sukhothai. Its four sides bear the oldest known inscription in the Thai language in Sukhothai scripts which celebrates the achievements of King Ram Khamhaeng (1279–98).

Why was it inscribed

This inscription’s significance comes from the light it throws on the reign of King Khamhaeng from a Thai perspective and on the use of the Thai script. It is evocative of its time and place in the context of Southeast Asia and China which form an important strand of world history.

Where is it

National Museum, Bangkok, Thailand

The King Ram Khamhaeng inscription of 1292 records the invention of Thai language script that is the foundation of the modern script used in Thailand by 60 million people. Its detailed description of the 13th-century Thai state of Sukhothai also reflects universal values shared by many states in the world today. Those values include good governance, the rule of law, economic freedom and religious morality through the practice of Buddhism.

The National Museum, Bangkok, Thailand.

The King Ram Khamhaeng inscription as displayed in the National Museum, Bangkok.

Carved in siltstone, the inscription stands nearly 115 cm high with four sides, each about 36 cm wide, and is topped by a quadrilateral pyramid. The first and second sides have thirty-five lines of inscription and the third and fourth sides, twenty-seven lines. The inscription is a rare piece of historical evidence of King Ram Khamhaeng’s invention of the script for the Thai language. The long inscription successfully describes both facts and values to demonstrate the script’s versatility and its ability to convey verbal expression into written words. It is generally agreed that Thai scripts were first adapted from Pallava scripts in the 9th century. They were then broken into two branches: one was associated with Mon and the other with Khmer scripts. Sukhothai writing combined the two lines. The Ram Khamhaeng inscription is the earliest linguistic evidence of this development. As the writing system continued to evolve after the 13th century, the inscription is best considered as a prototype of the Thai script that was later continuously modified.

The content of the inscription can be divided into three parts. The first part from line 1 to line 18 describes the personal background and heroic deeds of King Ram Khamhaeng from his birth to his accession to the throne. Although direct inheritance was the main principle for the legitimate assumption of power, King Ram Khamhaeng added that filial piety and bravery were his personal virtues (hence the name ‘khamhaeng’ meaning brave). The personal pronoun ‘I’ is used throughout. The second part from line 18 on the first side to line 8 on the fourth side describes the various aspects of Sukhothai city in detail – physical, political, religious and social. The detailed description suggests an idyllic place, perhaps to match the vision of an ideal state and society, and is a globally rare source of urban history for that period. The third part from line 8 to the last line 27 on the fourth side glorifies the king as the inventor of the Thai script and the ruler of an extensive kingdom. The inscription maintains that his rule was based on justice (dharma) and the rule of law for all, which he urged his people to follow. He was generous and merciful, as well as responsive and accessible to his citizens. The absence of the first pronoun in the last two parts has given rise to the speculation that they were composed by the king’s successors.

The inscription on the fourth side of the stone, showing clearly the Thai script that was used.

The first side of the King Ram Khamhaeng Inscription.

The National Museum, Bangkok, Thailand.

The King Ram Khamhaeng inscription was discovered in 1833 by Prince Mongkut of Siam, later King Chomklao or Rama IV, in the old city of Sukhothai during his visit there while he was in the Buddhist monkhood, and it was brought to Bangkok. After many moves within Bangkok, the King Ram Khamhaeng inscription was placed in the Siwamokhaphiman Hall which is now part of the National Museum. It was put on display as a part of the Sukhothai exhibits where it still stands today.