VIII

comes down, occupies a great part of the kingdom
of Champa which did not long survive the crushing de-
feats at their hands; the Cambodian power is crumbled
by different Thai invasions; another Thai people, the
Ahoms enters Assam and conquers it; the Shan states
of Upper Burma come into existance. The conquest
of Yun-nan and the powerful Thai kingdom of Nan-
chao by Khubilai Khan in 1254 A- D. was probably
the immediate cause of the disintegration of the diffe-
rent Thai people who left their places of origin for
new regions where they could maintain their indepen-
dance. The assertion of mdependance by the Siamese
was probably an indirect result of the advance of other
branches of the Thai people.

However obscure the early history of the country
now called Siam might be we have ample data for
reconstructing its history from the end of the
13th century onwards.1 This work of recons-
truction has been done to a great extent by the
French.Scholars and Mr. Bose, well acquainted with
their researches have tried to trace systematically the
history of Siam from the foundation of the Kingdom
of Sukhodaya up to the present time.

In the first two chapters Mr. Bose deals with the
sources of Siamese history, classes the documents ar*

1. For the modern history see "A History of Siam". By W. A.
E. Wood H. B. M. Consul-general, Chiengmai, published in
1926 by Fisher Unwin. The first portion dealing with the
ancient history i* not very well written. Bat the next part
of modern history is good.