8

Siam and their dates. The oldest Siamese law goes
even three years before the foundation of the kingdom
of AyudhyiL

VI. Foreign documents: The kingdom of
Siam came into contact with various countries in
course of its existence. The records of those foreign
countries incidentally throw some light on the history
of Siam. These foreign records include:—

(1) Cambojan, Peguan, and Cham epigraphy re-
lating to Siam,

(2) Indo-chinese, Malayese, Javanese and Sinha-
lese Annals,

(3) Some Japanese documents,

(4) Some Chinese records, and

(5) Accounts of European travellers from the
16th century A. D.1

These are the materials at our disposal to write
an account of the kingdom founded in Siam by Indian
colonists as well as that of the penetration of Indian
culture and civilisation in Siam. We shall try to
show that the Siamese culture of the present day is
nothing but a legacy of Indian culture. In religion,
Buddhism has gone and still enjoys the royal patron-
age in Siam. In literature, Indian influence is easily

1. Notes critiques pour servir a 1'histoire du Siam—P.
Petithuguenin, B. E. F. E-0, 1916. See also Journal
Asiatiqne 1903, Mars-Avril.