TO
It is to be noted that the history of Indian csloni-
sation of Siam does not go so far back as that of
Champa in the early days of the Christian Era. The
coming of the Indian influence is very late in Siam.
It is only in the thirteenth century A. D. that we find
an Indian colony growing up in Siam. It may appear
as an anomaly to many that while the Indian culture
went over to Champa and Camboja so early, It is so
late in penetrating into Siam, It may be explained as
due to Siam being part and parcel of the mighty
empire of Carnboja. It must, however, be said to the
credit of Siam, that she preserves Indian culture and
civilisation even to the present day. She still conti-
nues to be ruled by a dynasty, which claims to be
Indian. Her religion, her Sangha, her numerous
beautiful monasteries still speak of the message of
Lord Buddha, which went forth from the mainland of
India.
What is the origin of the kingdom of Siam ? We
find a tradition, preserved in Siam, which points to an
exiled Chinese prince as the first king of Siam. We
have that tradition in the Description of the kingdom
of Siam by Jeremias van Vliet. We read: " More
than two thousand years ago the country of Siarn was
an uninhabited wilderness. In a few places there
lived some hermits and heathens and as we have heard
from some reliable persons, there was in China, at that
time an Emperor's son who attempted his father's
life and to take the imperial crown, in which attempt,