Sukhothai (city)
Sukhothai (Thai: สุเข้าทัย (Pronunciation)) was the capital of the Sukhothai Kingdom.
Sukhothai is 12 km from the modern city of New Sukhothai.
Sukhothai, which literally means "Dawn of Happiness" with an area of 6,596 km2., is about 427 km north of Bangkok and was founded in 1238. Sukhothai was the capital of the Thai Empire for approximately 140 years. Today 193 temples are excavated and partly reconstructed. Old Sukhothai is a very quiet town with almost no hotels but with a great way to experience life in a Thai village. It is possible to rent bicycles in order to reach the temples outside the city wall and with some luck (and some Thai language skills) one can meet some of the locals. Most tourists stay in New Sukhothai, about 12 km to the East. Others stay in the nearby city of Phitsanulok, which has numerous hotels and restaurants and is situated on the rail line that provides passenger service between Bangkok and Chiang Mai.
"The historic town of Sukhothai and related areas" were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1991.[1]