ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Peopling of Thailand

Okay kiddo, let's talk about the peopling of Thailand.

A long, long time ago, there were no people in Thailand. But then, groups of humans started moving there from different parts of Asia, like China and India, over thousands of years. They came in different waves, and each group brought their own languages, cultures, and customs.

The first humans to arrive in Thailand were probably hunter-gatherers who came around 10,000 years ago during the Stone Age. They lived off the land and hunted animals and gathered plants for food. Later, people started living in villages and began farming, which allowed them to settle down in one place.

Thailand was also influenced by nearby civilizations. For example, the Khmer Empire, which was located in what is now Cambodia, ruled over parts of Thailand during the 9th to 13th centuries. The Khmer people built impressive temples and cities, and some of these structures still stand today, like the famous Angkor Wat.

Over time, different groups of people came to Thailand and mixed with the local population. There were also migrations due to wars, trade, and other factors that brought in new people. These various groups, along with the indigenous population, became the Thai people that we know today.

So, in short, Thailand has been shaped by many different groups of people moving in and mixing together over thousands of years.
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