The Khmer Empire, which for aboul 500 years was
the most powerful on the mainland of Southeast Asia, was ruled for
the greater port of its history from Angkor, on ihe shores of Cambodia's
Great Lake, the Tonle Sap. A pattern of conquests under successive
kings, however, took the
frontiers way beyond the immediate limits of the city, At its height,
the Empire stretched west to what is now Burma, south onto the Malay
Peninsula, east to the Vietnamese coast, and north almost as for
as Vientiane
Not all of this territory was under direct military control, and
as more inscription are found and translated, a picture is emerging
of on empire that was quite complex in its organization, and by'
no mean stable. There were patters of allegiances, fiefdoms, semi-independent
provinces, and periods of intense struggle, A great deal of Khmer
history remain unknown, particularly the disputes of kingship and
civil wars, but hints of these can be found in inscriptions and
on a few, historical bas-reliefs, such as on the gallery walls of
the Bayon at, Angkor and banteay Chhmar in the for northwest of
Cambodia.
In fact, geography mode it almost inevitable that there would be
political and social differences. Angkor lies on the fertile plain
bordering the Great Lake in lowland Cambodia ,yet one of the major
parts of the Empire occupied the large Khorat Plateau to the north,
separated from The plains by the Dongrek Mountains. For much of
their length they form a wall that can be crossed only through a
few posses Beyond these mountains, in present-day Thailand, the
broad, shallow valley of the Mun River was on independent centre
of civilization, and it seems likely that the Khmers moved south
into the lowlands from here Far from being a provincial backwater,
this region furnished Cambodia and Angkor with two kings directly
Jayavarman VI and Suryavarman II while JayavarmanVII, the last great
Khmer ruler, was a cousin of SuryavarmanII.
The political frontiers have changed considerably since the time
of the Khmer Empire, but the monuments remain - some 300 in what
is now Thailand, Indeed, the southern part of the khorat Plateau
where most of the Khmer temples are situated, is essentially Khmer-speaking.
The dialect, however, is distinct from the Khmer spoken in present
day Cambodia, and the Thais distinguish between the two forms -
and the two peoples - as 'Khmer soong (High, or upland Khmer from
the plateau) and `khmer tam` (low Khmer from the plains).
For the visitor, the Khmer temples of Thailand and Laos contain
works of the first rank, both artistically and architecturally,
and have their own special character, set in a distinctive environment,
Apart from museums, this guide covers 40 temples and related sites
- essentially those where there is still something to see, Virtually
all are in Thailand, but ,he importance and beauty of Wat Phu in
Southern Laos demand its inclusion Besides, it is not inconveniently
far from the sites close to Ubon in Northeast Thailand, end the
eastern end of the main string of Khmer temples on the plateau.
Another mountain temple is Preach Vihear, known to the Thais as
Khao Phra Viharn, Although in Cambodia (just-the border begins on
its lower steps), It is only practicable to visit it from the Thai
side, and far ihis reason is also included in the guide.
Wht Phu and Preach Vihear are just two of several major Khmer temples
covered here - major, that is, by the highest standards of Khmer
architecture, including the monuments at Angkor itself. The delight
of these monuments, most of them in a continuous swathe across the
Northeast of Thailand and across into Southern Laos, lies in discovery,
Few people have seen any but a handful of them. The combination
of, restoration programmes and changes in political circumstances
have essentially opened up a new art and architectural experience.
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