ABSTRACT
Capitalizing on these impressive alliances, U Thong founded a new kingdom called Ayutthaya in 1351, uniting Suphanburi and Lopburi under his rule. U Thong chose an island in the Chao Phraya River for the site for his capital; located twenty-five miles south of Lopburi, it was also just thirty miles east of Suphanburi on a river with direct access to the Gulf of Siam. To what extent the island was settled prior to U Thong's arrival is unclear. Some sources suggest that the island housed a Khmer outpost, while others describe it as an old port city with an established international trade. Whatever the case, U Thong transformed the island into a royal capital called Ayutthaya and himself into its first king, Ramathibodi. Soon a royal palace and temples were erected on the island; living quarters for foreigners, particularly Chinese traders, were built outside the walled royal compound.
