In the last 400 years Europeans built global empires in which many nations where not spared. To my surprise and puzzlement one nation avoided invasion, both by Islamic and Christian Empires, allowing it to keep its ancient Hindu traditions, culture, customs and Buddhist religion. That country is Thailand. I found the answer to this puzzle while in Vietnam, where I read a book on Ho Chi Minh by a General Vo Nguyen Gaip, who fought the Americans.
In his introduction he gave a brief history of South Asia, he explained how the British ruled over India Malaysia and Myanmar while the French colonized Vietnam Cambodia and Laos. By accident of geography, the Thai Kingdom formed a buffer state between the two combatants. Since the 18th century, Kings Rama I and II played each invader off saving the Kingdom and its ancient Hindu culture to this day, of which it is immensely proud. From its airport's Suvarnabhumi (Sanskrit for "Land of Gold") and the depiction of "Samudra Manthan" (The Hindu story of creation) within it, to its current King Rama X, its ancient capital of Ayutthaya, the worship of Buddha and "Phra Phikanet" or Ganesh and much more. I urge all Hindus to visit this unique "Hindu" nation and to see all that was lost to the Moguls and British invasions of India.
Jayesh A Patel
Wimbledon
