Editing Ayutthaya Kingdom (section)

====''Ramakien''====
{{Main|Ramakien}}
[[File:Mural-LE2.jpg|thumb|200px|Hanuman protects Ramas Pavilion (wall painting, "Room 53" of the gallery in the Wat Phra Kaeo)]]
Most countries in Southeast Asia share an Indianised culture. Traditionally, therefore, Thai literature was heavily influenced by the [[Culture of India|Indian culture]] and Buddhist–Hindu ideology since the time it first appeared in the 13th century. [[Thailand]]'s [[national epic]] is a version of the story of Rama-Pandita, as recounted by Gotama Buddha in the Dasharatha Jataka called the '''[[Ramakien]]''',<ref>{{Cite web|title=Many Ramayanas: The Diversity of a Narrative Tradition in South Asia|url=https://publishing.cdlib.org/ucpressebooks/view?brand=eschol&chunk.id=d0e3418&docId=ft3j49n8h7&toc.id=d0e3418}}</ref> translated from Pali and rearranged into Siamese verses. The importance of the Ramayana epic in Thailand is due to the Thai's adoption of the Hindu religio-political ideology of kingship, as embodied by Rama. The Siamese capital, Ayutthaya, was named after the holy city of [[Ayodhya (Ramayana)|Ayodhya]], the city of Rama. Thai kings of the current dynasty from Rama VI forward, and retroactively, have been referred to as "[[Rama (Kings of Thailand)|Rama]]" to the present day (relations with the west caused the crown to seek a brief name to convey royalty to both Thais and foreigners, following European styles).

A number of versions of the Ramakien epic were lost in the destruction of Ayutthaya in 1767. Three versions currently exist. One of these was prepared under the supervision (and partly written by) King [[Rama I]]. His son, [[Buddha Loetla Nabhalai|Rama II]], rewrote some parts for [[Thai dance#Khon|khon]] drama. The main differences from the original are an extended role for the monkey god [[Hanuman]] and the addition of a [[happy ending]]. Many of popular poems among the Thai nobles are also based on Indian stories. One of the most famous is [[Anirut Kham Chan]] which is based on an ancient Indian story of Prince [[Anirudha]].