History of Lopburi

The city has a long history, dating back into the prehistory period since the Bronze Age of more than 3,500 years ago.

This city is in the Chao Phraya River basin where historical, archaeological, and cultural evidence has been discovered that prehistoric humans lived here about 3,500 – 4,000 years ago or in the Bronze Age.

Abandoned ancient cities with many pre-historic instruments and human skeletons has been found in several parts of the modern-day province.

[citation needed] According to the Northern Chronicles, Lavo (Lopburi) was founded by King Kalavarnadishraj, who came from Takkasila in 648 CE.

[1][2] According to Thai records, King Kakabatr from Takkasila (it is assumed that the city was Tak or Nakhon Chai Si)[3][4]: 29 [5] set the new era, Chula Sakarat in 638 CE.

In 2018-2019 The Italian-Thai "Lopburi Regional Archaeological Project", co-directed by Dr Roberto Ciarla (ISMEO - International Association of Mediterranean and Oriental Studies) and Dr Pakpadee Yukongdee (Thai Fine Arts Department, Bangkok), discovered several hundreds of stone and shell adzes, remains of shell industry waste, terracotta artifacts, clay pots of different style, animal and human remains dating back to the Neolithic Period as well as to the Iron Age in the Lop Buri River basin at Khok Phutsa few kilometers north of the Lop Buri City.

[6] It was described as being in the hinterland of the Chao Phraya basin, a place too far to be subject to attack by the Kublai Khan's army of Yuan (1271–1368).

At that time Lavo became a "Mueang Luk Luang", an important city ruled by a crown prince for several years in the beginning of Ayutthaya period.

Later, in 1937, Prime Minister Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram desired to set up Lopburi as the military center of Thailand.