Early origins of agriculture in Thailand

Abstract

This, the first of four papers dealing with the history of Thai agriculture, introduces its origins up to the time of major immigration and influence of the Tai ethnic group. As part of wider Asian agriculture, known through its own archaeological sites, the slow domination of hunters and gatherers by migrating agriculturists shows their means of encouraging reliable production from wet rice suited to the tropics after climate changes. Rice became the staple and technologies that exploited natural recession of floodwaters evolved to a controlled environment system, which provided a reliable food base for the development of agro-cities. While empires managed agriculture well, security over ri..