Although their rulers were Khmer with roots in India and its culture (including Buddhism) the ancestors of modern Thais came from southern China between the 10th and 13th centuries. Towards the end of that period, several small states in the Mekong River Valley united to create the Thai kingdom. Thais have been practicing Theravada Buddhism since at least 100 AD and it has left a deep impact on Thai culture, although Hinduism has also impacted art and literature.
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