Chonburi Province displayed in the history since Dvaravati period, Khmer period and Sukhothai period. The origin of Chonburi is a small fishing towns and farming communities scattered in distant cities. The Ayutthaya Kingdom defined ChonBuri to be the Commodore class city. The Triphum map appeared the names of Chonburi’s district. From north to south is Bangsai District, Bangplasoi District and Bangphrarua District (Present’s name is Bangphra District) and Banglamung District. Although it is a small town, it enriches natural resources both on land and at sea. There were agriculture and fishing from past. Moreover They contacted with the Chinese sailing who came to trade with Siam. In Chonburi Province area had people who have been inhabited since prehistoric times namely the Stone Age. Around the lowland areas along Panthong river had the Neolithic man. They used polished stone axes to harvest, to hunting, to chasing. Including, they used beads, bracelets, the pottery which made pattern by taking a rope into the wet soil. An archaeologist also found remnants of seafood, oysters, crabs and fish. B.C. 2522, from drilling at the Phanomdee district, Phanasnikhom, the archaeologist found prehistoric man’s clue. The assuming is 4,363 square kilometers of Chonburi Province used to be the three glory ancient cities namely Phrarot city, Sriphalo city and Phayarae City. The three cities merged to be Chonburi province in present.
Phrarot City
In Dvaravati period and Lop Buri period, approximately 1400-700 years ago, there are traces of the city known as "Muang Phrarot" at Na Phrathat district Phanasnikhom district in present. Phrarot city located at the lowland where has many rivers to converge and becoming Phanthong river. The Phrarot city’s inhabitants could use the river to transport, to contact with Sri Mahosot City in Prachinburi (In present this area is Ban Sra Ma Khua, Ban Khok Wat and Ban Nho Sa Kae) until Aranyapratate Tai. Moreover, It also had a pedestrian path connecting to Rayong Province and Chanthaburi Province. The route pass Paya Rae, the other ancient city of Chonburi. Phrarot City became a transportation hub of Chonburi in that time. Archaeologists had found that Phrarot City was an ancient city in the same period with Sriphalo City because it appeared an ancient pathway connecting the two cities at a distance of approximately 20 kilometers.
Sriphalo City
"Sriphalo City" located at Ban Utapao, Nong Mai Daeng District. Archaeologists had found antiquities such as gold Buddha, bronze, glass, gold bowl, chinaware similar the one from Sukhothai Kingdom, cement crocodile and rock tracks that had dog’s footprint. The archaeologists assumed that Sriphalo city was a town in the Khmer power covered on Southeast Asia area. The city may contemporary with the Lop Buri, which is behind the U Thong period and before the Ayutthaya period approximately B.C.1600- B.C. 1900. The archaeological excavations showed that Sriphalo city located near the river mouth of Bang Pha kong river. About 600 years before Sukhothai period, the city was a wealthy sea port. It received Chinese barque, Cambodian barque and Vietnamese barque to park before going to Chao Phraya river mouth. (The walls of Sriphalo had been destroyed by the construction of Sukhumvit Road. There is not archaeological traces for studying). In Ayuthaya period, Sriphalo city gradually lost importance because of the shallowness of the river mouth from a lot of sedimentation. People moved to set a new city at "Bangplasoi" which is "Muang Chonburi" in present (Wat Yai Intharam in Chonburi still appeared the mural that shows the trade between Thai, China and Western conveys the atmosphere of a bustling trade in the past).
Phayarae city
"Phayarae" is located in Bo Thong district, Bo Thong. It was the city in Dvaravati period as same as Phrarot city. The city is located on a highland and distant from Phrarot city about 32 kilometers. The feature of town planning was an two-layers oval. The first layer had 600 meters in diameter and the second layer had 1,100 meters in diameter. The moat and outer berms on the north side of the city is still clearly visible today. Payarae city contacted with Phrarot city frequently by canal. Today, the canal is an important canal and longest canal of Chonburi. The agriculture in Phanasnikhom District and Phan Thong District still use water from this canal because the canal has many branch. Largest branch is the canal’s branch from the Red Forest Hills.
Ayutthaya Period
Chonburi appeared as evidence in the House of Lords Act 1919 enacted the cities as a fourth city. The prefect of the city is "Oak Muang Chonburi Sri Mahasamut". He had feudal 2,400 rai and must tribute redwood to Ayuthaya. In the reign of King Somdet Phra Baromrachathirach (Khun lung Pha Ngua) about B.C. 2309, when Ayutthaya was surrounded by the Burmese army, Khrom Maun Pipith who is one of the King Barommakoth and was expatriated to Lang Ka came back to presuade male villagers from the eastern provinces namely Chanthaburi, Rayong, Chonburi and Prachinburi to join the army. He claimed the army would help Ayutthaya to fight Burma. At that time, the many Chonburi villagers joined the army until Chonburi almost became a ghost town. When Khrom Maun Pipith’s troops commitment at Prachinburi. He sent the message to King Eakkathat in Ayutthaya that his troop volunteered to protect capital, but the King thought Khrom Maun Pipith was ambitious person. The king sent Ayutthaya troop to conquer Khrom Maun Pipith’s troop. After that Burmese army suppressed them again. Until Ayutthaya defeated Burma B.C. 2310, Chonburi villagers had closely cooperated with the King Taksin in the salvage of Independence until they gained independence.
Rattanakosin Period
In the reign of King Nang Klao, Rama 3, King Inta-asa of Vientiane has taken a number of immigrants to Siam. The Siamese King allowed them to establish habitat between Chonburi and Chachoengsao. (about Phanasnikhom area in present) after that, the reign of the king Rama 4 - Rama 6, the King and the royal family of Siam several went to Chonburi to travel because Chonburi is the seaside town which has beautiful view. It is good for relaxation and not too far from Bangkok.
Until B.C 2350, Phra Sunthron Wohan (Soonthornphu) had traveled from Bangkok to visit father at Klang, Rayong Province. He wrote Nirat Maung Klang which showed about many cities when he accessed Chonburi from north to south namely Bangplasoi, Nongmon, Banrai, Bangphra, Banglamung, Na klua, Pattaya, Na Jomtian, Hauy Khwang and Nong Cha ngaw. (Now, it is called Ban Chak Ngaw where located in Banglamung. This is the way to go Klang, Rayong)
In B.C. 2437 during the reign of King Rama 5, the king had ordered to combine the traditional district and ordered them to under the command of the Interior Ministry. It is recorded that the "Bangpakong river district combination is the one city of Nakhon Nayok, the one city of Prachin Buri, the one city of Phanom Sarakham and the one city of Chachoengsao. The four districts combined to become the one known as Prachin province." Firstly, the city office constructed at Prachin city. After the harbor department transfer to be under the Interior Ministry’s power, the Prachin city office was moved to set at Chachoengsao because of border expanding. Later, the Prachin city included Phanasnikhom, Maung Chonburi and Banglamung but it was still called Prachin City.
In B.C. 2458 during the reign of King Rama 6, the king had included the city to establish a "region" with the Viceroy as a parent. there are four regions namely West region, south region, east region and E-san region. The central region was still a city which was called as Monthon Ayutthaya. However, this management was canceled on March 31, B.C. 2468 during the reign of King Rama 7 and return to use the city. There was 20 cities but after 10 years ago, before B.C. 2475, the cities were collapsed. It remained 10 cities in last time.
Summary of Chonburi.
1. Before Ayutthaya period, The area that is Chonburi Province in present had Sriphalo and Phrarot. Today, there is evidence.
2. Ayutthaya period, Sriphalo and Phrarot may degenerate. However, there was several community gathered at several points such as Bangsai, Bangplasoi, Bangphrarua, Banglamung, etc.
3. Rattanakosin period is divided three sub-periods.
Early period (before B.C. 2440 or R.S. 115), the Province has not happened but there were cities in this place namely Bangplasoi, Muang Phanasnikhom, Muang Banglamung.
The second period (after B.C, 2440 to B.C, 2475), the word "province" is used in the Kingdom of Thailand for Bangkok only. The word "Muang Chonburi" is known in this period. Muang Chonburi had Bangplasoi district, Phan Thong district, Banglamung district and Phanasnikhom district. After B.C. 2460, there was Sriracha district and other districts. Then, they became the city of Chonburi.
The third period (from B.C. 2475 to the present) has changed the country in a big way from Absolutism of monarchy to democracy. The administration of the Kingdom of Thailand Act, B.C. 2476 repealed the rule "cities" throughout the Kingdom. It set up a "province" and there was the provincial governor to enforce a law. Muang Chonburi became Chonburi Province and had the province's governor.