Ayutthaya was the capital of the kingdom of Thailand for many centuries between 1350 and 1767.

In its heyday, Thai culture and commerce flourished, and lots of foreign merchants resided in the capital, including Dutch, Portuguese, French, English, Japanese etc. Foreign visitors were most impressed by its splendour.

The Burmese invaded Ayutthaya and the capital fell in 1767. Most of the city's temples and religious sculptures were destroyed. However, proud monuments to its glory are still standing, some restored.

Ayutthaya is located about 90 kilometers from Bangkok, and could be visited on an extended daytrip. However, if you are interested in Thai history and ancient monuments, an overnight stay with about two full days of sightseeing is recommended.

Ref.: http://www.thaitravel.info/Ayuthaya/

Must visit in Thailand! I rented a bike and drove around all day visiting the temples. I stayed there at a really nice guest house, which name I can not remember. I remember it had a swimming pool and they served really good food. This review is total crap, but at least it gets me some extra points;)

A terrific extended day trip from Bangkok, especially for those interested in Thai history and culture. This is the former capital of Thailand and it has some fascinating temple ruins and allows you to see the Khmer influences on Thai culture