Decline of the Khmer Empire

Timeline

1. 1271–1275Western Chao Phraya River basin · CambodiaUnder Ram Khamhaeng, the Kingdom of Sukhothai expanded westward, and the Khmer Empire lost control of several vassal cities in the middle and upper Chao Phraya River basin. Western frontier towns successively broke away from Angkor's suzerainty, and the empire's territory contracted noticeably.
2. 1272–1278Angkor · Siem Reap ProvinceJayavarman VIII vigorously promoted Mahayana Buddhism and suppressed Hinduism, converting or abandoning numerous Hindu temples. The drastic religious policy changes drained the empire's strength and weakened the political influence of the traditional Brahmin class, exacerbating tensions between royal power and the nobility.
3. 1275–1280Indochinese Peninsula · CambodiaAngkor's hydraulic systems were poorly maintained and agricultural output declined; the focus of maritime trade shifted eastward to Javanese and Malay ports. Though the Khmer Empire still maintained a vast capital, it could no longer recover its former hegemony, and the center of power in Southeast Asia gradually shifted toward the Tai and Malay worlds.