Sri Indraditya

Sri Indraditya ศรีอินทราทิตย์
King of Sukhothai
Statue of Sri Indraditya, Sawankhalok, Sukhothai
King of Siam
Reign	1238 - 1270
Predecessor	Monarchy Established previously known as Khmer Empire
Successor	Ban Mueang
Born	1188
Died	1270 (82 years old)
Spouse	Sueang
Issue	Ban Muang Ram Khamhaeng and three other children
House	Phra Ruang Dynasty

King Sri Indraditya (Thai: พ่อขุนศรีอินทราทิตย์; rtgs: Pho Khun Si Inthrathit; ?  – 1270) ruled the Sukhothai Kingdom from the year 1238 to c. 1270. He is credited as the founder of the Phra Ruang Dynasty, itself credited as the first historical Siamese dynasty, having a double claim to this title: for being cradled precisely in the region designated by foreigners as "Siam" (Khmer: Syāiņ; Chinese: Sien, etc.), and for being the dynasty which freed the Thai principalities from the Cambodian yoke.

Initially known as Pho Khun Bang Klang Hao (Thai: พ่อขุนบางกลางหาว) interpreted as Lord Who Rules Sky, the controversy surrounding this names illustrates the limitations of epigraphy. This science studies inscriptions or epigraphs as writing, to identify graphemes, clarify their meanings, classify their uses according to dates and cultural contexts. Texts inscribed on steles are often missing the top or bottom portions, just where one would expect dates, complicating the drawing of conclusions about the writing and the writers. Specifically excluded from epigraphy are the historical significance of an epigraph as a document, and the artistic value of a literary composition. These complications led to the ruler in early life being simply Hao (หาว).

He was the chief of Bang Yang, a territory which belonged to the westernmost regions of the Khmer Empire at that time. The territory now lies around the northern-central region of Thailand.

Khun Bang Klang Hao together with Khun Pha Mueang, the Lord of Rad, decided to rebel and declare independence from Angkor. The Khmer's control and its prohibitive taxes was a crucial motivating factor in the rebellion. Extensive Khmer preoccupation with great architectural works weakened the ability and readiness of Khmer defenses, indirectly aiding the rebellion. Khun Bang Klang Hao captured Si Satchanalai and gave it to Pha Mueang. Pha Mueang reciprocated by giving him Sukhothai.