Symposium on Remote Sensing for Resources Development and Environmental Management / Enschede / August 1986 
869 
Remote sensing in archaeological application in Thailand 
T.Supajanya 
Geology Department, Science Faculty, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand 
ABSTRACT : Remote sensing particulary aerial photograph is a powerful tool in archaeological application. 
Thailand has taken this benefit to survey and map man-made features which are evidences of ancient settlement 
such as moat and bar ai. Other man-made structures in the past such as; canal, road, rampart, water reser 
voir and etc are also mapped and recorded. The total 1,300 sites of ancient settlements which have evidences 
manifested on aerial photograph are discovered. Locality maps and aerial photographs of each ancient settlement 
are prepared for an inventory which is now benefits for national management of cultural resources, and is a 
paramount uses for historical and archaeological researches and conservation planning. Informations achieved 
from photo-interpretation of each ancient site are made possible to be recorded basing on GIS with an aid of 
computer system. Selected examples of remote sensing approaches in archaeological in Thailand are described 
and demonstrated. 
1 INTRODUCTION 
Archaeological approaches of remote sensing practice 
currently, can be described as a technique using 
remote sensing in an area of the landscape that 
shows evidence of past human activity; a portion of 
the environment used by people (Knudson 1978). 
Appropriate aerial photograph and other remote 
sensing are used as a tool in surveying, measuring, 
and recording of man-made features, which are moat, 
rampart, canal, road, water reservoir and etc. This 
has been proved in many parts of the world and leads 
to the success in management of cultural resources 
for both conservation and research. 
Thailand is situated in Southeast Asian region. 
The northern part is on the Asian mainland while 
the southern part stretches, as a narrow strip, down 
the Maley Peninsular facing to the Pacific Ocean on 
the east, and the Indian Ocean on the west. The 
territory is approximated about 513,000 square 
kilometer, and has been proved by several 
archaeological expeditions to be occupied by human in 
long time back to early prehistoric period, and 
being rich in archaeological evidences on ground 
(Charoenwongsa, 1983). 
First moated archaeological site to be recognized 
on aerial photograph was honoured to The Royal Thai 
Air Force back to 1922 by Seidenfaden (1950). 
Uses of aerial photograph in archaeology in Thailand 
became known to public after the publishing of 
William-Hunt's articles "An introduction to the 
study of archaeology from the air", where ancient 
sites in Thailand were demonstrated (William-Hunt, 
1949), and "Irregular earthworks in Eastern Siam: An 
air survey" (William-Hunt 1950). Unfortunately that, 
the set of aerial photographs used have never 
been available in Thailand. By personal communication 
with E.H.Moore, who is now working on Ph.D. Thesis 
for the Institute of Archaeology London, basing on 
these aerial photograph indicated that, these 
aerial photographs have had been left untouched in 
a store room of Pitt Rivers Museum, since the 
passing away of William Hunt in 1953. 
Since 1953, whole Thailand have been covered by 
aerial photographs of the scale 1:50,000 and later 
by 1:1 5,000 and are available to govermental agencies 
and researchers. They are used for discovering of 
ancient sites and suggested for working in Town plan 
ning (Hinchiranan, 1964). In 1972, the author's 
artical on "The need for an inventory of ancient 
sites for anthropological research in northern 
Thailand" (Supajanya, and Vallibhotama, 1972) was 
published by basing on the author's collection 
of aerial photographs manifesting moated ancient 
settlements, they are discovered during his works 
on teaching and research since 1964 after his post- 
graduated from I.T.C., the Netherlands. The total of 
500 moated sites were discovered in Thailand and 300 
sites are situated in northeastern Thailand at 
that time. However, there were no response to that 
articles untill the Toyota Foundation, Japan, has 
supported his projects on "The inventory of ancient 
settlements in Thailand on aerial photographs" 
(1982-1984) and "Data base on ancient settlements 
in Thailand: preparation and establishing of the 
data centre" (1984-1986). Recently, archaeological 
information achieved under these projects are being 
used through nation wide, and benefits in academic, 
conservation and development purposes. 
2 AN INVENTORY OF ANCIENT SETTLEMENTS IN THAILAND ON 
AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH 
2.1 Ancient settlements on aerial photograph 
Ancient settlements are recognized on aerial 
photograph through evidences such as; moat and 
water reservoir which are the most simplest form to 
be seen on imagery (figure 1). And they are probably 
the last evidences to be seen on the ground, 
particulary when other constructions are made of wood. 
A medium scale of aerial photograph approximately 
1:50,000 is found sufficient for site selecting. 
Selected sites then are studied under stereoscope, 
and larger scale aerial photograph of 1:15,000 is 
used to confirmed the foregoing interpretation. 
Through this method, most of ancient settlements 
having moat and barai (big pond) can be discovered. 
The total of approximately 2,000 were selected from 
aerial photographs of the scale 1:50,000 and about 
1 ,300 sites are approved by using aerial photograph 
of the scale 1:15,000. Accordingly, several small 
ancients sites cannot be detected, and need to be 
surveyed by using larger scale of aerial photograph; 
Co-ordinate of the centre of each ancient site is 
recorded and refered to map sheet. UTM coordinate 
is use as a code for that particular sites.