Gān Bì

Gān Bì (Chinese: 甘毕) was a medieval petty Tai kingdom mentioned in the Chinese New Book of Tang^[1] and the leishu Cefu Yuangui, located east of Champa.^[2] Hoshino proposes that it situated in the central Mekong Valley in modern Mukdahan province–Savannakhet province.^{[3]: 53–4} In an earlier study, the same scholar alternatively proposed a location in the Tonlé Sap basin or, failing that, in the area of modern Sakon Nakhon, and further hypothesized that its ruler may have been the father of Jayavarman I (r. 657–681) of Chenla.^[4]: 58

Together with Xiū Luó Fēn and Gē Luó Shě Fēn, Gān Bì was grouped in a single category in the New Book of Tang and indicates that the customs of each resemble those of the others,^[3]: 54 such as their kings and fortifications.^[1] Gān Bì has only 5,000 elite soldiers, a much smaller number when compared to its other two brother kingdoms, which have 20,000 each.^[1] Its king was named Chandravarman (旃陀越摩).^[4]: 58

However, the most recent proposed location, Mukdahan–Savannakhet, appears geographically too distant from its two allied kingdoms, Xiū Luó Fēn and Gē Luó Shě Fēn, situated in the Menam Valley and within the Dvaravati sphere of influence, whereas the proposed region of Gān Bì during the same period was instead strongly shaped by Champa cultural and economic influences.^[5] Interestingly, the term Gān Bì sounds similar to Kosambi (Mo Suea Tob Archaeological Site in modern Kosamphi Nakhon district), mentioned in the Northern Chronicle as one of the seven polities established under the authority of Lavo's king Kalavarnadisharaja, during the peak of the Dvaravati civilization.^[6]: 25

Kasambi (โกสัมพี) is mentioned in narratives associated with Camadevi, the first monarch of Haripuñjaya. According to these accounts, Camadevi was adopted at a young age by Navaratna (นพรัตน์; r. 629–647), the ruler of Lavo,^[7]: 23 and was later betrothed to Ramaraj (รามราช), the prince of Ramapura (รามบุรี).^[7]: 22 However, the prince of Kosambi sought Camadevi as his consort and formally submitted a marriage proposal to the court of Lavo, which was subsequently rejected. In response to this refusal, Kosambi launched a military campaign against Lavo with the support of allied rulers from Kalinga.^[7]: 23

Owing to the disparity in military strength, Ramapura under Prince Ramaraj was defeated and destroyed, after which the invading forces advanced toward Lavapura. Nevertheless, the Lavo army, under the leadership of Camadevi, successfully repelled the Kosambi–Kalinga coalition. Contemporary accounts attribute this victory to Camadevi’s effective use of strategic deception and military ingenuity.^{[7]: 23–55}

Several Thai historians have proposed that Kosambi was located in what is now modern-day Myanmar. However, the Northern Chronicle records Kosambi as one of seven polities that came under the authority of Kalavarnadisharaja (r. 647–700) of Lavo. The same source asserts that Kalavarnadisharaja’s dominion extended throughout the entire Menam River valley.^[6]: 25