[Fedora]

A lot of this probably results from Buddhist influence but the first contacts brought Hindu culture and dieties as is reflected in Khmer and Dvaravati, Champa, and Sirivijaya where Buddhism and Hindu mixed. It really is hard to sort things out, particularly when, where there were written records, they were highly perisable.

I imagine that's even a harder problem when dealing with pre-Buddhist periods. BTW, when did writing first appear in SE Asia?

[JimSEA]

Definitly with the introduction of Hinduism and Buddhism (200 BC to 100 AD), Pali is taught in the monistaries to this day. Chinese would have been used in Nang Chau but incriptions don't appear in Chinese the more Southern areas. Thai written script appears first in the 1200's but in such a form that it might have been in use earlier (Its invention is ascribed to King Ramkanghang). Although metallurgy, agriculture, pottery and walled cities all occured with the Ban Chiang Culture, there is no sign of any writing.