A seminar was held earlier this month in Mawlamyine (Moulmein) in Myanmar, where scholars debated the history of the Mon people and region.

Seminar ignites debate on Suvannabhumi
Myanmar Times, 19 November 2012

“The Golden Era of Suvannabhumi” was held on Saturday, November 3 and Sunday, November 4 at Mon State Hall in Mawlamyine in Mon State, with 11 scholars, including historians, archaeologists and other experts, giving presentations on ancient Mon kingdoms.

The presenters said Thaton and Bilin towships were the centres of the Suvannabhumi kingdom, and presented archaeological findings and other evidence to support the claim, including the structure of ancient cities in the area, and the unique Mon culture and architecture, which included extensive tunnels through the soft laterite stone.

However, they also acknowledged the concept of the Suvannabhumi kingdom is not uncontested, with one presenter attempting to rebut the case put forward by Professor Michael Aung-Thwin from Hawaii University that Suvannabhumi never existed.

Full story here.