That the Tamil influence in the south east Asia goes well before the Chola era, is established by various historical artefacts. One among them is this sculpture of Siva, found in Takua Pa in Thailand, known as Thakai Takkolam to the ancient Tamil traders.

The Siva murthy was flanked by two devotees (now only one remaining) male & female. This has lot of resemblance to the Pallava style and somewhat similar to the Gangadhara statue in Trichy rockfort. The two murthis on either side are said to be Bhagiratha & Parvati.

There is a Tamil inscription in the shrine in Takua Pa which belongs to 9th Century CE. It says that by the orders of Nangur Udaiyan, a Tank called as Avani Naranan was dug under the protection of Manigramam. Manigramam is one of the leading groups of Tamil merchants.

Avani Naranan is one of the names of Pallava King Nandivarman III. Nangur udaiyan might have hailed from the village of the same name near Thanjavur & could be a military chief. Thus the Tamil diaspora had its presence during the Pallava rule in SE Asia is corroborated by this