A new kingdom rose to take the place of Funan in modern day Malaysia, southern Thailand, and Indonesia. This kingdom became known as Srivijaya, and it emerged around the 7th century AD. This kingdom was very important because it controlled the Strait of Malacca, which provided the shortest route from China to India by sea (without passing through the Isthmus of Kra). Like Funan, Srivijaya sent tribute missions to China in exchange for recognition and protection. The capital of Srivijaya was Palembang, located on the island of Sumatra. This was a port city located on the Musi River a few kilometers from the ocean. The king likely lived here.
The kingdom, like Dvaravati, was made up of small kingdoms of city-states. Two important ones were Tambralinga and Lankasuka. Tambralinga was located in modern day Nakhon Sri Thammarat, Thailand, while Langkasuka was located in modern day Pattani province.