Once the king had established a new military force he departed from Chantaburi for Ayutthaya. Back in his former capital, King Taksin routed the Burmese and regained full independence for the Thai people. Following this vital, historic victory he established a new capital for his kingdom at Thonburi. A shrine dedicated to King Taksin still stands in Rayong and receives a steady flow of devotees. The modern history of Rayong is much less glamorous. As a fishing and agricultural town, it has stayed out of the limelight in relative obscurity. During the 20th century, the neighbouring military base at Sattahip was used by American forces in the Vietnam campaign. The GIs who were stationed there, and at other regional Thai military bases, began to use the beaches in nearby Pattaya for their rest and relaxation periods. While this had virtually no impact on Rayong, it did spark the tourism boom that created today's Pattaya. The seal of the province shows the island Ko Samet. The provincial tree is Alexandrian laurel (Calophyllum inophyllum).