The determination of King Taksin the Great
I, your father, am called Phraya Tak.
I swear to devote my heart and soul to liberate our beloved Kingdom.
The freedom of this honorable land will be faithfully dedicated to the Lord Buddha and be a symbol of worshiping our sublime Buddhism.
The religion will be preserved as long as five thousand years.
Shramanas, Brahmans, and nuns can practice their religious activities as they wish.
Meditation, such as Samatha and Vipassana, is greatly admiring in our nation and I will encourage people to do so.
All devotion I have made is to pay homage to the Lord Buddha.
King Taksin the Great (aka the King of Thonburi) was first named “Sin” (Chinese name: “Sern Sern Sin”). He was born on Sunday, April 17, 1734. His father is a Teochew Chinese immigrant named Hai-Hong. His mother, Lady Nok-Iang, was Thai. They got married during the reign of King Boromakot (aka Somdet Phra Maha Thammarachathirat III). When King Taksin was young, he was adopted by Chao Phraya Chakri. When he was five, Sin was taught by a monk named Thong-Dee at Kosawat temple (aka Klung temple). He completed the study of Khom language and Thai language as well as the Tripitaka. When he was 13 years old, Sin served the service of King Boromakot as a royal page and he was assigned to work with Chao Phraya Chakri’s son. Sin studied with a Chinese, an Annamese, and an Indian teachers and was able to communicate fluently in all of the three languages.
Once Sin was 21 years old, he was ordained as a Buddhist monk at Kosawawt temple. He was a monk for three years and he was back to join the King’s service. With his intelligence and the well-rounded knowledge, he was promoted and his service was to work in the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Justice.
In 1758, King Boromakot passed away and he was succeeded by King Uthumphon. King Uthumphon was in the throne for about 3 months and he was succeeded by his brother, Somdet Phra Borommaracha III (aka King Ekathat). King Ekathat assigned Sin to be a judge in the Northern upcountry. Sin was successful at work and got promoted to be “Luang Yok KraBat”. He was first assigned to help the governor of Tak. After the governor of Tak passed away, Sin was promoted to be the next governor of Tak which gained him his name, ‘”Phraya Tak”.
In 1764, Burmese troops attacked the southern region of Thailand. Mang-Maha-Noratha was the general of the Burmese army. The southern cities fell easily. The Burmese troop marched to Petchaburi. Ayutthaya sent troops led by Phraya Kosatipbordee and Phraya Tak to aid Petchaburi. Thai army won. Burmese troops went back to Sinkhon border route.
In 1765, Burmese troops attacked Thailand again. Phraya Tak successfully saved Ayutthaya and was promoted to be the governor of Kum Pang Pet called “Phraya Vajiraprakarn”. Before Phraya Vajiraprakarn got to govern Kum Pang Pet, there was a big war against Burma. Thus, Phraya Vajiraprakarn was assigned to protect Ayutthaya. In 1766, during the peak of violent war, Phraya Vajiraprakarn was downhearted because of many reasons.
1.Phraya Vajiraprakarn led a troop out of Ayutthaya to win Burmese camp but Ayutthaya failed to support him with an army. Thus, Burmese troop fought back and repossessed the camp easily.
2.During a navy war against the Burmese, Phraya Vajiraprakarn led the troops with Phraya Petburi. Phraya Vajiraprakarn asked Phraya Petburi not to fight against the Burmese navy because Burma was stronger. Phraya Petburi ignored Phraya Vajiraprakarn’s warning and led a troop to fight against Burma. He was killed in the battle. Phraya Vajiraprakarn was accused of leaving Phraya Petburi in danger.
3. Three months before the Burmese troops attacked Ayutthaya, Phraya Vajiraprakarn saw the coming danger and thus ordered cannon shoot. Phraya Tak was sued because his order of cannon shoot was not approved by the court.
With all of the above the reasons, Phraya Vajiraprakarn believed that his stay to protect Ayutthaya would not do any good and he also believed that Ayutthaya would be captured by the Burmese. Therefore, on a Saturday evening on the 4th day of full moon in the second lunar month (1766) Phraya Vajiraprakarn led a group of soldiers to flee from Ayutthaya. The group of soldiers includes great soldiers such as Phra Chiang-Ngern, Luang Prom Se-na, Luang Pichai-ra-cha (later known as Phraya Pichai Darb-Huk), Luang Rach Sa-ne-ha, Khun Apai-puk-dee, and about five hundred soldiers. Phraya Vajiraprakarn and his soldiers headed northeast through Ban Hantra. They were followed by a small group of Burmese army. Phraya Vajiraprakarn’s army beat the opponent army at Ban Kao-mao at around midnight. The remaining Burmese soldiers went back to Ayutthaya. Phraya Vajiraprakarn and his army marched along the beaches in the eastern region of Thailand to persuade local people to join his army. They walked past Ban Narerng in Nakorn Na-Yok province and Ban Kongjae in Pracheenburi province. The Burmese troop was informed of the route earlier and had already prepared to stop Phraya Vajiraprakarn and his army. Phraya Vajiraprakarn’s army battled with the Burmese again, ten days after the last battle.
After Phraya Vajiraprakarn won the battle at Jao Lo estuary, he and his soldiers marched through Ban Hua Thong Lang, Sapan Thong (Chonburi province in the present); then Ban Pra Sroi, Chonburi city; and Ban Na-Klua, Bang La-mung city. Klom (or Klam according to the royal rescript), the head of people at Bang La-mung joined with Phraya Vajiraprakarn. On a Sunday on the 6th day of waning moon in the second lunar month, year of dog (1756) Klom had lead Phraya Vajiraprakarn to “Thap Praya” (Some say Pattaya) and stayed overnight before headed to Ban Na Jom Tien,, Toong Kai Tia, Sattaheeb. Phraya Vajiraprakarn’s troop stayed there for a night before marched along the coast until they reached Hing Khong Sub-district and Ban Nam Kao in Rayong. Anyway, when the army reached Rayong, Phraya Rayong (Boonmueang), the ruler of Rayong, refused to obey. So Phraya Vajiraprakarn decided to attack and occupied the city. Then, he battled with the group of Khun Ram Muen Song at Ban Prasae in Chantaboon. Ban Rai and Ban Klam Mueang and he, once again, won the battle. After that, he planned to capture Chantaburi since Chantaburi was a big city that suite to be used as a base. By the way, as well as what happened in Rayong, the ruler of the city refused to obey. In order to get the victory, Phraya Tak (Phraya Vajiraprakarn) used a psychological strategic by telling his soldiers to throw away all of remain food and utensils. And then, he stated
“We are going to attack Chantaburi tonight, and all the food that we have left just throw it away and destroy all of the utensils that we have. As we are going to have breakfast together at Chantaburi otherwise we would rather be dead”
At that night, he ordered his soldiers to sneak into the place as planned and wait silently for the signal. At 3’o clock, Phraya Tak rode the elephant named Pang-Kee-Ree, shooting as a signal for soldiers to attach the city simultaneously. He destroyed the city gates with his elephant and seized the city successfully.
In 1767, Ayutthaya was facing the full blast of the Burmese siege. After being surrounded for 1 year and 2 months, Ayutthaya was defeated in the reign of King Ekathat, the last king of Ayutthaya.
After the sacking of Ayutthaya, the country had fallen apart. Many rulers proclaimed themselves independent: General Suki’s group, Phraya Phitsanulok’s group, Phrachao Fang’s group, Chao Phraya Nakorn Srithammarach’s goup and Chao Pimai’s group. Phraya Vajiraprakrn had prepared his army for 3 months before sailing up the Chao Phraya River and successfully seized Thonburi. He executed Thong-in, Thai governor whom the Burmese had placed over it. He later launched boldly attacking the main Burmese camp at Phosamton causing the death of General Suki. The Burmese were defeated and expelled from Ayutthaya in 1767 within 7 month of the destruction of Ayutthaya.
Phraya Tak (Phraya Vajiraprakarn) marched back to Thonburi and established it as his new capital. On December 28, 1768, he was crowned king of Siam and assumed the official name of Boromraja IV, but he was known as King Taksin by the public. He later set out to crush his rivals. He spent three years to retrieve the territory: since 2311 BC – 2313 BC
King Taksin the Great had ruled the country for 15 years. He died at age 48 on Saturday 6th April, 1782. He was a talented king who restore independence of the nation that last long until these days.
People who sense of his divine grace bestow on King Taksin the honorary title of the Great. The government, public officers and all people cooperated to build a monument in front of the city hall of Pattaya City to commemorate his glorious biography, dignity and prestige to appear on future generations.