Kingdom of Thonburi กรุงธนบุรี
← 1768–1782 →
Ensign
Capital	Thonburi
Language(s)	Thai
Religion	Theravada Buddhism
Government	Monarchy
King
- 1768-1782	Taksin the Great
History
- Established	1768
- Disestablished	1782

This article contains Thai text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Thai script.

History of Thailand
Prehistory
Early history
Initial states Legendary Suvarnabhumi Central Thailand Dvaravati Lavo Supannabhum Northern Thailand Singhanavati Ngoenyang Hariphunchai Southern Thailand Pan Pan Raktamaritika Langkasuka Srivijaya Tambralinga Nakhon Si Thammarat Sultanate of Pattani Kedah Sultanate
History
Sukhothai Kingdom Ayutthaya Kingdom Thonburi Kingdom Rattanakosin Kingdom History since 1932 to 1973 History since 1973
Regional history Isan Lanna Phitsanulok Bangkok
Related topics Peopling of Thailand Constitutional history Military history Economic history
v t e

Thon Buri (Thai: ธนบุรี) was the capital of Siam (now Thailand) for a short time during the reign of King Taksin the Great, after the ruin of capital Ayutthaya by the Burmese. King Rama I removed the capital to Bangkok on the other side of the Chao Phraya River in 1782. Thon Buri stayed an independent town and province, and was merged into Bangkok in 1972.

Reestablishment of Siamese Authority[link]

Taksin's coronation at Thonburi (Bangkok) 28-Dec-1768

In 1767, after dominating southeast Asia for almost 400 years, the Ayutthaya kingdom was destroyed. The royal palace and the city were burnt to the ground. The territory was occupied by the Burmese army and local leaders declared themselves overlords including the lords of Sakwangburi, Pimai, Chanthaburi, and Nakhon Si Thammarat. Chao Tak, a nobleman of Chinese descent and a capable military leader, made himself a lords and staged the legendary sack of Chanthaburi. Based at Chanthaburi, Chao Tak raised up the troops and resources and marched a fleet to the mouth of Chao Phraya taking Thonburi fort. In the same year, Chao Tak was able to retake Ayutthaya from the Burmese only seven months after the fall of the city.^[1]

Upon Siamese independence, Hsinbyushin of Burma ordered the ruler of Tavoy to invade Siam. The Burmese armies arrived through Sai Yok and laid siege on the Bang Kung camp - the camp for Taksin's Chinese troops - in modern Samut Songkhram Province. Taksin hurriedly sent one of his generals Boonma to command the fleet to Bang Kung to relieve the siege. Siamese armies encircled the Burmese siege and defeated them.

Ayutthaya, the center of Siamese authority for hundreds of years, was so devastated that it could not be used as a government center. Tak founded the new city of Thonburi Sri Mahasamut on the west bank of Chao Phraya river. The construction took place for about a year and Tak crowned himself in late 1768 as King Sanpet but he was known to people as King Taksin - a combination of his title and personal name. Taksin crowned himself as a King of Ayutthaya to signify the continuation to ancient glories.^[2]

Reunification and Expansion[link]

There were still local warlords competing for Siam. Taksin marched first in 1768 to Pitsanulok to subjugate the Lord of Pitsanulok who ruled over Upper Chao Phraya Basin. Taksin was injured during the campaign and had to retreat. The war readily weakened Pitsanulok and then it was in turn subjugated by the Lord of Sakwangburi. The same year Taksin sent Thong Duang and Boonma to tame the Prince Theppipit - the ruler of Phimai to the north of Nakhon Ratchasima on the Khorat Plateau. The prince was a son of Borommakot and was defeated by Thonburi armies. Theppipit fled to Vientiene but was captured and then executed.

In 1769, Taksin sent Phraya Chakri south to subjugate the Lord of Nakorn Si Thammarat. The lord fled to Pattani but was returned to Taksin, who reinstalled him back as the ruler of Nakorn Si Thammarat under Taksin's governance.

Prince Ang Non the Uparaja of Cambodia fled to Thonburi in 1769 after his conflicts with King Narairaja for Siamese supports. Taksin then took this opportunity to request tributary from Cambodia, which Narairaja refused. Taksin sent Phraya Abhay Ronnarit and Phraya Anuchit Racha to subjugate Cambodia, taking Siemreap and Battambang. But Taksin's absence from the capital (in wars with Nakorn Si Thammarat) shook the political stability and the two generals decided to retreat to Thonburi.

By this time, the only rival to Thonburi authority was the Sakwangburi lordship led by the powerful monk Chao Phra Faang. Chao Phra Faang’s domain encompassed the northernmost territories bordering Lanna to Nakhon Sawan to the south as the result of annexation of Pitsanulok lordship in 1768. In 1770,Chao Phra Faang sent reinforcements southwards reaching Chainat. Taksin perceived this action as threats and decided to invade Sakwangburi beforehand. The royal fleet marched upstream the Chao Phraya River and took Pitsanulok with ease. Taksin then divided the armies into the east one led by Boonma and the west one led by Phraya Pichai to be joined at Sakwangburi. Sakwangburi quickly fell after three days and Chao Phra Faang went lost.

Taksin stayed at Pitsanulok to oversee the census and levy of northern population. He appointed Boonma to Chao Phraya Surasi as the governor of Pitsanulok and all northern cities and Phraya Abhay Ronnarit to Chao Phraya Chakri the chancellor.

Later in 1771, Taksin decided to finish off the Cambodian campaign by assigning Chao Phraya Chakri command of land forces with Prince Ang Non and Taksin himself went by fleet. The Siamese took various Cambodian cities and drove Narairaja out of the throne. Ang Non was installed as Reamraja and Narairaja became the Uparaja with the Cambodian court paying tribute to Thonburi.

Wars with Burma[link]

Taksin had consolidated the old Siamese kingdom with new base at Thonburi. However, the Burmese were still ready to wage massive wars to bring the Siamese down again. From their base at Chiang Mai, they invaded Sawankalok in 1770 but the Siamese were able to repel. This realized Taksin the importance of Lanna as the base of resources for the Burmese to attack northern territories. If Lanna was brought under Siamese control then the Burmese threats would by annihilated.

At the time Lanna, centered on Chiang Mai, was ruled by a Burmese general Paw Myunguaun. He was the general who led the invasion of Sawankalok in 1770 but was countered by Chao Phraya Surasi’s armies from Pitsanulok. In the same year, the Siamese pioneered a little invasion of Chiang Mai and failed to gain any fruitful results.

In 1772, Paw Thupla, another Burmese general who had been in wars in Laos, headed west and attack Pichai and Uttaradit. The armies of Pitsanulok once again repelled the Burmese invasions. They came again in 1773 and this time Phraya Pichai made his legendary sword break.

In 1774, Taksin ordered Chao Phrya Chakri and Chao Phraya Surasi to invade Chiang Mai. After nearly 300 years of Burmese rule, Lanna passed to the Siamese hands. The two Chao Phrayas were able to take Chiang Mai with the help of local insurgents against Burma and Taksin appointed them the local rulers: Phraya Chabaan as Phraya Vichianprakarn the Lord of Chiangmai, Phraya Kawila as the Lord of Lampang, and Phraya Vaiwongsa as Lord of Lampoon. All the lordships paid tribute to Thonburi. Paw Myunguaun and the Burmese authority retreated to Chiang Saen.

During Taksin’s northern campaigns, the Burmese armies took the opportunity to invade Thonburi through Ta Din Daeng. The Burmese encamped at Bangkaew but were surrounded by the Siamese armies commanded by Taksin. For more than a month the Burmese had been locked in the siege and thousand of them died.^[3] Another thousand became captives to the Siamese.

In 1776 there came the hugest invasion of the Burmese led by Maha Thiha Thura. Instead of dividing the forces invading through various ways, Maha Thiha Thura amassed the troop of 30,000 as a whole directly towards Pitsanulok whose inhabitants were only 10,000 in number. Paw Thupla and Paw Myunguaun from Chiang Saen attempted to retake Chiang Mai but were halted by the two Chao Phrayas, who after Chiang Mai hurried back to Pitsanulok to defend the city. The engagements occurred near Pitsanulok.

Maha Thiha Thura directed the troops at Pitsanulok so immensely that the Siamese were about to fall. He cut down the supply lines and attacked the royal army. The two Chao Phrayas decided to abandon Pitsanulok. The Burmese entered the city with victory but all went dead due to the death of Hsinbyushin the Burmese king the same year. They had to retreat.

After the death of the Burmese king Hsinbyushin the Burmese were plunged in their own dynastic struggles. In 1776, the new monarch Singusa sent Maha Thiha Thura to invade Lanna again with such a huge army that Lord Vichianprakarn of Chiang Mai had to abandon the city. Chao Phraya Surasi and Lord Kawila of Lampang retook Chiang Mai from the Burmese but decided to left the city abandoned as there was no population to fill the city. No further Burmese invasions came as Singu staged his dynastic purges on the princes and Maha Thiha Thura himself.

Expansions and economic problems[link]

In 1776, a governor of Nangrong (modern Nakhon Nayok) had a row with the governor of Nakhon Ratchasima the head city of the region. The governor then sought supports from King Sayakumane of Champasak. This became a casus bellum for Taksin to sent Chao Phraya Chakri to conquer Champasak. King Sayakumane fled but was captured and detained in Thonburi for two years until he was sent to rule his kingdom again in 1780 paying tribute to Thonburi. The Champasak campaign earned Chakri the title Somdet Chao Phraya Maha Kasatseuk. Taksin invented the title Somdet Chao Phraya for a mandarin with equal honor as a royalty.

In 1778, a Laotian mandarin named Phra Wo sought Siamese supports against King Bunsan of Vientiene but was killed by the Laotian king. Taksin then dispatched the troops in 1779 led by the two famous brothers commanders, Phraya Chakri and his brother, Phraya Surasi to subjugate Vientiene. At the same time King Suriyavong of Luang Prabang submitted himself to Thonburi and joined the invasion of Vientiene. King Bunsan fled and hid in the forests but later gave up himself to the Siamese. The Vientiene royal family was deported to Thonburi as hostages. Thonburi forces took two valuable Buddha images, the symbolic icons of Vientiane – the Emerald Buddha and Phra Bang to Thonburi. Then all of the three Laotian kingdoms became Siamese tributaries and remained under Siamese rule for another hundred years.

Years of warfare and the Burmese invasions prevented any peasants to engage in agricultural activities. Majority of people had been deported to Burma in the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767 and the lack of manpower became the source of problems. Taksin had tried his best to encourage people to come out of forest hidings and promote farming. He promulgated the Conscription Tattooing in 1773 to left a permanent mark on commoners' bodies, preventing them from fleeing or moving. The practice continued well into Rattanakosin times until the abolition of levy itself by King Chulalongkorn later. As Taksin was from a Chinese merchant family, he sold his both royal and familial properties and belongings to subsidize the production by giving money off to people. This proved to be a temporary relief for such an economic decline. Nevertheless, the Siamese economy after the catastrophes needed time to rehabilitate.

Taksin himself also commissioned trade missions to the neighboring countries to bring Siam back to outside world, mainly with China. He dispatched several missions with tributes to the Qing in 1781 to resume diplomatic and commercial relationships.

Territory[link]

Thailand's territory, during Taksin's reign.

The kingdom under Taksin rule was much smaller than it was in Ayutthaya times. It included the following provinces : Thon Buri, Ayutthaya, Ang Thong, Singburi, Lopburi, Uthai Thani, Nakhon Sawan, Chachoengsao, Prachinburi, Nakhon Nayok, Chonburi, Rayong, Chantaburi, Trat, Nakhon Chai Si, Nakhon Pathom, Suphanburi, Ratchaburi, Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram, Phetchaburi, Kanchanaburi, and Prachuap Khiri Khan.

Throughout his reign, King Taksin carried out his policy of expansion.

In the north, including the whole of Lanna. Burmese was driven out. Local allies became Thonburi's subjugation.

In the south, including Syburi (present-day Kedah) and Trengganu in Malaysia.

In the east, Cambodia was subjugated. His forces even attacked South Vietnam

In the northeast, including Vientiane, Phuan, Luang Phrabang, and Hua Phan Ha Thang Hok.

In the southeast, including Phutthaimat (Hà Tiên in Vietnam today).

In the west, as far as Mergui and Tenasserim in Myanmar today leading to the Indian Ocean.^[4][5]

Political and economic troubles[link]

Thonburi began forming its society. Taksin gathered resources by wars and dealts with Chinese merchants. Major groups of people in Thonburi were local Thais, phrai,or 'commoners', Chinese, Laotians, Khmers, Mons. Some powerful Chinese merchants trading in the new capital were granted officials titles. After the king and his relatives, officials were powerful. They held numbers of phrai, commoners who were recruited as forces. Officials in Thonburi mainly dealt with military as well as 'business' affairs.

Despite Taksin's successes, by 1779 King Taksin was in trouble. He was recorded in the Rattanahosin's gazettes and missionaries's accounts as becoming maniac, insulting the senior Buddhist monks, proclaiming himself to be a sotapanna or divine figure. Foreign missionaries were also purged from times to times. His officials, mainly ethnic Chinese, were divided into factions, one of which still supported him but the other did not. Economic was also in turmoil. Famine attacked the kingdom. Corruption and abuses of the officials were rampant. The monarch attempted to restore order by harsh punishments. Numbers of officials and merchants, mostly ethnic Chinese, were reportedly executed. Discontent among officials was growing.

In 1782 Thonburi sent a huge army to subjugate nearby kingdoms such as Cambodia and Lao principalities again, but while they were away, a rebellion led by a powerful official broke out. The rebels eventually controlled the capital, forcing the king to step down. It is said that Taksin was allowed to be a monk. Later, the general, Phraya Chakri, the commander-in-chief of the army in Cambodia, who had wide popular support among officials, was offered the throne to King Taksin's commander in chief as he marched back from Cambodia and officially deposed king Taksin from monkhood. Taksin was secretly executed shortly after.

Rattanakosin establishment[link]

After the execution, the commander in chief assumed the throne of Thonburi kingdom as King Ramathibodi or Rama I. King Rama I removed his royal seat across the Chao Phraya river to the village of Bang-Koh (meaning "place of the island") which he had built. The new capital was established in 1782, named Rattanakosin. Then Thonburi diminished and became a part of the Bangkok metropolitan area.

References[link]

See also[link]

• King Taksin the Great
• Thonburi province
• Thon Buri (district)

The village of Thoburi, on the right (western) bank of the Chao Phraya (here in the lower left corner of the map), facing the fortress of Bangkok, during the 1688 Siege of Bangkok.^[1]

Thon Buri (Thai: ธนบุรี) is an area of modern Bangkok. It was capital of Thailand from 1767 to 1782, during the reign of King Taksin, after the previous capital Ayutthaya was sacked by the Burmese. It is located on the opposite bank of Chao Phraya River to Bangkok. Before being made the capital, Thon Buri was an important garrison town at the mouth of the river.

King Rama I moved the capital to Bangkok in 1782. Thon Buri remained an independent town and province, until it was merged into Bangkok in 1972. Thon Buri stayed less developed than the other side of the river. Many of the traditional small waterways, Khlongs, still exist there, while they are nearly gone from the other side of the river.

In 1950, Bangkok had around 1.3m people, and the municipality of Thon Buri around 400,000. In 1970 Thon Buri was Thailand's second largest city proper with around 600,000 residents.

Historical overview[link]

Origins[link]

In 1767, after Ayutthaya was sacked by the Burmese. The city proper was destroyed, leaving no government and official in charge. As a result of the destruction of Ayutthaya, King Taksin determined to make his capital at Thonburi instead of returning to Ayutthaya. Thonburi was the capital of Thailand from 1767 to 1782. It is located on the opposite side of the Chao Phraya River to Bangkok. Moving the capital to Thonburi had many benefits for Thai people. The Burmese were familiar with several routes leading to Ayutthaya. In case of attack, effective defense of city would be difficult. Thonburi which is only twenty kilometers from the sea would be difficult to invade by land. Moreover, it was better suited for seaborne trade. It is believed that King Taksin had a mentally illness after he moved into Thonburi. Perhaps because of the length of time spent fighting, it is said he’d inflict cruel punishments on anyone who had not complied with his orders. In 1782, King Taksin was accordingly put to death. In 1782, King Rama I moved the capital to Bangkok which is across from Thonburi on the east bank. Bangkok is easier to defend from a Burmese attack from the west.

Geography[link]

Thonburi has the region of only twenty-five square kilometers. Nonthaburi borders the North of Thonburi, on the West is Nakorn Pathom, the Easterly province is Samutprakran wherever many parts arrive the Gulf of Thailand. The East is the Chao Phraya River. The weather in Thonburi is hot and humid all year round because Thonburi is in tropic zone. Due to its surrounding by water, typical careers of people in Thonburi are agricultures and orchard possessor. It is believed that Thonburi was once part of the ocean, later became a province with many waterways. As a result, the traditional Thai way of life on the canals still exists here, as do the floating vendors and orchard farms.

Interesting places[link]

This section contains close paraphrasing of a non-free copyrighted source, http://www.wangdermpalace.org/wangderm/eng_history.html (Duplication Detector report). Ideas in this article should be expressed in an original manner. More details may be available on the talk page. (January 2012)

Statue of King Taksin the Great is in the middle of Wongwian Yai (the Big Traffic Circle) in Thonburi, where Prajadhipok/Inthara Phithak/Lat Ya/Somdet Phra Chao Taksin Roads intersect each other. As can be seen, the statue of the king is holding a sword in his right hand. The statue is approximately 9 meters in height. The statue was, of course, built to honor King Taksin the great from liberating Thailand from Burma.

Phra Racha Wang Derm or Thon Buri Palace is the only palace built by King Taksin the great in 1768. It was built on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River near the old Wichayen Fort; later renamed Wichaiprasit. When King Rama I took over the throne, the capital was moved to the east bank of the Chao Phraya River, and a new royal palace was constructed. Thonburi Palace became known as Phra Racha Wang Derm (the original palace). King Rama I reduced the area of the palace by excluding the two temples from the palace ground

Wat Arun, also known as the Temple of Dawn, is a temple at the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, right next to the Navy Base. This is a royal temple in the highest rank and it is by far the most visited tourist attraction in Thonburi. A temple has occupied this site since the Ayutthaya period. It was first named Wat Makok, which means "Olive Temple",named after the many olive orchards in the area. Wat Arun served as King Taksin's royal temple and was inside the Wang Derm Palace grounds. In the Rattanakosin-era, Wat Arun lost its special status to Wat Phra Kaew in the Grand Palace, but it remained one of the most iconic temples of Thailand

Transportation[link]

• By boat: The easiest way to get into Thonburi is by boat. there's the Chao Phraya Express Boat goes up and down the river every day.
• By train: there are 2 stations that reach Thonburi

1. Thonburi Train Base is the terminus for twice-daily trains to Kanchanaburi.
2. Wong Wien Yai base

• By bus: Getting into Thonburi by bus is very complicated, so it's better keep city buses as a last choice. Bus travel is necessary to reach some destinations though, for example, the Taling Chan Floating Market. If heading there, you have to take a bus 79 from Ratchadamnoen Klang Road, which is near Khao San Road.

Administration[link]

This is a list of 7 sub-districts (Kwaeng) in Thonburi.

1. Wat Kanlaya (Thai: วัดกัลยาณ์)
2. Hiran Ruchi (Thai: หิรัญรูจี)
3. Bang Yi Ruea (Thai: บางยี่เรือ)
4. Bukkhalo (Thai: บุคคโล)
5. Talat Phlu (Thai: ตลาดพลู)
6. Dao Khanong (Thai: ดาวคะนอง)
7. Samre (Thai: สำเหร่)

Temples to visit in Thonburi[link]

1. Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn
2. Wat Kok Poe Ram
3. Wat Poe
4. Wat Prayoon
5. Wat Rakhang ( Temple of the Bells )
6. Wat Suwannaram
7. Wat Kalayanamit

Notes[link]

References[link]

• Smithies, Michael (2002), Three military accounts of the 1688 "Revolution" in Siam, Itineria Asiatica, Orchid Press, Bangkok, ISBN 974-524-005-2.
• Syamananda, Rong (1990). A History of Thailand. Chulalongkorn University. 
• Wyatt, David K. (2003). Thailand: A Short History. Yale University Press. 
• Knoles, Gordon D. Bangkok Page 56-57, Temples to visit in Thonburi. Retrieved, September 20, 2011 from http://www.thailand-delights.com/page1106.html - http://www.thailand-delights.com/page1107.html
• Thonburi Area | Bangkok Travel Guide & Info, Travel Information and Tourist Guide for Bangkok City. Retrieved, September 20, 2011 from http://www.bangkok-bangkok.org/sights-attractions-in-bangkok-thailand/thonburi-aera/4/
• Bangkok Palace - ComeThailand.com. Retrieved, September 20, 2011 from http://www.comethailand.com/bangkok-palace/blog
• The King Taksin Monument - a Monument to a Great Warrior. Retrieved, September 20, 2011 from http://www.tour-bangkok-legacies.com/king-taksin-monument.html
• Wat Arun - Temple of the Dawn. Retrieved, September 21, 2011 from http://www.bangkoksite.com/WatArun/WatArunPage.html

External links[link]

• Wikitravel: Bangkok/Thonburi

Coordinates: 13°43′30″N 100°29′09″E / 13.725°N 100.485833333°E / 13.725; 100.485833333