Thai Sa

Sanphet IX (Thai: สรรเพชญที่ ๙) or Thai Sa (Thai: ท้ายสระ) was the King of Ayutthaya from 1709 to 1732 and the third ruler of the Ban Phlu Luang Dynasty.^[1]:xix,277

Reign

King Thai Sa was born Prince Surinthra Kuman^[2] (Thai: พระสุรินทรกุมาร) to King Suriyenthra and his principal queen. After the death of his father in 1709 Prince Surinthra Kuman was crowned as King of Siam and took the reigning name Phumintha Racha (Thai: ภูมินทราชา). He appointed his brother Prince Voraraj as the Front Palace. The king was said to be very fond of silver barb that he forbade anyone but himself from fishing them or else they would be fined. This earned him the epithet King of the Backyard Pond or King Thai Sa. His reign was marked by the building of many canals, and "large sea-going vessels". Siam also exported many live elephants.^[3]:67

Invasion of Cambodia

In the early reign of King Thai Sa, there was a royal succession conflict in Cambodia. Prince Ang Tong and his younger brother, Prince Keao Fa, were fighting for the throne of Cambodia. In 1715, Nguyễn Phúc Chu the Nguyen lord who supported King Keao Fa III invaded Oudong and King Thommaracha III and Prince Ang Tong along with their families fled to Ayutthaya for protection. King Tai Sa ordered Chao Phraya Chakri to invade Cambodia^[4] to restore King Thommarcha in 1717. The Siamese fleets suffered defeat by the Vietnamese at Banteay Mas yet on the land the Siamese were able to reach Oudong in 1718 and eliminated Vietnamese troops in the city. King Keao Fa, however, took negotiating measures. He agreed to pay tribute to the Siamese court as Ayutthaya's vassal state in exchange for the Siamese's acknowledgment of him as the legitimate king of Cambodia.

Succession crisis

King Thai Sa had three sons - Prince Narenthon, Prince Aphai and Prince Poramet. In 1732, while King Thai Sa was on his deathbed he gave the throne to Prince Aphai since Prince Narenthon, his elder brother had entered the priesthood. The two remaining princes rose in armed rebellion against their uncle. Prince Phon, the younger son of Suriyenthrathibodi managed to defeat his nephews and took the throne as King Borommakot.^{[1]:280–281}

Issue

References