| Catch Elephant |
The good characteristic of elephant is smooth skin, light wrinkle, toenail, healthy tail. Althought elephant is the largest mamal but their tail is more important. If they aren't have healthy tail, |
picture : Catch Elephant |
| Trade with Holland |
| The Dutch set foot in Thailand with the expectation of using the royal junks of Ayuddhaya to trade in China and to find opportunities to trade with China directly. Agents from Dutch companies were sent to Ayuddhaya in 2147 B.E. (1604 A.D.) and were welcomed warmly by King Naresuan. However, the intention of these Dutch merchants was fruitless because of Thai-Burmese wars. In addition, King Naresuan died in 2148 B.E. (1605 A.D.), so Ayuddhaya suspended sending junks to China for a period of time. Not until King Akatosarot was enthroned, did Dutch merchants come back to establish trading offices in Ayuddhaya again since Ayuddhaya was the trading center of wild forest products, rice, Chinese goods, and other goods that were lucrative for Dutch companies. |
picture : A notice of Dutch East Company that situated in Thailand. |
| Trade with Spain |
| During the reign of King Naresuan, Spain sent its diplomats to develop friendly relations concerning trade with Ayuddhaya in 2137 B.E. (1594 A.D.) with the purpose of trading and propagating religious beliefs. King Naresuan was interested in trading with Spain, especially concerning weapons and fire guns used in warfare. He therefore granted an order to send a letter to the Spanish Commissioner in the Philippines for trade concessions. Later, the commercial relations deteriorated because Spain interfered with the conflicts between Ayuddhaya and Cambodia, and this caused great displeasure to King Naresuan. Furthermore, since profits received from trading with Spain were not very high, Thai-Spanish trade eventually came to a halt. |
picture : Trades with other country. |
| Trades with China |
| An important source of revenue from marine trading was the trade with China based on the tributary system. Commercial contacts with China had started at the beginning of King Naresuan’s reign. It was documented that in 2135 B.E. (1592 A.D.) Ayuddhaya resumed sending tributes as had been customary to a Chinese emperor after having abstained from doing that for a period of time due to wars with Burma. |
picture : The painting of Siam ambassadors who had went to offer the tributes to a Chinese emperor. |
| Introduction |
| The power of his intellect is reflected in his genius in realizing the stream of “globalization” at that time and can be seen from the fact that King Naresuan had enhanced economic strength which was the happiness and wealth of the citizens and was an essential factor for warfare to protect the country. He revived marine trading that had been rather inactive due to chronic Ayuddhaya-Burmese wars. It can be said that the economy during the reign of King Naresuan was prosperous and trade with foreign countries was expanded widely, and this brought great income into the country which led to recovery and creation of peace in the country eventually. |
picture : Trades with other country. |
| Ang Wa War |
| In the last years of King Naresuan’s life, Phra Chao Angwa was expanding his power over Tai Yai states and invading cities of Nai and Saen Wee which were within the territory of Ayudhya. Challenged, King Naresuan decided to make war with Ang Wa. Prince Ekatosarot was asked to lead an army to the city of Fang and the king himself led another to the city of Hang. However, as the king’s army was in Hang, or Hang Luang, which was within 100 kilometres of Ang Wa, King Naresuan was struck by a sudden illness. He died on 25 April 2148 B.E. In terms of strategies, King Naresuan’s attempt to attack Ang Wa while it was collecting more and more manpower indicated that the king had broad vision. He could see that Ang Wa might become a threat to his kingdom in the future. The war against Ang Wa thus set a blueprint of learning to be ready to go to war at all times and to attack enemies before they became too powerful. This, nonetheless, was the king’s last war as he became suddenly ill in Hang before the army reached Ang Wa. |
picture : King Naresuan died on 25 April 2148 B.E. In terms of strategies. |
| Tong Oo War (2143 B.E.) |
| In March 2143 B.E., King Naresuan led the army of Ayudhya and Mon soldiers to surround the city of Tong Oo. Since the city wall of Tong Oo was solidly built in the Ayudhya fashion, it was difficult to attack the city. King Naresuan then ordered his men to dig a canal to connect the city canal to the Pong Long River in order to dry the city canal. The Burmese would later call this the Ayodhaya canal. The Thai army surrounded Tong Oo throughout March and April. In May 2143 B.E. King Naresuan ordered a retreat due to the lack of food supplies that was caused by attacks by the Arakan army, Phra Chao Tong Oo’s ally. This war professed King Naresuan’s ability to manage the landscape to his advantage, as seen in the digging of the canal to dry the water in the Tong Oo city canal and to give his army an advantageous position in the war. That the king did not insist on winning over Tong Oo and that he was aware of the fact that Arakan thieves kept attacking food supplies of the Thai troops saved his army the lives of the soldiers that were vital to the king’s own power and to the strength of the Thai army. |
picture : King Naresuan ordered his men to dig a canal to connect the city canal to the Pong Long River in order to dry the city canal. The Burmese call this the Ayodhaya canal. |
| Hongsawadee War (2138 B.E.) |
| In 2137-2138 B.E. after the Yuttahatthi War, Hongsawadee had a conflict on the borderline with Yunnan Province of China. China then asked Ayudhya to wage war on Burma, which had become a mutual enemy of Ayudhya and China. In January 2138 B.E., King Naresuan’s army with the support troops of Mon soldiers surrounded the city of Hongsawadee and stayed there until April 2138 B.E. When it was reported that the armies of Phra Chao Chiang Mai, Phra Chao Tong Oo and Phra Chao Prae were heading to help Phra Chao Hongsawadee, King Naresuan ordered a retreat to avoid waging war on both sides at once. This incident reflected the King’s ability to opt for beneficial corporation that helped diminish weaknesses, and created opportunities, possibilities and options, as well as to take the opportunity to expand his power into Burma by using minimal resources for maximal ends. |
picture : King Naresuan attacted Hongsawadee. |
| Lawaeg War (2135-2137) |
| After the Yuttahatthi War, there was an uprising in a Mon province that was under the control of Burma. King Naresuan took this opportunity to attack La Waeg and brought back to Ayudhya Phra Srisuriyophan (the Khmer Crown Prince) and his family, together with 90,000 La Waeg people. When Phra Boromaraja, the last son of Phra Sattha who had returned to the Khmer reign with the assistance of Spain, was assassinated, King Naresuan sent Phra Stisuriyophan back to rule Khmer in 2147 B.E., thus declaring superior authority over Cambodia. In the following year, King Naresuan sent an army under the leadership of Phra Ekatosarot to take charge of the Khmer rebels who refused to pay allegiance to Phra Srisuriyophan. It can be seen that King Naresuan was flexible in the way he used his knowledge. At war, he was able to adjust his skills suitably to different situations. This flexibility aimed primarily at achieving goals and brought about the King’s success. |
picture : King Naresuan attack La Waeg and brought back to Ayudhya Phra Srisuriyophan (the Khmer Crown Prince) and his family, together with 90,000 La Waeg people. |
| Yuttahatthi War |
| In 2135 B.E. the Burmese Crown Prince took 250,000 armed soldiers to attack the city of Ayudhya. King Naresuan and Phra Ekatosarot led 100,000 soldiers to Nong Sarai in Supanburi province to defend the capital. The two armies met on 12 January 2135 B.E. King Naresuan fought his way so far into the Burmese troop that the Thai soldiers could not keep up with him. When confronted with the Burmese Crown Prince, King Naresuan challenged him to a kingly yuttahatthi fight war on the elephants’ backs. During the fight, King Naresuan’s elephant stepped backward against a termite mound, thus enabling the king to be in an advantageous position and consequently to kill the Crown Prince on the elephant’s back. Phra Ekatosarot also won the fight against Mangjacharo, a Burmese general. The Thai army therefore won this war which would later be known as Yuttahatthi War. This incident indicated King Naresuan’s brilliance and leadership that led him to make intelligent decisions during a time of crisis. |
picture : King Naresuan challenged the Burmese Crown Prince to a kingly yuttahatthi fight war on the elephants’ backs. |
| Introduction |
| During the reign of King Naresuan, there were many events that showed his genius, that is, his creative power and power of intelligence accumulated from previous learning and freedom of intelligence occurring from the liberation from Burmese control. This will be described under the subheadings “Governing for the Happiness of Siam”, “Administration and Management during Wartime”, “Commercial Affairs: Foundations of Power” below. |
picture : King Naresuan held a sword in his mouth and bravely climbed up the wall. Later, the sword was entitled “Pra Saeng Daab Kaab Khai”. |
| Genius to reign of kingdom |
| B.E. (1585 – 1587 A.D.) In the wars with King of Chiangmai, Praya Pasim, and King Natabureng, the Burmese troops could not get close to Ayuddhaya. On the contrary, Ayuddhaya’s troops under the lead of Pra Naresuan could counter-attack Burma and could disperse the troops of King of Chiangmai and Praya Pasim. During these wars, Pra Naresuan performed two brave acts. The first one was when Pra Naresuan was surrounded by Burmese soldiers led by Lakwai Tammoo. However, Pra Naresuan stabbed Lakwai Tammoo to death with his sword. The second act was when Pra Naresuan led his troop to the camp wall of King Nantabureng. He held a sword in his mouth and bravely climbed up the wall. Later, the sword was entitled “Pra Saeng Daab Kaab Khai”. Eventually, King Nantabureng ordered the retreat of his troops in 2130 B.E. (1587 A.D.) The events described above reflect King Naresuan’s broad vision in conducting new forms of government policy in order to prepare for military strategic change. His brave acts made Ayuddhaya become stronger, defeat its enemy, and protect its territory for a long period of time afterward. |
picture : King Naresuan stabbed Lakwai Tammoo to death with his sword. |
| Creating a Strong and Stable Kingdom |
| After proclaiming independence from Burmese control, Pra Naresuan was confident that the enemy would certainly invade Thailand again. Therefore, he changed strategies to deal with the attack by preparing food and collecting people from the northern provinces so that Ayuddhaya would gain more power. In 2121 B.E. (1578 A.D.), he ordered all those provinces to move people along with food to settle in Ayuddhaya. In addition, King Mahathammaraja built a new palace called the Chankasem Palace for Pra Naresuan to stay in Ayuddhaya. This concept influenced Pra Naresuan after he became King to cancel the Northern Crown Prince position and to appoint local noblemen to look after the northern provinces. This change was due to the following reasons. 1. Manpower of Ayuddhaya was not enough to resist the Burmese troops, and if Burma could possess the manpower of these northern provinces, the provinces would become the military center. 2. Pra Naresuan wanted the areas surrounding Ayuddhaya to be the fighting areas to facilitate strategic support and wanted to prevent Burma from gaining people and food from the northern provinces. |
picture : King Naresuan collecting people from the northern provinces so that Ayuddhaya would gain more power. In 2121 B.E. (1578 A.D.) |
| Proclaiming Independence |
| After the decease of King Burengnong, King Angwa became recalcitrant. Nantabureng, the new king of Burma, conscripted troops from the protectorates to suppress the recalcitrance. However, King Nantabureng had a secret plan and assigned his Crown Prince to kill Pra Naresuan on the way. The Crown Prince ordered Praya Kiat and Praya Ram to conduct this mission. Nevertheless, both army leaders had a chance to see Mahathen Kanchong, who was their monk teacher and therefore disclosed all the secrets. Since the senior monk was Mon and loathed the Burmese, he tried to persuade the two commanders not to follow the Crown Prince’s order. When Pra Naresuan moved his troops to Kraeng, the monk informed him of the wicked Burmese plan, and this led Pra Naresuan to proclaim independence from Burma by pouring holy water to the earth and brought all the people back to Ayuddhaya. The Burmese troops then followed Pra Naresuan. The spearhead under the control of Surakanma caught up with Pra Naresuan’s troops at the River Stong and saw the troops on the other side of the river bank. Pra Naresuan, seeing that the Burmese troops had caught up, then shot a long gun across the river and killed Surakanma who was on elephant back. The Burmese troops therefore had to retreat. |
picture : King Naresuan to proclaim independence from Burma by pouring holy water to the earth and brought all the people back to Ayuddhaya. |
