Taksin Taksin ( , , ; or the King of Thonburi ( , ; ; Teochew : Dên Chao ; Vietnamese : " Trịnh Quốc Anh " ) ( April 17 , 1734 – April 7 , 1782 ) was the only King of the Thonburi Kingdom and was of Thai Chinese heritage . He was a leader in the liberation of Siam from Burmese occupation after the Second Fall of Ayutthaya in 1767 , and the subsequent unification of Siam after it fell under various warlords . He established the city Thonburi as the new capital , as the city Ayutthaya had been almost completely destroyed by the invaders . His reign was characterized by numerous wars , fought to repel new Burmese invasions and to subjugate the northern Thai kingdom of Lanna , the Laotian principalities , and a threatening Cambodia . He was executed and succeeded by his long - time friend King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke who then created the Chakri dynasty and the Rattanakosin Kingdom . Although warfare took up most of King Taksin ' s time , he paid a great deal of attention to politics , administration , economy , and the welfare of the country . He promoted trade and fostered relations with foreign countries including China , Britain , and the Netherlands . He had roads built and canals dug . Apart from restoring and renovating temples , the king attempted to revive literature , and various branches of the arts such as drama , painting , architecture and handicrafts . He also issued regulations for the collection and arrangement of various texts to promote education and religious studies . In recognition for what he did for the Thais , he was later awarded the title of " Maharaj " ( The Great ) . Early years . Childhood and education . Taksin was born on April 17 , 1734 in Ayutthaya . His father , Yong Saetae ( Thai : หยง แซ่แต้ ; " Zheng Yong " ) , who worked as a tax - collector , was a Teochew Chinese descent from Chenghai County , Shantou , Guangdong Province , China . His mother , Lady Nok - iang ( Thai : นกเอี้ยง ) , was Thai ( and was later awarded the feudal title of Somdet Krom Phra Phithak Thephamat ) . Impressed by the boy , Chao Phraya Chakri ( Mhud ) , who was the Samuhanayok ( สมุหนายก " Prime Minister " ) in King Boromakot ' s reign , adopted him and gave him the Thai name Sin ( สิน ) meaning money or treasure . When he was 7 , Sin was assigned to a monk named Thongdee to begin his education in a Buddhist monastery called Wat Kosawat ( Thai : วัดโกษาวาส ) ( later Wat Choeng Thar ( Thai : วัดเชิงท่า ) ) . After seven years , he was sent by his stepfather to serve as a royal page . He studied Chinese , Annamese , and several Indian languages , and became fluent in them . When Sin and his friend Thong - Duang were Buddhist novices , they reportedly met a Chinese fortune - teller who told them that both had lucky lines in their hands and would both become kings . Neither took it seriously , but Thong - Duang would become the successor of King Taksin , Rama I . Early career . After taking the vows of a Buddhist monk for about 3 years , Sin joined the service of King Ekatat and was first deputy governor and later governor of the Tak , which gained him his name " Phraya Tak " , the governor of Tak , which was exposed to danger from Burma , though his official noble title was " " Phraya Tak " " . In 1764 , the Burmese army attacked the southern region of Thailand . Led by Muang Maha Noratha , the Burmese army was victorious and marched on to Phetchaburi . Here , the Burmese were confronted by Thai soldiers led by two generals , Kosadhibodhi and Phraya Tak . The Thai army beat the Burmese back to Singkhorn Pass . In 1765 , when the Burmese attacked Ayutthaya , Phraya Tak defended the capital , for which he was given the title " " Phraya Vajiraprakarn " " of Kamphaeng Phet . But he did not have a chance to govern Kamphaeng Phet because war broke out again . He was immediately called back to Ayutthaya to protect the city . For more than a year , Thai and Burmese soldiers fought fierce battles during the siege of Ayutthaya . It was during this time that Phraya Vajiraprakarn experienced many setbacks which led him to doubt the value of his endeavours . Resistance and independence . On January 3 , 1766 , shortly before Ayutthaya fell in 1767 , he cut his way out of the city at the head of 500 followers to Rayong , on the east coast of Gulf of Thailand . This action was never adequately explained , as the Royal compound and Ayutthaya proper was located on an island ; how Taksin and his followers fought their way out of the Burmese encirclement remains a mystery . On April 7 , 1767 , Ayutthaya was facing the full blast of the Burmese siege . After the destruction of Ayutthaya and the death of the Thai king , the country was split into six parts , with Sin controlling the east coast . Together with Tong - Duang , now Chao Phraya Chakri , he eventually managed to drive back the Burmese , defeat his rivals and reunify the country . Due to his courage and skill in fighting the enemy , he was promoted to be the governor of Kamphaeng Phet with the title of Phraya Vajiraprakarn ( Thai : พระยาวชิรปราการ ) , but he was popularly referred as " Phraya " . He carried out the defence of Ayutthaya in its last days . Perhaps Sin saw that the situation of the kingdom was in great despair . Therefore before the end of Ayutthaya came , he decided to cut his way out from the city and travelled first to Chon Buri , a town on the Gulf of Thailand ' s eastern coast , and then to Rayong , where he raised a small army and his supporters began to address him as Prince Tak . He planned to attack and capture Chantaburi , according to a popular version of oral history , he said : With his soldiers he moved to Chantaburi , and being rebuffed by the Governor of the town for his friendly overtures , he made a surprise night attack on it and captured it on June 15 , 1767 , only two months of after the sack of Ayutthaya . His army was rapidly increasing in numbers , as men of Chantaburi and Trat , which had not been plundered and depopulated by the Burmese , naturally constituted a suitable base for him to make preparations for the liberation of his motherland . Having thoroughly looted Ayutthaya , the Burmese did not seem to show serious interest in holding down the capital of Siam , since they left only a handful of troops under General Suki to control the shattered city . They turned their attention to the north of their own country which was soon threatened with Chinese invasion . On November 6 , 1767 , having mastered 5 , 000 troops and all in fine spirits , Taksin sailed up the Chao Phraya River and seized Thonburi opposite present day Bangkok , executing the Thai governor , Thong - in , whom the Burmese had placed over it . He followed up his victory quickly by boldly attacking the main Burmese camp at Phosamton near Ayutthya . The Burmese were defeated , and Taksin won back Ayutthaya from the enemy within seven months of its destruction . Capital Establishment . Taksin took important steps to show that he was a worthy successor to the throne . He was said to take an appropriate treatment to the remnants of the ex - Royal Family , arranged a grand cremation of the remains of Ekatat , and tackled the problem of locating the capital . Possibly , Taksin realized that Ayutthaya city had suffered such vast destruction that to restore it to its former state would undoubtedly have strained his resources . The Burmese were quite familiar with the various routes leading to Ayutthaya , and in the event of renewal of a Burmese attack on it , the troops under the liberator would be inadequate for the effective defence of the city . With these considerations in mind , he established his capital at Thonburi , nearer to the sea than Ayutthaya . Not only would Thon Buri be difficult to invade by land , it would also prevent an acquisition of weapons and military supplies by anyone ambitious enough to establish himself as an independent prince further up the Chao Phraya River . As Thonburi was a small town , Prince Tak ' s available forces , both soldiers and sailors , could man its fortifications , and if he found it impossible to hold it against an enemy ' s attack , he could embark the troops and beat a retreat to Chantaburi . The successes against competitors for power were due to Taksin ' s fighting ability as a warrior , splendid leadership , exemplary valor and effective organization of his forces . Usually he put himself in the front rank in an encounter with the enemy , thus inspiring his men to brave danger . Among the officials who threw in their fate with him during the campaigns for the recovery of national independence and for the elimination of the self - appointed local nobles were two personalities who subsequently played exceptionally important roles in Thai history . They were the sons of an official bearing the title of Pra Acksonsuntornsmiantra ( Thai : พระอักษรสุนทรเสมียนตรา ) , the elder of whom named Tongduang ( Thai : ทองด้วง ) was born in 1737 in Ayutthaya and later to be the founder of the Chakri Dynasty , while the younger one , Boonma ( Thai : บุญมา ) , born six years later , assumed the power second to him . The two brothers joined the royal service . Tongduang , prior to the sacking of Ayutthaya , was ennobled as " Luang " " Yokkrabat " , taking charge of royal surveillance , serving the Governor of Ratchaburi , and Boonma had a court title conferred upon him as Nai Sudchinda . Luang Yokkrabat ( Tongduang ) was therefore not in Ayutthaya to witness the horrors that arose from the fall of the city , while Nai Sudchinda ( Boonma ) made his escape from Ayutthaya . However , while King Taksin was assembling his forces at Chantaburi , Nai Sudchinda brought his retainers to join him , thus helping to increase his fighting strength . Due to his previous acquaintance with him , the liberator was so pleased that he promoted him to be Pra Mahamontri . Just after his coronation , Taksin was fortunate to secure the service of Luang Yokkrabut on the recommendation of Pra Mahamontri ( Thai : พระมหามนตรี ) and as he was equally familiar with him as with his brother , he raised him to be Pra Rajwarin . Having rendered signal service to the King during his campaigns or their own expeditions against the enemies , Pra Rajwarin ( Thai : พระราชวรินทร์ ) and Pra Mahamontri rose so quickly in the noble ranks that a few years after , the former was created Chao Phraya Chakri , the rank of the Chancellor , while the latter became Chao Phraya Surasih . Reign . Accession to the throne . On December 28 , 1767 , he was crowned king of Siam at Wang Derm Palace in Thonburi , the new capital of Siam . He assumed the official name of Boromraja IV and " Phra Sri Sanphet " , but is known in Thai history as King Taksin , being a combination of his popular name , Phya Tak , and his first name , Sin , or the King of Thonburi , being the only ruler of that capital . At the time of his coronation , he was only 34 years of age . According to W . A . R . Wood ( 1924 ) , His ( Taksin ) father was Chinese or partly Chinese , and his mother Siamese , and has said " " He believed that even the forces of nature were under his control when he was destined to succeeded , and this faith led him to attempt and achieve tasks which to another man would seem impossible . Like Napoleon lll , he was a man of destiny . " " The King elected not return to Ayutthaya but instead to make his capital at Thonburi , which being only twenty kilometers from the sea was much better suited for seaborne commerce , but he never had time to build it into a great city , as he was fully occupied with suppression of internal and external enemies , as well as territorial expansion throughout his reign . Five separate states . After the sacking of Ayutthaya , the country had fallen apart , due to the disappearance of the central authority . Besides King Taksin , who had organized his force in the south - eastern provinces , Prince Teppipit , King Boromakot ' s son , who had been unsuccessful in a diversionary action against the Burmese in 1766 , had set himself up as the ruler of Phimai holding sway over the eastern provinces including Nakhon Ratchasima or Khorat , while the Governor of Phitsanulok , whose first name was Ruang ( Thai : เรือง ) , had proclaimed himself independent , with the territory under his control extending to the province of Nakhon Sawan . North of Phitsanulok was the town of Sawangburi ( known as Fang in Uttaradit Province ) , where a Buddhist monk named Ruan had made himself a prince , appointing his qualified fellow monks as army commanders . He had himself pursued Buddhist studies at Ayutthatya with such excellent results that he had been appointed the chief monk of Sawangburi by King Boromakot . In the southern provinces up to Chumphon , a Pra Palad who was the acting Governor of Nakhon Si Thammarat declared his independence and raised himself to the princely rank . Having firmly established his power at Thonburi , King Taksin set out what can be called ' the reunification ' of the good old day kingdom , crushing the regional rivals . After a temporary repulse by the Governor of Phitsanulok , he concentrated on the defeat of the weakest one first . Prince Teppipit of Phimai was quelled and executed in 1768 . Chao Narasuriyawongse , one of Taksin ' s nephews , was substituted for him as Governor . King Taksin himself led an expedition against him and took it , but the Prince disappeared and could not be found again . In dealing with the Prince of Nakhon Si Thammarat , who was taken prisoner by the loyal Governor of Pattani , the King not only pardoned him but also favoured him with a residence at Thonburi . Wars and rebellions . Needless to say , Hsinbyushin of Burma never abandoned his plan to force Siam to its knees , and as soon as he had been informed of the foundation of Thonburi as King Taksin ' s capital , he commanded the Governor of Tavoy to subjugate him in 1767 . The Burmese army advanced to the district of Bangkung in the province of Samut Songkram to the west of the new capital , but was routed by the Thai king himself . However when the Chinese troops invaded , Hsinbyushin decided to call most of his troops back to resist the Chinese . After the peace concluded with China , the Burmese king sent another small army of 5 , 000 to attack Siam in 1774 . But it was completely surrounded by the Thais at Bangkeo in Ratchaburi , and eventually starvation compelled the Burmese to capitulate to King Taksin . It would be no exaggeration to say that he could have massacred all of them if he wished to do so , but the fact that he took them alive was to promote the morale of the Thai people . The Burmese reinforcements who had encamped themselves in the province of Kanchanaburi were then mopped up . Undaunted by this defeat , King Hsinbyushin tried again to conquer Siam , and in October 1775 the greatest Burmese invasion in the Thonburi period began under Maha Thiha Thura , known in Thai history as Azaewunky . He had distinguished himself as a first rate general in the wars with China and in the suppression of a recent Peguan rising . After crossing the Thai frontier at Melamao Pass , the Burmese marched towards Phitsanulok , capturing Phichai and Sukhothai on the way . In his interrogation of two Phichai officials , Azaewunky referred to Chao Phraya Surasih who was the Governor of Phisanulok as " Phraya Sua " or " The Tiger " , thus testifying to his boldness and decisiveness . The Burmese then besieged Phitsanulok which was defended by the brother generals , Chao Phraya Chakri and Chao Phya Surasih , and as the result of the stubborn resistance on the part of Thai soldiers , they were checked outside the city ramparts for about 4 months . Hearing about Chao Phraya Chakri ' s successful assaults which drove back the Burmese to their well fortified camp , Azaewunky arranged a meeting with him , in the course of which he extolled his generalship and advised him to take good care on himself . He prophesied that General Chakri would certainly become king . Was he really honest in his prediction ? No definite answer has been found for it . Anyhow he was at that time seventy two years of age , while his opponent was only thirty nine . Any doubt about Azaewunky ' s stratagem to sow discord between King Taksin and Chao Phraya Chakri should be dismissed , since they collaborated closely in subsequent military expeditions . In spite of King Taksin ' s endeavour to attack the Burmese from the rear , Chao Phraya Chakri and Chao Phraya Surasih could not hold Phitsanulok any longer , due to lack of provisions . Having collected most of the inhabitants , they successfully fought their way through enemy lines and made Phetchabun their headquarters . Azaewunky led his army into the deserted city at the end of March 1776 , but was soon confronted with the same problem of the shortage of food . At this juncture he was instructed by the new Burmese King , Singun Min or Chingkucha ( 1776 – 1782 ) to evacuate Thai territory . So Azaewunky ' s army left Siam , but the remnants of the Burmese forces continued the war until they were pushed out of the country in September of that year . In the King ' s opinion , so long as Chiang Mai was ruled by the Burmese , the north of Siam would be constantly subjected to their incursions . The prerequisite for the maintenance of peace in that region would therefore be the complete expulsion of the Burmese from Chiang Mai . In 1771 , the Burmese Governor of that city moved his army southwards and laid siege to Phichai , but he was driven out . Taksin followed the Burmese with a view to studying their strength , and his army was thus not prepared for a direct assault on their city fortress . After meeting with stubborn resistance , he retired , presumably believing in an ancient prophesy to the effect that two attempts were required for the capture of Chiang Mai . King Narairaja had tried twice to seize it before it fell into his hands . The Burmese failure to take Phichai formed a prelude to Taksin ' s second - expedition to Chaing Mai . In 1773 , a Burmese army which threatened Phichai was drawn into an ambush and was heavily routed . Phraya Phichai , the Phichai Governor , engaged the Burmese in a hand to hand fight until his two long swords were broken , and thus won the name of " Broken Sword . " When a Thai army under the command of Chao Phraya Chakri and Chao Phraya Surasih reached Lampang , Phraya Chaban and Phraya Kawila , the two leading officials who had deserted the Burmese joined him in laying siege to Chaing Mai and soon King Taksin arrived on the spot . The city fell to the Thai armies in January 1775 , but the Burmese Governor and the commander managed to escape with their families . Before his departure for Thonburi , the King conferred honours and distinction on those who had contributed to success of his campaign . Phraya Chaban was made Governor of Chaing Mai with the title of Phraya Wichienprakarn , while Phraya Kawila and Phraya Waiwongsa governed Lampang and Lamphun respectively . Chao Phraya Chakri was directed to prolong his stay in order to assist them in the pacification of the north , which included the Laotian states . However , the Burmese King considered that as the Laotian states constituted his base for the maintenance of Burmese power in the territory further east , namely , Luang Prabang and Vientiane , Chiang Mai must be taken back , and so a Burmese army of 6 , 000 men was sent there to carry out its mission in 1776 . The Burmese entered the city , but were forced out by a Thai army under Chao Phraya Surasih which had marched to its relief . Chaing Mai had suffered from the recent campaigns so badly that its population was greatly reduced and impoverished , and in the event of a new Burmese attack , it could not defend itself . For these reasons , King Taksin abandoned the city and its remaining inhabitants were transplanted to Lampang . Chiang Mai thus became a deserted city and remained so for fifteen years . Over the next few years , Taksin managed to gain control over Chiang Mai , and put Cambodia under the vassalage of Siam by 1779 after repeated military campaigns . Expansion to the " Outer Zone " . In 1769 , Cambodia was in turmoil again , due to the rivalry for the throne by two royal brothers , the elder of who was King Ramraja ( Non ) . Having suffered defeat at the hands of his brother ( Ton ) who was aided by Annamite troops , he sought shelter in Siam . Prince Ton proclaimed himself as King Narairaja . This struggle afforded an opportunity to King Taksin to resuscitate Thai suzerainty over Cambodia as in the days of Ayutthaya . An army was dispatched to assist the ex - King Ramraja to regain his power , but met with no success . The annexation of Champasak Province indirectly led King Taksin to send an expedition against Vientiane . In 1777 , the ruler of Champasak , which was at that time an independent principality bordering on the Thai eastern frontier , supported the Governor of Nangrong , who had rebelled against the Thai king . A Thai army under Chao Phraya Chakri was ordered to move against the rebel , who was caught and executed , and having received reinforcements under Chao Phraya Surasih , he advanced to Champasak , where the ruler , Chao O and his deputy , were captured and were summarily beheaded . Champasak was added to the Kingdom of Siam , and King Taksin was so pleased with Chao Phraya Chakri ' s conduct of the campaign that he promoted him to be Somdej Chao Phraya Mahakasatsuek Piluekmahima Tuknakara Ra - adet ( Thai : สมเด็จเจ้าพระยามหากษัตริย์ศึก พิลึกมหึมาทุกนคราระอาเดช ) ( meaning the supreme Chao Phraya , Great Warrior - King who was so remarkably powerful that every city was afraid of his might ) — being the highest title of nobility that a commoner could reach . It would be equivalent to the rank of a Royal Duke . In 1770 , King Taksin launched a war against the Nguyễn Lords over their control of Cambodia . After some initial defeats , the joint Siamese - Cambodian army defeated the Nguyễn army in 1771 and 1772 . These defeats helped provoke an internal rebellion ( the Tây Sơn rebellion ) which would soon sweep the Nguyễn out of power . In 1773 , the Nguyễn made peace with King Taksin , giving back some land they controlled in Cambodia . In 1771 , however , the Thai forces won back the Cambodia throne for him , but Narairaja retreated to the east of the country . In the end , Ramraja and Narairaja came to a compromise , whereby the former became the first King and the latter was the second King or Maha Uparayoj , and Prince Tam was Maha Uparat or Deputy to the first and the second King . This arrangement proved to be unsatisfactory . Prince Tam was murdered , while the second King died suddenly . Believing that King Ramraja was responsible for their deaths , many prominent officials under the leadership of Prince Talaha ( Mu ) revolted , caught him and drowned him in the river in 1780 . Prince Talaha put Prince Ang Eng , the four - year - old son of the ex - King Narairaja , on the throne with himself acting as Regent , but he soon leaned too much Annam , thus coming into conflict with Taksin ’ s policy to support a pro - Thai prince on the Cambodian throne . The Thai King therefore decided on an invasion of Cambodia . A Thai army of 20 , 000 under Somdej Chao Phraya Mahakasatsuek moved into Cambodia , and in the event of his success in subduing the country , he was to assist in crowning Taksin ’ s son , Prince Intarapitak , as King of Cambodia . With the aid of an Annamite army , Prince Talana was prepared to take his stand against the Thai forces at Phnom Penh , but before any fighting started , serious disturbances which had broken out in Siam made Somdej Chao Phraya Mahakasatsuek decide on a hasty return to Thonburi , after handing the command of the army to Chao Phraya Surasih . In Vientiane , a Minister of State , Pra Woh , had rebelled against the ruling prince and fled to the Champasak territory , where he set himself up at Donmotdang near the present city of Ubon . He made formal submission to Siam , when he annexed Champasak , but after the withdrawal of the Thai army , he was attacked and killed by troops from Vientiane . This action was instantly regarded by King Taksin as a great insult to him , and at his command , Somdej Chao Phya Mahakasatsuek invaded Vientiane with an army of 20 , 000 men in 1778 . It would be useful here to briefly summarise the history of Laos which had been separated into two principalities of Luang Prabang and Vientiane since the beginning of the eighteenth century . The Prince of Luang Prabang , who was in enmity with the Prince of Vientiane , submitted to Siam for his own safety , bringing his men to join Somdej Chao Phya Mahakasatsuek in besieging the city . After a siege of Vientiane which took about four months , the Thais took Vientiane and carried off the images of Emerald Buddha and Phra Bang to Thonburi . The Prince of Vientiane managed to escape and went into exile . Thus Luang Prabang and Vientiane became Thai dependencies . Nothing definite is known about the origin of the celebrated Emerald Buddha . It is believed that this image was carved from green jasper by an artist or artists in northern India about two thousand years ago . It was taken to Ceylon and then to Chiang Rai , a town in the north of Siam where it was , in 1434 , found intact in a chedi which had been struck by lightning . As an object of great veneration among Thai Buddhists . it has been deposited in monasteries in Lampang , Chiang Mai , Luang Prabang , Vientiane , Thonburi , and eventually in Bangkok . Territory . The kingdom under his 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 . Economy , culture and religion . After King Taksin established Thonburi as his capital , people were living in abject poverty , and food and clothing were scarce . The king was well aware of the plight of his subjects , so in order to legitimize his claim for the Kingdom , he considered solving economic problems as the main priority . He paid high prices for rice from his own money to induce foreign traders to bring in adequate amounts of basic necessities to satisfy the need of the people . He then distributed rice and clothing to all his starving subjects without exception . People who had been dispersed came back to their homes . Normalcy was restored . The economy of the country gradually recovered . King Taksin sent three diplomatic envoys to China in 1767 , which then was under the reign of Qianlong Emperor . Six years later , in 1772 , China recognized Taksin as the legitimate ruler of Siam . The record dating from 1777 states : " " Important goods from Thailand are amber , gold , colored rocks , good nuggets , gold dust , semi - precious stones , and hard lead . " " During this time the king actively encouraged the Chinese to settle in Siam , principally those from Chaozhou , partly with the intention to revive the stagnating economy and upgrading the local workforce at that time . He had to fight almost constantly for most of his reign to maintain the independence of his country . As the economic influence of the immigrant Chinese community grew with time , many aristocrats , which he took in from the Ayutthaya nobility , began to turn against him for having allied with the Chinese merchants . According to a scholar , the opposition was led mainly by the Bunnag s , a merchant - aristocrat family of Persian origins , successors of Ayutthaya ' s minister of Ports and Finance , or Phra Klang Coupled with the tax revenues that these activities provided — helped restore the kingdom ' s devastated economy . Thai galleon s travelled to Portuguese colony of Surat , in Goa , India . However , formal diplomatic relations were not formed . In 1776 , Francis Light sent 1 , 400 flintlock s along with other goods as gifts to King Taksin . Later , Thonburi ordered some guns from England . Royal letters were exchanged and in 1777 , George Stratton , the Viceroy of Madras , sent a gold scabbard decorated with gems to King Taksin . In 1770 , natives of Terengganu and Jakarta presented King Taksin with 2 , 200 shotguns . At that time , Holland controlled the Java Islands . Simultaneously King Taksin was deeply engaged in restoring law and order in the Kingdom and in administering a programme of public welfare to his people . Abuses in the Buddhist establishment , and among the public , were duly rectified , and food and clothes as well as other necessities of life were hastily distributed to those who needed them , thus bringing respect and affection to him . King Taksin was also interested in other branches of art , including dance and drama . There is evidence that when he went to suppress the Chao Nakhon Si Thammarat faction in 1769 , he brought back Chao Nakhon ' s female dancers . Together with dancers that he had assembled from other places , they trained and set up a royal troupe in Thonburi on the Ayutthaya model . The King wrote four episodes from the Ramakian for the royal troupe to rehearse and perform . When he went north to suppress the Phra Fang faction , he could see that monks in the north were lax and undisciplined . He invited ecclesiastical dignitaries from the capital to teach those monks and brought them back in line with the main teachings of Buddhism . Even though King Taksin had applied himself to reforming the Buddhist religion after its period of decline following the loss of Ayutthaya to Burma , gradually bringing it back to the normalcy it enjoyed during the Ayutthaya kingdom , since his reign was so brief he was not able to do very much . The administration of the Sangha during the Thonburi period followed the model established in Ayutthaya , and he allowed French missionaries to enter Thailand , and like a previous Thai king , helped them build a church in 1780 . Final years and death . Thai historians indicate that the strain on him took its toll , and the king started to become a religious fanatic . In 1781 Taksin showed increasing signs of mental trouble . He believed himself to be a future Buddha , expecting to change the colour of his blood from red to white . As he started practising meditation , he even gave lecture to the monks . More seriously , he was provoking schism in Siamese Buddhism by requiring that the monkhood should recognize him as a sotapanna " or stream - winner , a type of deity who had embarked on the first of four stages to enlightenment : stream - winner , once - returner , arahat . " Monks who refused to bow to Taksin and worship him as god were demoted in status , and hundreds who refused to worship him as such were flogged and sentenced to menial labor . Economic tension caused by war was serious . As famine spread , looting and crimes were widespread . Corrupt officials were reportedly abundant . Taksin himself executed several officials harshly . Discontent among officials could be expected . Several historians have suggested that the tale of his ' insanity ' may have been reconstructed as an excuse for his overthrow . However , the letters of a French missionaries who was in Thonburi at the time support the accounts of the monarch ' s peculiar behavior which reported that " He ( Taksin ) passed all his time in prayer , fasting , and meditation , in order by these means to be able to fly through the air . " Again , the missionaries describe the situation : Thus the terms ' insanity ' or ' madness ' possibly were the contemporary definition describing the monarch ' s actions . With the Burmese threat still prevalent , a strong ruler was needed on the throne . According to some sources , many oppressions and abuses made by officials were reported . King Taksin punished them harshly , torturing and executing high officials . Finally a faction led by Phraya San seized the capital and forced the king to step down . According to the following Rattanakosin era accounts , King Taksin was described as ' insane . ' The disturbance in Thonburi widely spread , with killing and looting prevalent . A coup d ' état removing Taksin from the throne consequently took place , although Taksin requested to be allowed to join the monkhood . When the coup occurred , General Chao Phraya Chakri was away fighting in Cambodia , but he quickly returned to the Thai capital following being informed of the coup . Upon having arrived at the capital , the General extinguished the coup through arrests , investigations and punishments . Peace was then restored in the capital . According to the Royal Thai Chronicles , General Chao Phraya Chakri decided to put the deposed Taksin to death . The Chronicles stated that , while being taken to the executing venue , Taksin asked for an audience with General Chao Phraya Chakri but was turned down by the General . Taksin was beheaded in front of Wichai Prasit fortress on Wednesday , April 10 , 1782 , and his body was buried at Wat Bang Yi Ruea Tai . General Chao Phraya Chakri then seized control of the capital and declared himself king together with establishing the House of Chakri . An alternative account ( by the Official Annamese Chronicles ) states that Taksin was ordered to be executed in the traditional siamese way by General Chao Phraya Chakri at Wat Chaeng : by being sealed in a velvet sack and beaten to death with a scented sandalwood club . There was an account claiming that Taksin was secretly sent to a palace located in the remote mountains of Nakhon Si Thammarat where he lived until 1825 , and that a substitute was beaten to death in his place . King Taksin ashes and that of his wife are located at Wat Intharam ( located in Thonburi ) . They have been placed in two lotus bud shaped stupas which stand before the old hall . Critics over the coup . Another contradicting view of the events is that General Chakri actually wanted to be King and had accused King Taksin of being Chinese . The late history was aimed at legitimizing the new monarch , Phraya Chakri or Rama I of Rattanakosin . According to Nidhi Eoseewong , a prominent Thai historian , writer , and political commentator , Taksin could be seen as the originator , new style of leader , promoting the ' decentralized ' kingdom and new generation of the nobles , of Chinese merchants - origin , his major helpers in the wars . On the other hand , Phraya Chakri and his supporters were of ' old ' generation of the Ayutthaya nobles , discontent with the previously said changes . However , this overlooks the fact that Chao Phraya Chakri was himself of partly Chinese origin as well as he himself being married to one of Taksin ' s daughters . No previous conflicts between them were mentioned in histories . Reports on the conflicts between the king and the Chinese merchants were seen caused by the control of the rice price in the time of famine . However , prior to returning to Thonburi , Chao Phraya Chakri had Taksin ' s son summoned to Cambodia and executed . All in all , Phraya Chakri was , in fact , the highest noble in the kingdom , charging the state affairs as the Chancellor . Therefore he was of the greatest potential to be the new leader . Another view of the events is that Thailand owed China for millions of baht . In order to cancel the agreement between China and Thailand , King Taksin decided to ordain and pretend to die in an execution . Relation with Chinese Empire . When Ayutthaya fell to the Burmese in 1767 , Thai and Chinese sources mentioned that Taksin , then the lord of Tak , broke the Burmese siege and led his troops to Chantaburi . During those years , Chinese Empire was into border conflicts with Konbaung Burma . The Burmese invasion into Siam became the warning for Chinese Empire . Taksin , then , sent tributaty mission to require the royal seal , claiming that the throne of Ayutthaya Kingdom came to an end . Vietnamese and Chinese sources reported that the aim of Taksin in attacking Cambodia was to uproot the remnants of Ayutthaya royal ' remnants ' taking refuge in that kingdom . Chinese Court could not help but seized the chance by asking Taksin , as a ' new vassal ' , to be her ally in the war against the Burmese . Eventually Chinese Court approved the royal status of Taksin , as the new king of Siam . A considerable contribution to his success came from the Teochiu Chinese trading community of the region , on whom Taksin was able to call by virture of his paternal relations . In the short run , the Chinese trade provided the foodstuffs and goods needed for the warfare that enabled Taksin to build up his fledgling state . In the long run , it produced income that could be used " to defray the expenses of the state and for the upkeep of the individual royal , noble , and wealthy commercial families . " As one contemporary observed , François Henri Turpin ( 1771 ) , under the faminee conditions of 1767 - 1768 : Legacy . King Taksin was seen by some radical historians as a King who differed from the Kings of Ayutthaya , in his origins , his policies , and his leadership style , as a representative of a new class . During the Bangkok Period right up till the Siamese Revolution of 1932 King Taksin was , said , not as highly honoured as other Siamese Kings because the leaders in the Chakri Dynasty were still concerned about their own political legitimacy . After 1932 , when the absolute monarchy gave way to the democratic period , King Taksin become more honoured than ever before . Instead , King Taksin became one of the national heroes . This was because the leaders of that time such as Plaek Pibulsonggram and even later military junta , on the other hand , wanted to glorify and publicise the stories of certain historical figures in the past in order to support their own policy of nationalism , expansionism and patriotism . King Taksin statue was unveiled in the middle of Wongwian Yai ( the Big Traffic Circle ) in Thonburi , at the intersection of Prajadhipok / Inthara Phithak / Lat Ya / Somdet Phra Chao Taksin Roads . The king is portrayed with his right hand holding a sword , measuring approximately 9 metres in height from his horse ' s feet to the spire of his hat , rests on a reinforced concrete pedestal of 8 . 90 x 1 . 80 x 3 . 90 metres . There are four frames of stucco relief on the two sides of the pedestal . The opening ceremony of this monument was held on April 17 , 1954 and the royal homage - paying fair takes place annually on 28 December . The king today officially comes to pay respect to King Taksin statue . The monument featuring King Taksin riding on a horseback surrounded by his four trusted soldiers ; Pra Chiang - ngen ( later Phraya Sukhothai ) , Luang Pichai - asa ( later Phraya Phichai ) , Luang Prom - sena , Luang Raj - saneha . It is placed on the groung of Toong na - chey public park on Leab muang road , just opposite the City Hall , Chantaburi . In 1981 the Thai cabinet passed a resolution to bestow on King Taksin the honorary title of " the Great " . With the intention of glorifying Thai monarchs in history who have been revered and honored with the title The Great , the Bank of Thailand issued the 12th Series of banknotes , called The Great Series , in three denominations : 10 , 20 and 100 Baht . The monument of King Taksin the Great in Chanthaburi ' s Tungnachaey recreational park appears on the back of the 20 - Baht note issued December 28 , 1981 . The date of his coronation , December 28 , is the official day of homage to King Taksin , although it is not designated as a public holiday . The Maw Sukha Association on January 31 , 1999 cast the " King Taksin Savior of the Nation Amulet " , which sought to honour the contributions of King Taksin to Siam during his reign . The Na Nagara ( also spelled Na Nakorn ) family is descended in the direct male line from King Taksin . A tomb containing King Taksin ' s clothes and a family shrine were found at Chenghai district in Guangdong province in China in 1921 . It is believed that a descendant of King Taksin the Great must have sent his clothes to be buried there to conform to Chinese practice . This supports the claim that the place was his father ' s hometown . King Taksin the Great Shrine is located on Tha Luang Road in front of Camp Taksin . It is an important place of Chantaburi in order to demonstrate binding of People in Chanthaburi to King Taksin . It is a nine - sided building . The roof is a pointed helmet . Inside of this place enshrined the statue of King Taksin . Issue . King Taksin had 21 sons and 9 daughters named