Political Roles of Prince Thepphiphit from the Late of Ayuthaya Period to the Early of Thonburi Era

Abstract

The purpose of this article was to examine the political role of Prince Thepphiphit during the late Ayutthaya period and the early Thonburi era. The study was conducted using both primary and secondary historical sources. The findings indicate that Prince Thepphiphit, one of the sons of King Borommakot, played a prominent political role during these transitional periods. His political involvement can be divided into two phases: (1) the period before the fall of Ayutthaya, and (2) the early Thonburi period. Before 1767, Prince Thepphiphit supported Prince Phonphinit in ascending the throne as King Uthumphon. When Prince Anurak Montri later ascended the throne as King Ekathat, Prince Thepphiphit entered the monkhood but was subsequently accused of treason against King Ekathat and was exiled to Ceylon. During his exile, he became entangled in a local rebellion and eventually fled back to Ayutthaya. In the final years of the Ayutthaya Kingdom, while the city was under Burmese siege, Prince Thepphiphit attempted to mobilize forces to resist the Burmese army but was defeated, forcing him to flee to Phimai and Nakhon Ratchasima. After the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767, Prince Thepphiphit established the Phimai polity (Phimai Clique). When King Taksin of Thonburi launched a military campaign to suppress regional polities and reunify the Siamese kingdom, the Phimai Clique was defeated. Prince Thepphiphit was ultimately captured and executed.