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The defeat of the Nakhon Si Thammarat faction
In the south the official acting as governor of Nakhon Si Thammarat (Nu) had set himself up as its ruler. In 1769 King Taksin first sent an army down by land, but it ran into difficulties, so he went down himself with a fleet. The ruler fled to Pattani and was later handed over. The southern towns thus rejoined Thonburi.
- 1Stops, numbered as in the list below
- 3Fighting with other forces
- 1–3Several stops close together: tap to zoom in
- ≈ approximate position
Press + to zoom in, then drag to move the map; on a phone you can pinch. Tap a number to read about that stop.
The ≈ sign marks an approximate location. Borders on the map are modern and shown for orientation only. Campaign routes are approximate lines drawn from the chronicles and modern studies, not the exact path taken. Dashed lines are enemy armies.
The land army and the fleet
The land army sent ahead fought without success, so King Taksin took a fleet down by sea. When the Thonburi forces arrived, the ruler of Nakhon fled to seek refuge at Pattani but was handed back. King Taksin spared his life and later sent him back to rule Nakhon Si Thammarat as a vassal state.
It is said that King Taksin had a dance-drama troupe brought back from Nakhon Si Thammarat to Thonburi, which played a part in reviving the performing arts of the court after the war.
The route in 5 stops
- 1
Thonburi
Places to visit nearby
- Wat Arun ↗Google Maps
- Wongwian Yai, King Taksin monument ↗Google Maps
- Bangkok travel guidesongkran.com
Where to eat nearby
- Restaurants around this stop ↗Google Maps
- 2
Phetchaburi
Places to visit nearby
- Phra Nakhon Khiri (Khao Wang) ↗Google Maps
- Things to do in Phetchaburisongkran.com
Where to eat nearby
- Where to eat in Phetchaburisongkran.com
- Restaurants around this stop ↗Google Maps
- 3
Chumphon
Places to visit nearby
- Chumphon storiessongkran.com
Where to eat nearby
- Restaurants around this stop ↗Google Maps
- 4
Chaiya
Places to visit nearby
- Wat Phra Borommathat Chaiya ↗Google Maps
- Things to do in Surat Thanisongkran.com
Where to eat nearby
- Where to eat in Surat Thanisongkran.com
- Restaurants around this stop ↗Google Maps
- 5
Nakhon Si Thammarat
Fighting (not the Burmese)- Battle
- Nakhon Si Thammarat
- Against
- The faction of the ruler of Nakhon Si Thammarat (Nu); not Burmese troops
- How
- The land army sent ahead ran into difficulties, so King Taksin went down himself with a fleet. The ruler of Nakhon fled to Pattani.
- Outcome
- Nakhon Si Thammarat was taken; its ruler fled to Pattani and was handed back. The southern towns rejoined Thonburi.
- Note
- Approximate position.
Places to visit nearby
- Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan ↗Google Maps
- Things to do in Nakhon Si Thammaratsongkran.com
Where to eat nearby
- Where to eat in Nakhon Si Thammaratsongkran.com
- Restaurants around this stop ↗Google Maps
Travel guides for the provinces on this route
Things to do and where to eat in each province, from songkran.com, our sister travel site
- BangkokStop 1Bangkok travel guide →
- PhetchaburiStop 2Things to do in Phetchaburi →Where to eat in Phetchaburi →
- ChumphonStop 3Chumphon stories →
- Surat ThaniStop 4Things to do in Surat Thani →Where to eat in Surat Thani →
- Nakhon Si ThammaratStop 5Things to do in Nakhon Si Thammarat →Where to eat in Nakhon Si Thammarat →
Where historians still disagree
- The story that King Taksin did not die in 1782 but went to live at Nakhon Si Thammarat is a later belief, with no contemporary evidence.
Frequently asked questions
When did King Taksin go to Nakhon Si Thammarat?
In 1769, when he took a fleet down to defeat the Nakhon Si Thammarat faction.
Last updated 13 November 2026