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Rayong: Tha Pradu and Wat Lum

In late January 1767 Phraya Tak's force reached Rayong and camped at Wat Lum. Two days later a group of the town's officials brought about 1,500 men to raid the camp after dark, but were beaten off. Rayong thus became the first town Phraya Tak held as a base.

The new ordination hall of Wat Lum Mahachai Chumphon, white walls under tiered orange roofs
The new ordination hall of Wat Lum Mahachai Chumphon, Rayong · Photo: Panupong Chonswat · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

What happened here

About 26–29 January 1767Stop 15 of 15

The acting governor of Rayong and his officials came out to meet the force at Nam Kao and presented a cartload of rice. The force entered the town by way of Tha Pradu and camped at Wat Lum for two days. During that time word came that a group of the town's officials were plotting to raid the camp, so Phraya Tak had the acting governor held and prepared to meet the attack.

Fighting (not the Burmese)
Against
Rayong officials of the faction of Khun Ram Muen Song, Khun Cha Mueang Duang and Luang Phon Saen Han, about 1,500 men; not Burmese troops
Where
The camp at Wat Lum and the Wat Noen bridge, in the centre of Rayong
How
A little after seven in the evening the raiders crept up, took up positions on two sides of the camp, and came on shouting and firing. Phraya Tak had the lights put out and kept his men still until Khun Cha Mueang Duang and about 30 soldiers had crossed the Wat Noen bridge to within 5–6 wa (some 10–12 metres) of the camp. Then he ordered a volley and charged out to fight hand to hand, breaking into the raiders' lines.
Outcome
The raiders were routed, and the soldiers chased them for 50–60 sen (about 2–2.4 km). Phraya Tak now had Rayong as his first base, and rested and fed his men here before planning the move on Chanthaburi.

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The place today

Wat Lum Mahachai Chumphon is in the centre of Rayong. In its grounds are a shrine to King Taksin the Great and a large satue tree to which, it is said, his war elephant was once tethered. The King Taksin the Great Learning Park is next door. The old town around Yomchinda Road is not far away, where you can walk among old wooden houses and visit the Rayong City Museum.

Wall and stucco window frames of an old building at Wat Lum Mahachai Chumphon
Stucco window frames on an old building at Wat Lum Mahachai Chumphon · Photo: Cat2you · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Places to visit and eat near Rayong (Wat Lum)

Places to visit nearby

Where to eat nearby

Directions on Google Maps ↗Back to the route map

Sources
  1. Royal Chronicle of Thonburi, Phan Chanthanumat (Choem) version – Collected Chronicles, Part 65 – Thai Wikisource (in Thai)

Last updated 13 November 2026