Chaophraya Surasakmontri (Choem Saeng-Chuto)

Chaophraya Surasakmontri (28 March 1851 – 1 July 1931), born as Choem Saeng-Chuto, was a Thai field marshal, nobleman, and businessman. He was best known in Haw wars campaign. He served as Commander of the Department of the Army from 1890 to 1892, and as Minister of Agriculture afterwards. He established a sawmill in Si Racha in 1900.

The city of Chaophraya Surasak in Chonburi is named after him.

Biography Chaophraya Surasakmontri was born in 1851 in Thonburi, Rattanakosin Kingdom, to his father Phraya Surasakmontri (Sang Chuto) and mother Doem Bunnak. He is the grandson of Phraya Surasena (Sawat Chuto).

As a child, he received education at Wat Phichai Yat until the age of 13.

In 1878, he was appointed as the chargé d'affaires to the British Empire to negotiate with the British consular general George Knox.

In 1900, Chaophraya Surasakmontri came to the area of the modern town and built a sawmill under his company Si Racha Capital Company Limited. In 1903, he requested that the district capital of Bang Phra district be moved to Si Racha, which it did.

In 1902, King Chulalongkorn gave orders to Chaophraya Surasakmontri to quell the Ngiao rebellion in Phrae province in northern Thailand against Siamese rule and centralization. He would reclaim rebel controlled land, with the leader of Phrae, Chao Phiriya Thepphawong, fleeing into Luang Phrabang.

Chaophraya Surasakmontri died on 1 July 1931. His funeral was held on 8 April 1931 at Wat Thepsirinthrawat.

Honours