Maha Sura Singhanat

Prince Maha Sura Singhanat (, ; 1 November 1744 – 3 November 1803), born Bunma , was a Siamese military leader and statesman who served as the first Front Palace of the Chakri Dynasty. As the younger brother of King Rama I, he was a foundational figure in the establishment of the Rattanakosin Kingdom and played a decisive role in securing Siam's independence from Burmese incursions during the late 18th century.

Rising to prominence during the Thonburi Kingdom under King Taksin, he held the title of Chao Phraya Surasi and became renowned for his fierce and tactical combat style, earning the moniker "Phraya Suea" (The Tiger Lord). Following the accession of Rama I in 1782, he was appointed the Viceroy and took up residence in the newly constructed Front Palace, where he oversaw the defense and administration of the northern provinces.

His military career is defined by several critical victories that ensured the survival of the nascent Chakri state. Most notably, he led the Siamese defense in the Nine Armies' War (1785), where his strategic maneuver at the Battle of Lat Ya effectively repelled a massive Burmese invasion. He further solidified Siamese dominance through the Tha Din Daeng campaign (1786), the capture of Tavoy (1787), and the liberation of Chiang Mai from Burmese control (1795–1802).

Beyond his martial achievements, Maha Sura Singhanat was a patron of the arts and religion. He oversaw the restoration of numerous temples, including Wat Mahathat Yuwaratrangsarit, and authored several literary works that provide significant historical and emotional insight into the transitional period between the fall of Ayutthaya and the rise of Bangkok.

Early life Bunma was born in 1744 to Thongdi and Daoreung. His father Thongdee was the Royal Secretary of Northern Siam and Keeper of Royal Seal. As a son of aristocrat, he entered the palace and began his aristocratic life as a royal page. Thongdee was a descendant of Kosa Pan, the leader of Siamese mission to France in the seventeenth century. Bunma had four other siblings and two other half-siblings. Bunma himself was the youngest born to Daoreung.

When he came of age, he entered royal service as a mahadlek (royal page) in the Ayutthaya court.

Military and political career

Thonburi period

Following the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767, Bunma (later Maha Sura Singhanat) joined the forces of Phraya Tak and took part in the campaigns to seize Chanthaburi and to drive Burmese forces from Thonburi. During the Thonburi period, he emerged as one of Taksin's primary military leaders; he also brought his elder brother Thongduang (later Rama I) into the king's inner circle, and the two became Taksin's most successful generals. Bunma initially held the office of Phra Maha Montri (Chief of the Royal Police Department) and subsequently rose through the ranks, attaining the titles of Phraya Anuchit Racha and Phraya Yommarat, respectively.

These wars also intersected with Bangkok's eastward expansion. The Thonburi regime's tensions with the Lao states culminated in the Thai campaign of 1778–1779, which resulted in the conquest of Vientiane; contemporary accounts of the aftermath place the conquering general, Chao Phraya Surasi, in a supervisory role over Lao captives brought to the capital area.

Rattanakosin period

Interior of Phra Thinang Isara Winitchai, the principal throne hall of the Front Palace (Wang Na), commissioned by Maha Sura Singhanat during the early Rattanakosin period. In April 1782, a coup ended Taksin's reign and Thongduang ascended the throne as King Rama I. In 1786, he led a southern expedition to expel Burmese forces from the Malay Peninsula provinces; this campaign inspired his literary work, Phleng Yao Rop Phama thi Nakhon Si Thammarat. Later that same year, he commanded Siamese forces to another victory during the Tha Din Daeng campaign. The royal cremation ceremony was subsequently held at the Phra Merumat (Royal Crematorium) in Sanam Luang.

Legend of the "Wang Na curse" Later tradition claims that, while gravely ill, Maha Sura Singhanat asked to be carried around the Front Palace (Wang Na) and uttered a curse that anyone who later possessed the palace without being his descendants would not find happiness. The saying was later remembered in Thai popular writing as the so-called "Wang Na curse" .

Issue Maha Sura Singhanat had a total of 43 children. His eldest daughter was Princess Phikunthong (later the Princess Srisunthon), who was born to Sri Anocha, the sister of King Kawila of Chiang Mai.

He is the progenitor of the following royal houses (surnames):

Asuni (ราชสกุลอสุนี) Sangkhatat (ราชสกุลสังขทัต) Patamasingh (ราชสกุลปัทมสิงห์) Neerasingh (ราชสกุลนีรสิงห์)

In memoriam