Phraya Wichianprakarn (), also known as Phraya Chaban (; ), born Bunma, was the ruler of Chiang Mai as a vassal state under the

Thonburi Kingdom The Thonburi Kingdom was a major Thai people, Siamese kingdom which existed in Southeast Asia from 1767 to 1782, centered around the city of Thonburi, in Siam or present-day Thailand. The kingdom was founded by Taksin, who reunited Siam follow ...

. He reigned from 1774 to 1776.

Biography

After the King of Ava conquered

Chiang Mai Chiang Mai, sometimes written as Chiengmai or Chiangmai, is the largest city in northern Thailand, the capital of Chiang Mai province and the List of municipalities in Thailand#Largest cities by urban population, second largest city in Thailan ...

, Burmese general Po Mayu-nguan appointed Phraya Chaban (Bunma) as Phraya Surasongkhramพระยามหาอำมาตยาธิบดี (หรุ่น ศรีเพ็ญ), ''พงษาวดารเมืองนครเชียงใหม่ เมืองนครลำปาง เมืองลำพูนไชย'', ประชุมพงษาวดารภาคที่ 3 and ordered him to lead an attack against the forces of

Taksin King Taksin the Great (, , ) or the King of Thonburi (, ; ; Teochew: Dên Chao; 17 April 1734 – 7 April 1782) was the only king of the Thonburi Kingdom that ruled Thailand from 1767 to 1782. He had been an aristocrat in the Ayutthaya Kingdom ...

of Thonburi, who had advanced to

Lamphun Lamphun (; , ) is a town ('' thesaban mueang'') in northern Thailand, capital of Lamphun Province. It covers the whole ''tambon'' Nai Mueang of Mueang Lamphun district. As of 2006 it has a population of 14,030. Lamphun lies north of Bangkok and ...

. However, instead of carrying out the attack, Phraya Chaban and

Kawila Kawila (, , , 31 October 17421816), also known as Phra Boromrachathibodi (; ), was the Northern Thai people, Northern Thai ruler of the Kingdom of Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai Kingdom and the founder of the Chet Ton dynasty, Chetton dynasty. Originating ...

defected to the Siamese side on February 5, 1774. After Taksin had captured Chiang Mai, he appointed Phraya Chaban as Phraya Wichianprakarn, granting the city self-governance as a vassal state under the Kingdom of Siam. The formal appointment ceremony took place at

Wat Phra That Hariphunchai Wat Phra That Hariphunchai () is a Buddhist temple (''wat'') in Lamphun town, Lamphun, Thailand. The temple's origins date from the 11th century but the central stupa is thought to originate in the 9th century. History Wat Phra That Hariphunchai' ...

. During Phraya Wichianprakarn's reign, Chiang Mai suffered from a severe manpower shortage due to years of continuous warfare. The city had only about 1,900 residents, making it difficult to defend. When the Burmese besieged Chiang Mai for eight months, the city's inhabitants faced famine and hardship until a Siamese army arrived and defeated the Burmese forces. Around 1776, realizing that Chiang Mai lacked sufficient manpower to sustain itself, Phraya Wichianprakarn relocated to Lampang to seek assistance from Chao Chet Ton. As the ruler of Chiang Mai, he continued to resist Burmese influence, moving between Chiang Mai and Lamphun. In 1777, he regrouped at Tha Wang Phrao, later relocating to Wiang Nong Long, and eventually to Wang Sakaeng Sob Li. In 1779, Phraya Wichianprakarn was arrested and imprisoned in Thonburi on the orders of Taksin, accused of killing Uparaj Kon Kaeo. He died in Thonburi in 1782. Chiang Mai was then abandoned for approximately 20 years, from 1776 to 1796, until Kawila restored the city.

References

{{Chao Nakhon Chiang Mai Rulers of Chiang Mai 18th-century Thai monarchs