Somdet Phra Bawonratchao Maha Sakdiphonlasep (; 21 October 1785 – 1 May 1832) was the
viceroy
A viceroy () is an official who reigns over a polity in the name of and as the representative of the monarch of the territory.
The term derives from the Latin prefix ''vice-'', meaning "in the place of" and the Anglo-Norman ''roy'' (Old Frenc ...
appointed by
Nangklao
Nangklao (born Thap; 31 March 1788 – 2 April 1851), also known by his regnal name Rama III, was the third Monarchy of Thailand, king of Siam from the Chakri dynasty, ruling from 21 July 1824 to 2 April 1851.
Nangklao was the eldest surviving ...
as the titular heir to the throne as he was the uncle to the king.
Prince Arunotai was the son of King Phutthayotfa Chulalok (
Rama I) and his concubine Princess Nuiyai of
Nakhon Si Thammarat. He was later appointed the ''
Kromma Muen'' Sakdiphonlasep and became acquitted with his half-nephew ''Kromma Muen''
Chetsadabodin during the wars with Burma. ''Kromma Muen'' Chetsadabodin was crowned as King Nangklao (Rama III) in 1824 and, consequently, Sakdiphonlasep was made the
"Second King". He led the Siamese armies into
Isan
Northeast Thailand or Isan (Isan language, Isan/, ; ; also written as Isaan, Isarn, Issarn, Issan, Esan, or Esarn; from Pāli ''isāna'' or Sanskrit ईशान्य ''īśānya'' "northeast") consists of 20 provinces in northeastern Thai ...
to
fight with King Anouvong of Vientiane in 1826.
Sakdiphonlasep ordered the construction of the
Bowonniwet Temple (lit. temple where the Front Palace lived) where Prince Mongkut (future
Rama IV) became an abbot. In 1829, he ordered the Buddha Chinnasri – a 900-year-old Sukhothai Buddha statue from
Pitsanulok – to be floated along the river and placed at the Bowonniwet Temple.
His funeral procession was held 2 April 1833, with cremation set for seven days later. The king, through the
Phraklang, invited US diplomat
Edmund Roberts and party to witness the procession, which Roberts describes in journal. Roberts notes that one of the sons of the wang-na watches at the temple, near the funeral pile, night and day, till the body is consumed; the ashes of the consumed body are then thrown into the river with many ceremonies; and the unconsumed bones are then delivered to the priests, and made into household gods.
(Roberts refers to
Buddhist monks as "Talapoy," from
Portuguese ''talapão'' from
Burmese ''tala poi'' our lord.)
References
Wat Borworn Sathan Sutthawat
, -
{{Authority control
18th-century Chakri dynasty
19th-century Chakri dynasty
Front Palaces
Thai male Phra Ong Chao
1785 births
1832 deaths
Sons of kings
Heirs presumptive