Reign of King Süa (1703-1709)
1705 - King Süa began excavating the first major canal in recorded history - the Khlong Khok (Ma)Kham (later renamed Khlong Maha Chai) to connect the Chao Phraya and Tha Chin Rivers. Dug initially for transport purposes, the Khlong Chuam Maenam would play an important role in enabling Siamese troops to repel Burmese invaders after Bangkok was established as the capital in 1782. Starting in 1705, it was dug in two parts. The first, called Khlong Phra Phuttha Chao Luang, extended from the Chao Phraya River to Khlong Khok Kham. The second section, called Maha Chai Cholamak, ran 13.6 kilometres from Khlong Khok Kham to the Tha Chin River. The excavation work remained unfinished after he died in 1709 AD. [Reference: The Chao Phya, River in Transition - Steve Van Beeck (1995) - page 40/41.]
Reign of King Phumintharacha, aka Thai Sa (1709-1733)
1715 - Death of Queen Yotha Thep, daughter and queen of King Narai (reign 1656-1688), consort of Phetracha (reign 1688-1703) and King Süa (reign 1703-1709) at the age of 55. [Ref: Turpin, M. (1771) - History of the Kingdom of Siam - American Presby. Mission Press, Bangkok, 1908 - p. 111.]
1721 - King Phumintharacha pushed forward to finish the digging of the Khok (Ma)kham Canal. The remaining part was dug 3 meters deep and 16 meters wide in over two months by 30,000 conscripted men. A foreign engineer was employed to survey the entire route to ensure that it ran straight. The canal was later renamed Khlong Maha Chai. The canal eased the passage from the Chao Phraya to the mouth of the Tha Chin at the Gulf of Thailand. [Reference: The Chao Phya, River in Transition - Steve Van Beeck (1995) - page 40/41.]
1722 - The fifth Khlong Lat (shortcut) on the Chao Phraya River was dug in 1722. Khlong Lat Kret Noi in the town of Pak Kret was dug, reducing the journey from 6 Km to 2 Km. The sixth Khlong Lat was below Bangkok at Ratburana, just south of Khlong Toey. A 600-metre-long canal called Khlong Pak Lat was cut across a narrow neck, effectively cutting 19 kilometres from the journey. Unfortunately, because the Chao Phya is tide-affected, the canal introduced saline water into the upper river, damaging marine and river-bank life. (A dam would be built across its mouth in 1784 to halt saltwater intrusion. Today, of the six Khlong lat, only this one has failed to become the river's main channel.) [Reference: The Chao Phya, River in Transition - Steve Van Beeck (1995) - page 39.]
1727 - Mueang Chiang Mai rebelled against the Burmese in the year 1727. The Burmese could not suppress the rebellion, and Lan Na became independent again from Burma. [Reference: Rajanubhab, Damrong (Prince) - Our Wars with the Burmese (1917) - White Lotus, Bangkok (2000).]
Reign of King Borommakot (1733-1758)
1752 - A Siamese ambassador escorted a delegation of Siamese monks to Sri Lanka. [Reference: The Chao Phya, River in Transition - Steve Van Beeck (1995) - Oxford University Press, New York.]
1753 - In 1753, King Kirti Sri Rajasinha of Sri Lanka (reign 1747 - 1782) sent an ambassador Sri Vaddhana with a second and third ambassador on a Dutch merchant ship to Siam to establish relations and requested for priests be sent to initiate persons into the priesthood so that the Buddhist Doctrine might continue in Sri Lanka. The Siamese king Borommakot responded by sending Phra Ubali and Phra Ariyamuni, two high priests, with twelve priests, to Ceylon with the returning Sinhalese Ambassadors. [Ref: Frankfurther (1907) - Siamese Missions to Ceylon in the 18th century - Journal of the Siam Society Vol 4.1.]
1755 - Chaofa Thammathibet Chaichet Siriyawong (Chaofa Kroma Khun Senaphithak), the eldest son of King Borommakot, who was appointed as Upparat, was flogged to death for his affair with two of Borommakot's concubines being Chaofa Sangwan, the King’s third queen and granddaughter of King Petracha and Chaofa Nim, the King’s first concubine. All three died of their punishment and were buried at Wat Chai Watthanaram. The foundations of the three chedis can still be seen on the northern side. [Reference: Cushman, Richard D. - The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya (2006) - page 445-7 / Source: Phan Canthanumat, British Museum, Reverend Phonnarat & Royal Autograph - Princely Insubordination.]
1757 – King Borommakot appoints Prince Phon Phinit, aka Uthumphon, as Upparat instead of his elder brother Prince Anurak Montri. The latter is obliged to ordain at the Lamut Monastery. [Reference: Cushman, Richard D. - The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya (2006) - page 458-9 / Source: Phan Canthanumat, British Museum, Reverend Phonnarat & Royal Autograph - Appointment of a New Heir Apparent.]
29 April 1758 - Death of King Borommakot. [Reference: Dutch East India Company merchants at the court of Ayutthaya - Bhawan Rangsilp - page 203.]
After the death of King Borommakot, a revolt by the half-brothers of the Upparat Phon Phinit (Uthumphon) was brewing and in agreement with his older brother Anurak Montri (Ekathat), all three half-brothers were executed at the Special Treasury and buried at Wat Khok Phraya. [Reference: Cushman, Richard D. - The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya (2006) - page 465 / Source: Phan Canthanumat, British Museum, Reverend Phonnarat & Royal Autograph - Appointment of a New Heir Apparent.]
