Page 183 - A History of Siam

A HISTORT OF SIAM
175
Kalahom, and accused him of having poisoned King
a true accusation.
Songt'am very probably P'ya
Kamp'engram, who was supposed to have designs upon
the throne, was also executed not long after.
Having thus got rid of the King and of P'ya Kamp'eng-
ram, P'ya Kalahom was disgusted to find the steps to the
throne barred by his accomplice Yamada. The wily
Japanese had supported the claims of P'ya Kamp'engram
to the throne, and had when his
displayed great grief
nominee was executed. He now insisted
upon setting
up as King the little Prince At'ityawong, a younger son
of ten.
King Songt'am, aged only
P'ya Kalahom determined to get Yamada out of the
The Governor of Nak'on Srit'ammarat was
way.
accused of rebellion, and Yamada and his Japanese were
sent down to subdue him. Yamada was at the same time
authorised to assume the of Governor of Nak'on
position
Srit'ammarat. He was
speedily successful, and, happy
in his new as ruler of a
position semi-independent
was for the time to refrain from
province, content, being,
with the ambitious of Kalahom.
interfering designs P'ya
The " bottled " first caused himself to be
spider
crowned as and the to
Regent, compelled young King
enter a whence he
monastery, was, however, quickly
removed in order to be clubbed to death, after a reign of
little more than a month. 1 The
poor boy piteously
denounced the of the man who had set him on a
cruelty
throne to him of his life ; but there was no
only deprive
mercy to be expected from a monster who
but his own ambition.
P'ya Kalahom now became King,
T
as Prasat the
history King T'ong Kij^p^fhe Golden S
1 to Siamese history, At'ityawong was
According
Van
after a rebellion in which he was implicated.
eye-witness, must be believed on this point.