Page 187 - A History of Siam

A HISTORT OF SIAM
179
infant Princes to be executed. In
1635 a blind Prince,
who had for some time been an of
previously object
was into a with a and
suspicion, inveigled dispute soldier,
punished with death. 1
An which was undertaken in
expedition 1632 against
rebellious Patani was unsuccessful. The Patanese
repulsed the Siamese and inflicted several severe defeats
upon them. According to Dutch witnesses this was due
to the methods of the Siamese but the
bungling General,
blame was thrown on the Dutch, who had been expected
to assist with two which never turned
ships, up.
,In 1634 a more serious attempt was made to subdue
Patani. An of over men was raised at
army 30,000
and was sent under the command of
Ayut'ia, P'y*
to Nak'on a
P'rak'lang Srit'ammarat, accompanied by
great many elephants, ponies, guns and ammunition.
There were to be other sent sea.
they joined by troops, by
and by armies to be raised in the Peninsula. The tota,
force available was estimated at between and
50,000
60,000 men. The Dutch again promised to assist with
six vessels. The few at
large Japanese remaining
Ayut'ia were also ordered to take part in this expedition.
Owing to gross mismanagement, this campaign, like
the first, was an utter failure. Instead of waiting for the
Dutch the Siamese attacked Patani, and were
fleet,
repulsed with severe losses. Their provisions then ran
and returned to
short, they Singora. The Dutch fleet,
on found that the Siamese had
reaching Patani,
departed.
1 Van VUet says that he was
The identity of this blind Prince is doubtful.
"
a son of the Grand Roy," and had had his eyesight injured by fire under orders
from King Naresuen, as a consequence of which he had renounced his claim to
the throne. As King Naresuen died in 1605, this Prince can hardly have been
It is possible that he was an
a son of King Songt'am, who was born about 1590.
elder brother of King Songt'am, who had been intended to succeed King Ekat'-
"
otsarot, and that he is the person referred to in the P'ongsawodan as King
Saowap'ak." (See Note to p. 160.) Saowap'ak is stated to have been blind in
one eye.