Page 236 - A History of Siam

222 A HISTORT OF SIAM
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Christians in the Kingdom and they the most dissolute,
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thievish rascals that were to be found in the
lazy, country/
In 1699 another serious rebellion broke out at K'orat.
It was brought about by a Lao visionary or fanatic named
Bun K'wang. This man had originally only twenty-eight

followers, but his pretensions to possess supernatural
powers so terrorised the Governor and population of
K'orat that he was allowed to set himself up as ruler of
that under the nose of the Governor. That
city very
worthy seems to have been undecided whom he should
fear most, the magician or the King. In the end he
Bun to to but that time
persuaded K'wang go Lopburi, by
the rebel had collected an army of four thousand men.
The King, owing to the superstitious folly of the people
of K'orat, was obliged to send an army to Lopburi.
The of K'orat who had the rebels
people accompanied
now became ashamed of their weakness, and at the
command themselves and ventured
King's pulled together
to the and his
capture magician twenty-eight original
supporters. They were handed over to the Royal army
and were all executed.
In the same was called
year (1699) King P'etraja upon
to interfere in the affairs of Luang P'rabang. That
State had been disturbed for several
greatly years owing
to the claims of various rival Princes to the throne.
a certain Prince P'rachao Wiet had set him-
Finally Ong
self upas KingatWiengchan, and a cousin of his, Prince
Kingkisarat, had seized Luang P'rabang. The latter
prepared to invade Wiengchan, and Prince Ong Wiet
sent to apply to Siam for aid, offering to cement the alliance
by the gift of his beautiful daughter. A Siamese army
was at once sent to his aid, but no fighting was needed,
for the Prince of the
Luang P'rabang, realising futility
of the combined armies of and
attacking Wiengchan