Page 273 - A History of Siam

A HISTORT OF SIAM
257
he
candidate for the throne of Siam ; had, however,
no or administrative and
military ability, throughout
his career was nothing more than a mere plotter and
He was better out of the
intriguer. way.
Taksin now to restore order and
King began pros-
in his dominions. His was no task. The
perity easy
had not been attended to for several
crops properly
and at the end of the were
years, 1768 scanty supplies
further diminished by a plague of rats. A huge rat-
catching campaign had to be undertaken, and at the
same time the starving people had to be fed. Money
was poured out without stint to obtain supplies from
abroad, and people soon began to see that a usurper,
who was of them in an was
capable helping emergency,
better than a ruler of Royal descent who wasted his time
in folly and idleness. Abuses were reformed, the safety
of persons and property was restored, and malefactors
were with the
punished greatest severity.
Early in 1769 the King of Cambodia, Rama T'ibodi,
was from his his aided
expelled Kingdom by brother, by
a Cochin-Chinese army. King Rama T'ibodi fled to
and his brother assumed the title of
Bangkok, King
Narai Taksin this a suitable
Raja. King thought oppor-
for the ancient of Siam over
tunity asserting rights
Cambodia. He therefore demanded from the new
ruler the usual tribute, in the form of gold and silver
trees. King Narai returned a haughty answer, declining
to send tribute to the son of a low-born Chinese. King
Taksin was just getting ready to march against Nak'on
Srit'ammarat, but this insult was more than he could
brook. Siemrap and Battambang were promptly occupied
by two armies which had been stationed at K'orat, and
orders were given to hold those two towns until the
return of the army sent to Nak'on Srit'ammarat. If the
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