Page 279 - A History of Siam

A BISTORT OF SIAM 263

be a centre of anti-Burmese The Governor
feeling.
of that Chao Fa the Burmese
city, Jai Keo,* appointed by
in was under and was retained as a
1764, suspicion,
hostage in Chiengmai. His son, Chao Kawila, the
acting Governor, was known to be pro-Siamese. King
Taksin was therefore emboldened to with his
proceed
enterprise.
Hardly had the Siamese advance guard, under Chao
P'ya Chakri, crossed the frontier, when P'ya Chaban,
who had been sent to Miiang Hawt at the head of a
mixed Burmese and Lao force, caused all his Burmese
and to the Siamese.
proceeded join
followers to be killed,
Chao Kawila of Lampang followed suit by ordering
a massacre of all the Burmese in his and
city, throwing
open the gates to the Siamese army. Such of the
Burmese as could bore the news to
escape Chiengmai ;
the Burmese Governor of Chiengmai, Bo Mayu Nguan,
retaliated Chao Fa the arch-rebel's
by casting Jai Keo,
father, into prison.
^e Burmese had been with
By January 1775 driven,
from their near and
great slaughter, camp Lamp'un,
the armies of King Taksin were, for the second time,
The himself was
besieging Chiengmai. King quickly
on the and ordered a attack on side.
spot, general every
Bo Mayu Nguan and Bo Supla, with the greater part of
the Burmese fled the White
garrison, through Elephant
Gate. They were pursued, but managed to make good
their Taksin entered in state
escape. King Chiengmai
on the 1 6th of amidst
January, 1775, general rejoicing.
The man of all was Chao who had
happiest Kawila,
the satisfaction of his old
releasing father, given up
for dead.
1
Chao Fa Jai Keo was the ancestor of the present hereditary Chiefs of Chieng
mai, Laxnpang, and Lamp'un.