Page 60 - A History of Siam

A HISTORT OF SIAM
58
"
King of Pegu, with the title of Prachao Sen Mttang
Min."
Prince Damrong fixes the date of King Ramk'amheng's
death in the If this he
(about) year 1317. is correct,
died in the same as his friend of
year King Mengrai
Chiengmai, who also departed this life in 1317, after
reigning for 59 years. The old Prince Ngam Muang of
P'ayao lived on until 1328. He reigned for sixty years.
Ten after his death ceased to be an
years P'ayao
independent State, and was annexed to Chiengmai (1338).
King Ramk'amheng was succeeded by his son, who
bore the title of Loet'ai.
Not much is known concerning King Loet'ai, Like
so many of the sons of the great warriors of whom we
read in he was unable to defend his father's
history, utterly
hard-won had he ascended the
possessions. Scarcely
throne when the King of Pegu threw off his allegiance and
attacked and captured Tavoy and Tenasserim ; and an
made Loet'ai in to recover those
attempt by King 1330
cities met with no success. 1
In Siam itself, moreover, a rival power had sprung up,
which was destined to obtain, in time, dominion over the
whole Kingdom. This was the Principality of Suwanp'-
umi, or Ut'ong, ruled over by an energetic Prince who
was descended from the Chiengsen Princes, and was
a distant relative of Before the
probably King Mengrai.
end of King Loet'ai's reign, the Prince of Ut'ong had
annexed a of the dominions of the Suk'ot'ai
large portion
Kingdom. Parts of the Cambodian Empire, moreover,
which had never been conquered, even by King Ram-
were annexed the Prince of includ-
k'amheng, by Ut'ong,
ing Lopburi, the old city of Ayodhya, and Chantabun.
*The Burmese annals relate that Tavoy and Tenasserim were retaken by
Siam. This was probably the work of King Rama T'ibodi of Ayut'ia.
Near the modem town of Sup* an.