King Taksin the Great—Rayong Town, Rayong Province, Thailand.
Posted by: 
Ianatlarge
N 12° 40.770 E 101° 16.938
47P E 747869 N 1402777
A statue, and shrine, to the memory of King Taksin, who repelled the Burmese from Thailand.
Waymark Code: WM99C1
Location: Thailand
Date Posted: 07/17/2010
Views: 1
King Taksin (b. 1734. reign 1768-1782) came to power after the Burmese had destroyed the capital city of the Kingdom of Siam (as Thailand was named at that time) Ayutthaya (1767), and occupied the northern portions of the country. Over the course of his reign he fought against and expelled the Burmese, restored the culture and economy of the country, as well as expanding the kingdom to include large parts of modern Cambodia and Laos.
Prior to these achievements in 1766 Taksin withdrew withdrew to the town of Rayong, in the unoccupied eastern region of the Kingdom, to build his army and to plan the re-taking of Siam from the Burmese. As such, his memory is revered in this region of Thailand.
This statue of the king is housed inside a partially open shrine, which also contains various artefacts of the his reign. The statue itself is lifesized, gold in colour, and rests atop a plinth ~1m high. It depicts the King sitting, with his sword across his knees. This is the usual fashion in which the King is depicted. Outside the Shrine is a statue of the King's war elephant, next to a tree. According to local legend, Taksin's elephant was stabled under a Parkia tree in front of the shrine. This is apparently the same tree.
The Shrine is in the grounds of Wat Lum Mahachai Chumpon, on Taksin Road, near the centre of the town. Entry is free and unrestricted, though a donation is always welcome. The statue and Shrine are both excellent examples of craftsmanship.
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