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1782,
Apr 20 - Chao Phaya Chakri is crowned under the royal title
of King Rama I, marking the beginning of the Chakri Dynasty
which still exists today. One of Rama I's first major decisions
concerned the layout of his capital. In short form, it
is often said that Rama I founded Bangkok as his capital while
before the capital has been Thonburi. However, in this
abbreviated form, history is summarized not very accurately.
First of all, Bangkok was not really founded by Rama I. It had
been a settled area for several hundred years already
and it had even been well-known to European merchants
who commonly stopped over at Bangkok on their way to Ayutthaya.
Second, the sharp demarcation between Thonburi and Bangkok is
not justified. While European merchants stuck to the
name of Bangkok for their place of stopover, the community left
and right of the Chao Phaya river was known to the Siamese
as the town of Thonburi, having been elevated from the village
status of Bangkok. Thonburi was chosen by King Taksin
as his capital. And while it is true that King Taksin had erected
his palace and all major buildings on the right bank
of the Chao Phaya river, the city of Thonburi encompassed settled
areas on both banks. King Taksin's rationale had been
to have the river flowing through the capital as he feared
another Burmese attack and in that case wanted to have an easy
escape option. This option was maintained by having the
river flowing through not just alongside the capital. His idea
was that he could embark his people and troops rather unnoticed
and then make a get-away on the Chao Phaya. His destination
would have been his old stronghold of Chantaburi on the
east coast, close to what is now Cambodia. On the other hand,
when Chao Phaya Chakri became King of Siam, the Burmese
threat was by far not as eminent any more; Siam was again a
strong power, on equal footing with the Burmese. Rama
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