Singhanavati

The ancient Lanna society of the northern Thailand is considered more progressive than societies in other regions of the same period in that the Lanna people recorded their history and social development. Records concerning cities in the Chiangmai and Chiangrai Basin have proved well-grounded. A large number of stone tools were excavated in this area. There were settlements in this region supported by Thai north chronicle and the record of Yonok-nagabundhu, which is about people migrating to settle in this region.

Location of Sinhanavati Kingdom

Sinhanavati Kingdom seated on a river named "Kok", which descends from the mountain in Fang District (Chiangmai), and run into the Kong River at the east of Chiangsaen District (Chiangrai, Shown as No.8 on the map), from which city is about 3 Km. distant. This city submerged to Chiangsaen Lake due to the earthquake.
The city is located in Chiangrai Basin, northern Thailand where archaeological evidence such as ancient community sites, religious sanctuaries and artifacts has been found there. Fifteen ruins of ancient city have been found in many parts of Chiangrai.

Kururath-Indrapath Kingdom

Due to the disaster, Samantaraja of Pataliputra obliged all his people to follow him to the region of Bodhisaanluang. He built the city of Indrapath which surrounded with stone wall. His daughter married Kuruvamsa, the grandson of Samantaraja’s minister, who built the nearby city of Kururath.
When the king of Bodhisaanluang knew the new settlements in his territory, he declared the war against these new settlements but eventually he defeated.
Kuruvamsa began to reign and promoted both cities, Kururath–Indrapath as the capital of the new kingdom. Three other kings succeeded him,
Sirivamsa
Indravamsa and
Indrapathom. [The north chronicle.]

Umongasela city

The royal counselor of King Indrapathom, Aya-Uparaja, who was also the king’s uncle and father in law, had resigned from his position. King Indrapathom assigned Bahira-Brahmin to be his new royal counselor.
Afterword Bahirabrahmin was dishonest, so he was banished from the capital. Then he went to ask for the help from Suvarnamugadavaan of Suvarnagomgum City, who let him come to build the new city at the source of Kok River named the city of Umongasela. [The north chronicle.]

Suvarnagomgum city

Aya-Uparaja resigned and came to the new city which he had built. This city is at a distant of 3-month journey along Kong River from Bodhisaanluang City. The next ruler, Suvarnamugadavaan, the 7^th grandson of Ayauparaja, was assigned by King Indrapathom to rule this city. Later he named it the city of Suvarnagomgum. [The north chronicle.] Later this city was ruled by Kom-dum, the Khmer ruler who was corrupted, therefore this city was resisted by the local. And due to the flood, Suvarnagomgum submerged in Kok River, where now be known as Wieng-Prueksha. The survivors evacuated to Umongasela City and this district had been abandoned since then. [Thai chronicle, chapter 72, The legend of Suvarnagomgum.]

Singhanavati kingdom

Around 757 A.D., Khun Saiphong, one of the sons of Khun Borom of Tai-desa, obliged his people to follow him from the northern Myanmar across the Salawin River to this region. The word “Khun” in his name suggests his status as leader of the group. After his period, there was no successor therefore his uncle, Sinhanavati came and built the city of Nagabundhu-Singhanavatinagorn due to the support of Naga in 773. The new city located near to the submerged Suvarnagomgum City, forty-five other kings succeeded him.
Singhanavati Kingdom subjugated Umongasela City which was then ruled by the Khmer and other nearby states to extend the territory. However it sometimes defeated but eventually restored the independence. For example, in the reign of Pra-ong Pung, he removed his royal seat to the nearby city of Paan-gum, a city seated on Sai River (Chiangrai northernmost district).
The last king of Singhanavati Kingdom was named Phramahajaijana. In his reign Singhanavatinagorn submerged in the Chiangsaen Lake due to the earthquake. [The chronicle of Yonok-nagabundhu]

The survivors went east to inhabit in Wieng–Prueksha led by Khun Lung. For 93 years they had selected the ruler among the 14 leaders of each village to rule this region. After this period, the record mentions the development of high land communities, led by Lavachakaraj. [The chronicle of Hiranyanagorn-ngernyang] And later it was the beginning of Lanna Kingdom until Chiangmai City had been founded at the end of 13^th century. [The chronicle of Chiang Mai]

M. de la Loubere’s record

References to M. de la Loubere’s record, the first King was named Pathomsuriyadhep (Singhanavati). The chief place where he kept his Court was called Jayaprakaan Mahanagorn (Nagabundhu-Singhanavatinagorn, Chiangrai Province), and he began to reign An. 1300. Ten other kings succeeded him, the last of which named Dipayasoondorndhep, removed his royal seat to the city of Dhatu Nagornluang (Nan) which he had built, the situation of which is also unknown to me. The 22^th king after him, whose name was Boromjayasiri, obliged all his people in 1731 (1188 A.D.) to follow him to Nakhon Thai (Pitshanulok). But this Prince resided not always at Nakhon Thai, for he came and built, and inhabited the city of Pipeli (Petchaburi). Four other kings succeeded him; of which Ramadhiboti, the last of the four, began to build the city of Thailand (Ayudhya) in 1894 (1351 A.D.), and there established his Court. [M. de la Loubere, “A New Historical Relation of the Kingdom of Siam London.”, Chapter 3-Concerning the History and Origin of the Siamese, p.8.]

References