Somdet Chaophraya Borom Maha Sri Suriwongse

Somdet Chaophraya Borom Maha Sri Suriwongse (Thai: สมเด็จเจ้าพระยาบรมมหาศรีสุริยวงศ์, RTGS: ... Si Suriwong, IPA: [sǒm.dèt t͡ɕâːw.pʰrá.jaː bɔː.rom má.hǎ: sǐː sù.rí.woŋ]; also spelled Suriyawong, etc.

Chuang was a member of Bunnag family who had descended from Sheikh Ahmad, the Persian[1] minister of King Prasat Thong.

In 1818, the Grand Palace expanded south and Bunnags moved to their new residence on the West bank of Chao Phraya River in modern Thonburi District.

In Siamese–Vietnamese War (1841–1845), King Rama III commissioned Prince Isaret Rangsan and Chuang Bunnag to bring five Siamese rigged warships to attack Hà Tiên in January 1842.

Prince Isaret Rangsan stayed at Phú Quốc and Chuang led the assault into Hà Tiên and sent Cambodian regiment to take Cô Tô mountain.

Sri Suriyawongse moved to his new residence in Khlong San District, where he maintained a private dock and continued to engage in shipbuilding.

Sri Suriyawongse was officially invested as Samuha Kalahom the Prime Minister of Southern Siam and became de facto in charge of Siamese foreign affairs.

The free trades and extraterritoriality was granted to the United States (Harris) in May 1856 and France (Montigny) in August 1856, all of which Sri Suriyawongse and Prince Wongsa Dhiraj Snid played leading roles.

In 1860, King Mongkut ordered Sri Suriyawongse to lead the construction of Phra Nakhon Khiri at Phetchaburi to be a detached palace.

Gabriel Aubaret arrived at Bangkok in April 1864 to be the French consul and started negotiation with Sri Suriyawongse about French-Siamese border proclamations.

The council affirmed that Prince Chulalongkorn, who was fifteen years old, would succeed the throne and Sri Suriyawongse was to be appointed Regent during the minority of the new king.

However, Sri Suriyawongse wished Vice-King Pinklao's son Prince Wichaichan be appointed as the Front Palace or heir presumptive.

Sri Suriyawongse was succeeded as Samuha Kalahom and as the Commander of Royal Navy by his son Won Bunnag who was made Chao Phraya Surawong Waiyawat in 1869.

[7] At the end of his regency in September 1873 when King Chulalongkorn had reached maturity, Sri Suriyawongse was invested the Somdet Chao Phraya Borom Maha Sri Suriyawongse with honors equal to a prince, the same rank his father had previously received – the highest rank a Siamese noble had ever attained during the Rattanakosin period.

His eldest son Won Bunnag had him transported in a steamboat from Ratchaburi to Bangkok for treatment but Sri Suriyawongse died en route at Amphoe Krathum Baen, Samut Sakhon Province on 19 January 1883, aged 74.

Sri Suriyawongse married Lady Klin Bunnag who was also his half-cousin (her father was Prayurawongse's half brother) and became his main wife.

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John Bowring the governor of Hong Kong arrived at Bangkok and the Bowring Treaty was signed in April 1855, making a huge impact on the Siamese economy .
Damnoen Saduak Canal was constructed by Chao Phraya Sri Suriyawongse in 1866–1868. It hosts the famous Damnoen Saduak Floating Market at Damnoen Saduak District , Ratchaburi Province .
Sri Suriwongse in 1865