The Legend of King Naresuan: The Series

The television series concerns the childhood of King Naresuan. Born in 1555, he was taken to Burma as a child hostage; there he became acquainted with sword fighting and became a threat to the Burmese empire.

The television series begins in 1564, during the Burmese siege of Phitsanulok, the center of the languishing Sukhothai kingdom. Naresuan's father, Maha Thammarachathirat, admits defeat and follows Burmese orders that his two sons, Naresuan (nicknamed Ong Dam Thai: องค์ดำ Black Prince) and Ekathotsarot (the White Prince Thai: องค์ขาว), be taken hostage and be raised in Pegu (the center of the Hanthawadi kingdom) under the watchful eyes of Bayinnaung, the Burmese king, who promises to care for Naresuan like one of his own. This creates a rift between Naresuan's father and his mother, Queen Wisutkasat, whose brother is the king of the neighbouring Ayutthaya kingdom, as Phitsanulok is now a Burmese vassal state. Ayutthaya falls soon after.

Immediately after entering the Burmese palace, Naresuan sees the palace politics and rivalries between himself and Bayinnaung's grandson, Mingyi Swa. Naresuan is sent to be educated as a novice monk, by an ethnic Mon Buddhist monk named Khanchong, at a Buddhist monastery outside the palace. There, while wandering the Thai village outside Pegu (made up of Thais displaced by Bayinnaung's expansionist campaigns and subsequently forced relocations to Hanthawadi), he befriends Bunthing, a Thai street child who is later allowed to work as a temple boy. He also befriends Maneechan, a temple girl at the monastery. The monk Khanchong, who had also trained Bayinnaung, teaches Naresuan the skills of war and ethics.

Bayinnaung dies in the beginning of the film from natural causes. Thammaracha, the governor-king of Ayutthaya, believes it is important that he go and pay respect to the dead king out of fear that the new Burmese king Nanda Bayin would deem it as an insult and attack Ayutthaya. Prince Naresuan, however, having been raised in Pegu (the kingdom of Hanthawadi) and who regards Bayinnaung as a second father, convinces Thammaracha to let him go in his place.

Upon arriving in Hanthawadi (Hongsawadi in Thai), Naresuan's childhood teacher, a Buddhist monk named Khan Chong, informs him about the dangers that king Nanda and many factions in Burma are plotting his assassination. At King Bayinnaung's funeral, all representatives from vassal kingdoms are present besides for one, the Krang kingdom. King Nanda sees it as disrespect and seizes the opportunity to wage war and siege the mountaintop city. Naresuan's Ayutthaya army is successful in taking the mountaintop city and proves itself superior to the rival Burmese armies, namely of the Lord of Pyay and of Mingyi Swa (the eldest son of Nandabayin). Burmese rivals felt even more threatened by the strength and wits of Naresuan's army. During the battle, Naresuan's friend, Bunthing, now a highly skilled general under Naresuan, falls for the princess of Krang, who becomes his companion.

A plot is uncovered by Naresuan's childhood friends, two Mon rulers, that the Burmese are in fact planning the assassination of Naresuan. Upon finding out, Naresuan executes the plotters and ceremoniously declares Ayutthaya free and sovereign from Hanthawadi. King Nanda and his Burmese are furious and begin a military campaign to capture and kill king Naresuan before his forces and liberated Siamese subjects can reach the Sittaung River. King Naresuan uses the strategy of a fighting retreat. His forces built a wooden bridge across the river and engage the pursuing Burmese army as they follow. Several battles took place during the crossing. However, as the Burmese forces catch up, the Siamese citizens and forces have already crossed to the other bank.

The Burmese, determined to defeat the Siamese, try to pursue Naresuan's forces by crossing the river. The king is then approached by his revered Buddhist teacher, Mon monk Khanchong. Here, he is given a special musket, which is capable of firing across the river. According to history, the movie portrays king Naresuan firing the musket across the Sittaung River, and with one strike, killing the general of the Burmese army. With the general dead, Burmese forces retreated back to Hanthawadi. King Naresuan and his now independent Siamese forces head back to Ayutthaya and the king declares ; "It's not over yet, there is more work for us to do!"

In 1584 at Kraeng, King Naresuan continues the war for independence of the Kingdom of Ayutthaya (Thai : อาณาจักรอยุธยา). The war began because King Nandabayin king of the Burmese Kingdom(Thai : อาณาจักรพม่า)had secretly determined to fight a war by sending two armies to attack King Naresuan. The first army is that of Lord Pathein which passes through the Three Pagodas Pass(Thai : ด่านเจดีย์สามองค์). The second army is that of the King Nawrahta Minsaw (Thai: นรธาเมงสอ) of Lanna (Chiangmai) which attacks from the north of the Kingdom of Ayutthaya. The Lanna army halts and builds a camp at Ban Sra Ket (Thai: บ้านสระเกศ). While two armies are preparing for continuing the war with Ayutthaya.

While Naresuan prepares for the war, he realizes that the soldiers in the army of Ayutthaya are outnumbered by the two armies of Burma, so he decides to fight with each army separately before the two armies come together. First he fights with army of Lord Pathein west of Ayutthaya and he wins this first battle. Then he fights with the army north of Ayutthaya. After a hard fought battle, King Naresun defeats the army of King Noratra Mangsosri of Lanna (Chiangmai). After King Nandabayin finish war with Inn wa (Thai: อังวะ), he back to war with Ayuthaya. Finally, King Naresuan can keep independent of Ayuthaya.[1]

Even with the movie King Naresuan is released, but Chalermchatri Yukol has started the television series. Historical series. "legend of King Naresuan the Great" to broadcast the MONO29 to work out in honor. And perfect And do it yourself every step.

In the production of this TV series, there are over 130 crews but not theatrical filming. But using filmmaking. The filming time is the same as filming a regular television drama. But more quality. The story is interpreted straight and appropriate. The creation of this television drama is to make honor. And with more historical accuracy. As a result, Chalermchartree Yukol participated in the production of the film King Naresuan, With his father Chatrichalerm Yukol that more than 10 years to create a TV drama, this is the old structure. The film was originally re-created.

"We created a lot of new scenes," Chalermchatri Yukol's said Wang Chan (Thai: วังจันทน์) seen in the movie and in the TV Series It's a different place. We have a new pavilion, we have only one pavilion. Some places are original places, such as the royal palace of King Bayinnaung. There are also many other newly built pagodas. It also uses the traditional structure.[3]

All information in this drama Chalermchatri Yukol has read from Wikipedia or the Internet, and the show's writers. He and Dr. Sunetr Chutintharanon, a historian and Vorayuth Pichai Sorrathat.