Visiting Phetchabun, you will see Pho Khun (King) Phamuang's monument at a junction of the same name in Lomsak County. He was a great king whose bravery and whose sacrifices for the country are still highly praised among Phetchabun people. Phetchabun is believed to be the site where Rad Town, the capital of Pho Khun Phamuang, was situated over seven hundred years ago. His biography is summarized here.

Who was he?
Pho Khun Phamuang (lived around the 12th Century) was a trusted confidant of Pho Khun Si Inthrathit, the first founding king of the Sukhothai Kingdom (former Thailand), who reigned from about 1219 to an unknown year. Pho Khun Phamuang was also a brother- in-law of Pho Khun Si Inthrathit because his sister, Nang Sueang, married Pho Khun Si Inthrathit upon his enthronement. Nang Sueang, afterwards, became the mother of a great king of Thailand, Pho Khun Ram Khamhaeng the great. (1279-1299). Now let's get back to Pho Khun Phamuang's story.

Yonok-Chiang Saen Kingdom: Pho Khun Phamuang's Motherland
Pho Khun Phamuang was a descendant of Phaya Singhanawat who founded the Yonok-Chiang Saen Kingdom in A.D. 574. The Yonok-Chiang Saen Kingdom's boundaries were as follows: north -- today's Nan, south -- Nakhon Sawan and west -- the Salween River. In the early 11th century, Yonok-Chiang Saen fell under Khmer control due to weak kings. Thanks to Prince Phrom, a brave and capable warrior who was a son of King Phangkharaj (the 43rd king of Chiang Saen), the kingdom enjoyed its independence again. Prince Phrom had his father King Phangkharaj return to the throne while he established the city of Fang (a county in Chiang Mai Province) for himself to rule and named it Chaiprakan.

King Phrom died at the age of 79 in 1177, having ruled Chaiprakan for 59 years. His son, Chaisiri ascended the throne. After 11 years' rule, King Chaisiri confronted with a large Burmese army that invaded his city. Unable to resist it, he led his people towards the south.

Prince Phamuang and his elders followed King Chaisiri to settle down in the area of today's Sukhothai. Their community had no leader and lacked an army, so the people were under the influence of the Khmers again. Later, Pho Khun Si Naonamthom, who was another son of King Phrom, born to a different mother from King Chaisiri, rallied a force to drive away the Khmers and established his independent town called Sukhothai in 1219.

Pho Khun Si Naonamthom had two sons, Pho Khun Phamuang and Phrakhamhaeng Phraram, and one daughter, Nang Sueang. Prince Phamuang was known to be courageous and good at fighting and to have a powerful army.

Pho Khun Phamuang, a selfless warrior of Rad Town
Pho Khun Phamuang planned to besiege Doet, an important Khmer town located in present-day Lomsak County of Phetchabun Province on the Pasak river bank to prevent it from attacking Sukhothai.

Pho Khun Phamuang succeeded in his mission. The Khmers fled to the east. Pho Khun Phamuang and his army went after the enemy to make sure that they would not return. Then he came back to Doet and set it up as his own. However, the town was frequently flooded. So, the king moved his people to a new site that was named Rad Town.

When King Chaiworaman VII of the Khmers learned about the siege of Doet, he prepared to form a good relationship with Pho Khun Phamuang by sending his daughter named Singkhon Mahathewi to be the wife of Pho Khun Phamuang. Together, a double-edged knife and a Buddha image were given to Pho Khun Phamuang. The knife signified that the holder has all the rights possessed by the Khmer king. Despite such an alluring prestige, Pho Khun Phamuang was not misled.

According to the local chronicle, Pho Khun Phamuang had a Thai queen called Naowarong Thewi prior to his marriage with Singkhon Mahathewi. And she was the most beloved as she had fought side by side with Pho Khun Phamuang in the battle to drive the Khmers out of the Sukhothai Kingdom after the death of Pho Khun Si Naonamthom.

After the death of Pho Khun Si Naonamthom, the Khmers attacked Sukhothai and the kingdom was once again under the Khmer influence. Pho Khun Phamuang and his buddy Pho Khun Bang Klangthao planned to expel the Khmers out of Sukhothai and the mission was accomplished. Pho Khun Phamuang let his friend ascend the throne, had his sister, Nang Sueang, marry Pho Khun Bang Klangthao and bestowed a new name, Si Inthrathit to Pho Khun Bang Klangthao.

According to the chronicle, in the battle, Pho Khun Phamuang was the leader who expelled the Khmers out of Sukhothai. So why did not he become king himself? The local history mentioned that Pho Khun Phamuang was determined not to become king due to his Khmer wife who would possibly cause troubles later. He emphasized that the founder of the new dynasty should be of pure Thai blood. He, then went back to Rad Town only to meet the destructive rage of Queen Singkhon Mahathewi. The queen was very angry that Pho Khun Phamuang betrayed her by fighting her father (King Chaiworaman VII) and that Pho Khun Phamuang did not become king of Sukhothai himself. Her fury was so severe that she set fire to Rad Town and drowned herself in the Pasak River.

Pho Khun Phamuang, after the cremation of his queen, went northwards with his Thai wife, Queen Naowarong Thewi. His story ended here. However, some records mentioned that he appeared again in Chiang Saen where he lived to the age of 40 and passed away.