Monday, November 24, 2008

The Aphaiwong Family: The Lords of Battambang

Khuang Aphaiwong

23rd November, 2008
By Khmerization
On the web at http://khmerization.blogspot.com

It is a pride to all Cambodians that we have a Khmer who ruled Thailand as the prime minister and he was Khuang Aphaiwong, the man who became the prime minister of Thailand three times from 1944-1948. The following is a brief history of his family lineage. Please have a read:
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The Aphaiwong family has ruled Battambang province for over one hundred years from 1795-1907. The first member of the Aphaiwongs to rule Battambang was Chaufa Ben, a native of Takeo province, who was a powerful military commander under the reign of King Ang Eng. In 1795, with the aid of the Thai army with Chau Ponhea Bodin as a commander, Chaufa Ben declared himself the Lord Governor of Battambang and swore allegiance to the Thai kings. He pays homage to the Thai kings and since then Battambang was put under the suzerainty of Siam. As a reward, he was accorded the title of “Chau Ponhea Apheithipess” which in Thai it is called “Chao Phraya Aphaithebet” or “Aphai”. This title was later adopted as a family name of Ben’s descendants of Aphaiwong, when his descendants moved to live in Thailand, after Battambang was returned to Cambodia in 1907.

When Chau Ponhea Apheitipess Ben died in 1809, his son, Pen, ascended the Lordship of Battambang with the same title of Chau Ponhea Apheitipess. Chau Ponhea Pen ruled Battambang for only seven years and died at a young age and was then succeeded in 1816 by his son, Ros, who ruled Battambang for twenty years. When he died in 1835, Chau Ponhea Ros was succeeded by his son, Nong. There was no record of how long Chau Ponhea Nong ruled Battambang, but there was a record which shows that in 1856 he had ordered his official to buy a Tripitaka scripture from Siam to give to Wat Po Veal temple. When Apheitipess Nong died he was succeeded by his son, Year called Nhonh.

Lord Chhum, The Last Lord Governor of Battambang

Chau Ponhea Nhonh was very close with Chau Ponhea Bodin, the Thai military commander for Battambang. As such, he married his eldest daughter, Neak Mchas Klip, to Bodin’s son named Em Singhaseni. When Ponhea Nhon became old, Mrs. Klip took charge of the provincial affairs. The Thai king was so impressed of her managerial skills and so was preparing to appoint her husband, Em Singhaseni, to succeed Ponhea Nhonh. Chhum, the only son of Ponhea Nhonh, knew of the plan and became jealous and had Em Singhaseni assassinated. And when Ponhea Nhonh died in 1895, Chhum succeeded Ponhea Nhonh as the Lord Governor of Battambang. Chhum ruled Battambang for only 12 years when it was returned back to the control of Cambodia. He and most of his relatives, numbers in the thousands, moved to live in Prachinburi province in Thailand. He was, effectively, the last governor of Battambang.

According to eyewitnesses, when Lord Chhum moved to live in Thailand, he brought with him about 100 cartloads of gold and assets, taxed from Khmer farmers in Battambang.

Khuang Aphaiwong, A Khmer becoming the Prime Minister of Thailand

Lord Chhum, the last governor of Battambang, had more than 40 wives. Among the 40 wives, he had one Thai wife named Rord who bore him a son named Khuang who took the surname of Aphaiwong when his family moved to live in Thailand after Battambang was returned to Cambodia in 1907.

Khuang Aphaiwong was born in Battambang on May 17, 1902 and died on March 15, 1968 in Bangkok, Thailand. He served three times as the prime minister of Thailand.

He attended the Debsirin school and the Assumption College in Bangkok, and studied engineering at the Ecole Centrale de Lyon in France. After his return to Thailand he worked in the telegraph department, finally becoming the director of the department.

Khuang was one of the most important leaders of the 1932 coup that reformed the Thai monarchy from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy.

Khuang received the title as a major, when he joined the guard of King Rama VII, King Prajadipok, in World War II. The Thai king also bestowed upon him the title of Luang Kovit Aphaiwong. He had served as a minister of subsequent Thai governments before elected as prime minister on August 1, 1944. On August 17, 1945, after public pressures, he resigned to make way for a new administration.

In 1946 he was one of the founders of the Democrat Party, and became its first leader. His Democrat Party won the fourth national elections on January 6, 1946, which gained him a second term as prime minister starting on January 31. Only 45 days later, on March 24, his government was censured by a motion in the parliament and he resigned.

On November 10, 1947, he became prime minister a third time following a coup d'état led by Phin Chunhawan. However, the coup leaders were not pleased with the performance of Khuang's government and forced him to resign on April 8, 1948.

The Aphaiwong Legacy

The Aphaiwongs had ruled well and, at times, misruled Battambang, depending on who you talked to. The Aphaiwong family was both loved and hated by many Battambang natives due to their feudal and oppressive rules. Many people who benefited from their rules loved them and cried when the family moved to Thailand, after Battambang was returned to Cambodian control. Many of these people followed the Aphaiwongs to Thailand but were abandoned by them. Most became destitute and decided to moved back to Battambang. Others, those who were oppressed by their oppressive rules, were overjoyed of their departures.//
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References:

1. Tauch Chhuong, Battambang During The Time Of The Lord Governor
2. Wikipedia, Khuang Aphaiwong.
3. Brittanica, Khuang Aphaiwong.

60 comments:

Anonymous said...

Certainly the Aphaiwong family had lived off the sweat and hard labor of the Khmer people for a long time. They made themselves rich by heavily taxing the Khmer farmers and at last took all the gold, money and assets with them to live like kings in Thailand.

Anonymous said...

No. I am not. He was not the first one. They were already the traitors of Cambodia. Same question: how many Khmers would be proud if Hok Lundi became a VN PM?

What's about the Khmer king during this period? Everything seemed to be out of control. No wonder why we gradually lost the land to Thais.

Anonymous said...

Good piece of Khmer History.Thanks.
Pls writing more of it.

Anonymous said...

Yes, very interesting indeed. The current Thai royal family is probably the true royal blood of Cambodia.

Anonymous said...

It is logical and make sense Thai culture is an echo resemblance of the Khmer culture because the current Thai royalty of the Chakri dynasty were descendants of a Khmer commoner from Takeo province (south-west Cambodia)...

Just look at Throne hall of Phra Tinang Amarin Maha Prasat in Bangkok and Throne hall of Preah Tineang Tevea Vinichhai of Phnom Penh!

Anonymous said...

Yes, there are claims that the first Thai king of the present Chakri dynasty, Rama I, was a Khmer commoner named Duong (Ponhea Chakri Duong), a military commander from Kampot, not Takeo. It was said that he killed king Thaksin in around 1782 and declared himself the first king of the Chakri Dynasty called Rama I. There is no documentary evidence to support this claim so the claim cannot be used as historical facts.

Anonymous said...

6:44 AM,

You can find this evidence in khmer royal chronicles or in ERKsa Moha Boros Khmer of Mr. Eng Soth.

Sithan Hin

The translator of the Lord Governor of Battambang and ex-colleague of Mr. Tauch Chhuong at Net Yang High School in Battambang.

Anonymous said...

Real Khmer went to Thailand to enrich our culture over there. Perhaps, we were tired of France and just gave up Cambodia. Thai in contrast was more than open arms to obsorb everything they can from Khmer's cultures.

Anyone remember Preas Nang Tiv? or in Preas Neang Tiv in Khmer?

Preas Neang Tiv was the daugher of one of the Aphaiwongs' son. She was raised by her grandmother, because she was born out of the wedlock. Young Preas Neang Tiv went to Thailand with her grandmother to escape her unhappiness at a very young age of about 14 years old. Her job in Thailand at the time was to help her old grandma arranging flowers for the palace and King. How nice! Not very long after that, to her father's surprise ( Kun Aphaiwong? ), young Tiv became Preas Nang Tiv of Thailand and there she was a Khmer! Yes,a Khmer's daughter from head to toes! Please remember that. So there is a lot of Khmer in Thailand until today. No wonder, we are so much a like, of course and except how we talk.

Any more informations leading to Preas Neang Tiv's life, please tell or publish. Thanks in advance!


This story was writting in memory of our grandparents.

Ordinary Khmers

Anonymous said...

Travel to Vietnam today, see anything different from us in Phnom Pehn? Not really, except language and how some of the vietnameses dress themself. Oh! Oh!, but Still Thailand is so much alike. Many of us can hardly hardly tell.

Anonymous said...

..I concurr with 6:32 that the first Chakri king Rama I was a Khmer Mon from Takeo. In a history book entilted "History of Thailand and Cambodia" M. L. Manich Chhum Sai talked about this subject.

Anonymous said...

Is that mean the current royal family in Cambodia is the fake one? Trasok Pgnam family(Sweet Cucumber.

Anonymous said...

Remember that when the thais sacked Angkor Wat in the 14th centurym they deported 5000 khmers women apsaras plus thousands of khmer artcrafts and skilled labor to their capital. Of course, all these deportees have set the thai culture, alphabet and tradition from the angkor wat khmer. Period.
Thais may have preserved the original khmer culture better than khmers here locally where our fucking kings spent more time dipusting each other for pussies and lands than preserve the national identity for centuries. That's why Thais revendicate the khmer heritage also. It is not an empty claim. AAAHHHHHH if only the French did not establish their protectorate in Cambodia in 1876, it would have been better for this actual country being divided between the yuon and thai on that time, so that the actual khmer habitants here would not live under the actual misery...

Anonymous said...

The current royal family of Cambodia just descent from usurpators... Real kings and real royals take care of the nation and its habitants. The false ones, no. Just see the fact of Cambodia's history in the 20th century. Compare also with the royals of other countries.
What motivated our royals since the fall of Angkor Wat was power and pussies. That s why our empire entered into decadence. And also nowadays we have a gay king, so nevermind our royals...

Anonymous said...

Our country is unique in the world because we have a king and a queen in one person. Two for the price of one, viva Cambodia... (but actually the real king is Hun Sen: should we live in the 17 or 18th, he would have been crowned king...). The law of the strongest...Anyway he deserves it. Better to have Hun Sen as King than the funny ones of nowadays.

Anonymous said...

GAY KING is better, at least compared to the last few hundred years. Khmer lost lands because of women eating kings. So, gay king would allow us to gain the land back.

Anonymous said...

6:04 AM,

If you to know more about Khmer king at that time please find and read:
1-Histoire du Cambodge 16e siecle a la fin du 18e siecle.
2-Royal khmer chronicles
3-Erksa Moha Boros Khmers of Mr.Eng Soth

and enjoy them.

Sithan Hin
The translator of the Lord Governor of Battambang's book.

Anonymous said...

To 7:12 AM,

Yes Nang Tiv was the fifth concubin of king Vichiravuth.

During the publishing for the 2nd edition of Lord Governor of Battambang, Mr. Nuth Naraing and Mr Tauch Chhuong did remove my translation on the chapter of Nang Tiv. But I still have the origal copy of the 1st edition of Tauch Chhuong's book.

Sithan Hin

The translator

Anonymous said...

The temple was build for Khmer on the mountain, not for Ah greedy and desperate monkeys in Cambodia.

Anonymous said...

7:29 AM,

During Thai sacking of Angkor in 1431, Thai took Five statues from Angkor (represented the king Power).

When Burma sacked Ayuthya, Burma took those five statues, and now are in Mondalay. Everybody can go and see them. But Burma could not find the Emerald Buddha. The latter was a gift from Ceyland king to Jayavarman VII. And high monk from Lanka escorted the emerald Buddha and a copy of Tribedaka. His name was Nagasen Moha Thera. This event was inscribed on the dooway of Prasat Wat Nokor in Kampong Cham.

And Cambodia now is on the brink of becoming a STATE OF VIET INDOCHINESE FEDERATION no later than 2030.

Enjoy it all Khmers.

Sithan Hin
The translator of Battambang of LOrd Governor.

Anonymous said...

yep, it was built by the human race called the Khmers for the Khmer people. Khmer people shouldn't on the mountain shouldn't be rule by the albino monkeys in Thailand. That's a messed up world when monkey rule human. Look like planet of the ape!

Anonymous said...

Hi Sithan Hin: do not worry. Ancient Khmers will be back before 2030.

Anonymous said...

Listen up, Ah Pleu-oversea: the temple was build for Khmer on the mountain with the intention for Khmer on the mountain. They did not built it for everyone, otherwise they would had build it in a more accessible area.

Furthermore, when leader, king, or queen built a temple in Sway Rieng, it meant for Khmer in Sway Rieng, and when they build it in Kampot, it meant for Khmer in Kampot,..., nothing had changed since day1. You got that?

Anonymous said...

yes, in deed, the Angkor Empire reunited a lot of little kingdom under different kings and the population was more or less Khmer (kingdoms in Chenla and Funan).
The real khmer constructors of Angkor Wat came from Chenla located south Laos and Preah Vihear, these original khmers has given the birth of Thai Kingdom. The rests of the khmers south of Tonle Sap only the monkeys of the viets. Just look at Phnom Penh and the actual government of Cambodia, most is chinese or viet... Even the actual gay king of Cambodia, he is 25% french, 25% vietnamese (by his mother), 25% chinese and 25% khmer (by his father).
The Thai King is the actual descent of Khmer King. Anyway, khmer people will never succeed to united themselves even those living in overseas, so better choose your camp now: thai or viet, what is less painful? (in deed, we are going now to the vietnamization of Cambodia...)>

Anonymous said...

Dear Mr. Sithan Hin,

Aphaiwong is an unforgettable family from Battambang. We all should know about this great family. Thank you for the news about Nang Tiv or Preas Neang Tiv. We greatly appreciate your attention! Would you also know of their present status in Thailand? Her whole family's history would make an interesting piece for KI and beyond.

Ordinary Khmers

Anonymous said...

You stupididiot above. The Rama I was from Pisnulok, of Chinese blood. Or maybe had some Khmer blood too since the province was Khmer during angkor.

Anonymous said...

Other countries like Europe went through a great darker war worse than Cambodia but their documentation of histories and culture never get lost. This is very interesting. Please keep me inform.

Anonymous said...

So we shouldn't blame Thais for claiming Preah Vihear after all the real Khmer ancestors living over there.

Anonymous said...

they have to speak khmer write khmer ingenius like khmer learn they children they r from khmer they still the traitor of khmer ppls

Anonymous said...

Yeah, but if they speak Khmer they can't get good job in Thailand, Vietnam, France, US, ..., or UK. Get it, motherfucker (2:27)?

Anonymous said...

What you mean they are real Khmer with Documents and Passport of the Khmer Nationality and have Khmer Language in School like in Cambodia.

Anonymous said...

It is not the paper that make you khmer. It is your blood.

At any rate, the temple was built on the mountain that is only accessible for Khmer on the mountain. Therefore, the temple belongs to Khmer on the mountain, no one else regardless of the French Nazi's map or anything else.

Anonymous said...

such a weak, ignorant pretext that wouldn't stand a minute in a court of justice, no wonder the siem robbers are so scared of going back to court. they are still haunted. a race of ignorant robbers.

Anonymous said...

such a weak, ignorant pretext that wouldn't stand a minute in a court of justice, no wonder the siem robbers are so scared of going back to court. they are still haunted. a race of ignorant robbers.

Anonymous said...

Maybe you see Khmer or Cambodian Blood in Cambodia, the US, Canada, Europe & Australia, but not in Thailand.

Anonymous said...

Why not? Khmer in Thailand will speak Thai. Khmer in Vietnam will speak Viet. Khmer in the US will speak English.... . There is no crime in trying to succeed in a foreign countries. Your greedy monkey need to stop dreaming that your are better than everyone else. You are nothing but a losers. You got that?

Anonymous said...

That's why you need your brother Khmer/Thai to come in to Phnom Penh to liberate you out of Bak-YOUN!

We don't to see our brothers control under YOUN anymore.

Khmer/Thai Jeay Den!!

Anonymous said...

For Free?

Anonymous said...

this guy and his family was a traitor, to put it bluntly. khmer people should have burned him alive, back then, to say the least! god bless cambodia.

Anonymous said...

Traitor my arse. Who the hell would want to live with the Pol Pot culture?

Anonymous said...

"It is a pride to all Cambodians that we have a Khmer who ruled Thailand as the prime minister and he was Khuang Aphaiwong, the man who became the prime minister of Thailand three times from 1944-1948. The following is a brief history of his family lineage. "


Son of a Traitor??


I have no pride for any traitor of the Khmer nation.

Anonymous said...

What about this dude called "Luang Kathathon?" Wasn't he one of the bad azzes who suppressed the Khmer people as well?

Anonymous said...

actually, traitor was bornt because they dislike or disagree with the homemother land's political concept or way. regardless, once khmer will always be khmer in origin. that said, i hope this aphaiwong family will never forget that they were khmer people in origin. just because they did not like the khmer policy of that time doesn't mean they're not khmer. i guess, that was their rights as well. if anyone take time to read their family history, they originated from the present-day takeo province of province before they emigrated to battambang province in the late 1700s when siam began to annex battambang then. nevertheless, it was one of many vast khmer provinces that siam thieves stole from us (because don't forget that the entire present-day thailand was actually belong to the khmer empire until they, of course gained their independence from khmer power towards the end of the great khmer angkor civilization around late 1500s. even their names are khmer in origin. i bet you it would take them long to learn khmer again as they are surely bilingual in khmer and siem language. it's interesting to know this history.

Anonymous said...

hey 6:48am, not all khmer people like pol pot's policy and his KR government, ok!! so, don't be so dump in your flaw thinking that just because pol pot was khmer that all khmer people are like that SOB. please, take critical thinking 101 or something, so you can learn to think appropriately, like an educated person, OK!!! the KR was all about class or status struggle in cambodian history, ok; it's not about fairness. in fact, most people that were dead were khmer people anyway, not just racist! know the truth, before you open your stinky mouth. thank you!

Anonymous said...

Bullshit, 11:39, Khmer generally lives a lot better in Thailand than they do in Cambodia.

Anonymous said...

Fake Khmer in Thailand are slaves to the Thai people. Got it?

Anonymous said...

Nope, Real Khmer in Thailand is no slave to anyone, only Ah Fake in Cambodia is slave to everyone on the planet.

Anonymous said...

Thailand is land of the free. Everyone who work hard will succeed.

Anonymous said...

The whole damm Thai country has to change and speak khmer first. Then may be Preas Vihear can be shared. As long as youMF Thai continue to be as ignornat as you're today about Khmer, you can just forget it!

Anonymous said...

To 8:12a.m,

That is the reality part one and so does this part two.


We should know better. All Thai should know better that their entire glory of today did not come from Thai alone. It was Khmer who also helped building it from the start.

Khmers do not live to destroy others, but Khmers live to help! and Aphaiwong? Please think that he is the perfect example.

THAT IS OUR PRIDE IN OUR BLOOD AND THAT IS OUR FINE CONTRIBUTION TO MANY.

To Thailand is no less. Shouldn't everyone be thanksful for this? You bet your life!

Again, forget about Aphaiwong as a traitor. Whatever happened, blaim it on his Thai mother.


Ordinary Khmers

Anonymous said...

3.41 AM

Aphaiwaonng had no inetrest in khmer, he would not have hesitated to kimm khmer and he did. i can't believe how dumb and blind you are. he saw himself as thai, not khmer.

Anonymous said...

Khmer is Khmer, and they need not to agree with other Khmer, and the Khmer in Thailand got the best opportunity in SEA.

Anonymous said...

To 9:28a.m

You can think negative and put Aphaiwong as criminal however you want, but what matter most is that THAI WILL FOREVER OWE ITS CREDIBILITY AND ITS GLORY TO KHMER BLOOD. Like it or not that is the truth and undeniable truth from the eyes of many. To us? you again can bet your life!

Anonymous said...

agree, aphaiwong forgot to acknowledge us, because of his thai speaking tongue's mother. You know he is a chicken raised by a duck. So he has to be a duck.

Anonymous said...

One of Governor Chhum's wife was Lok Yay Pos or grandma Pos. Anyone remember her? She is the only one we know who refused to go to Thailand. Lok yay Pos had one daughter with the governor that is Kun Ping. Ms. Ping never married and lived her life as a none. She is very very close to President Lon Nol and his family. On one occassion Kun Ping and her family celebrated Bun Katin to Phnom Sampouv. To many eyes witnesses, President Lon Nol was there. For seven days and seven nights, Ms. Ping did nothing, but celebrated Khmers' tradition and culture. She also gave away tremendous amount of her money and fortunes to the less fortunate Khmer families. There were people and people lined up to receive it from her. You see these are Khmer who loved Khmer. Many relatives of Lok Yay Pos also hold important government positions in Battambang up until Pol Pot Time. We regret of losing so many many of those fine people. Those are Khmers who live for Khmer and love Khmer truely. Their devotions to us are no less than Aphaiwong to Siam.

A Khmer from Battambang

Anonymous said...

That made Ms. Ping a half sister to Khuang Aphaiwong. One special note which making her even more unforgettable is her mother and Mrs. Pos is a Khmer. Thanks 11:40a.m


O.K

Anonymous said...

Yes, that wasjust like one Khmer prince ran to the yuon and another one ran to the siem, andboth of them asked the yuon andsiem to come and attack th one sitting on the throne. As a result, Cambodia was shattewred due to royal fight.

This Aphawong came about becuase of the fighting between prinves in the 18 century also. But ben was so greedy, he wanted so much power that he was willingto chop away half the country tpo Siam. His last ruling descendant packed up to siam and sweared allegaince to siam, while he could have turned back to Khmer and regain full indepencene andlived as repentent khmer, to wash the sin of =his ancestor, Ben. But no, he saw himself as a siem, unlie his sisteer yeay Po and other relatives who remained.

So why can't we abandon one traitotr - one drop of black blood ? Don't live in disulusion, khmer people. We don't genralise all mof teh aphaiwong were teraitors, but this last one and Khuang, yes.

Anonymous said...

Ah monkey in Cambodia must stop keeping Khmer from joining their Khmer brothers in Thailand. They have the right to choose where to live or which citizen to be.

Anonymous said...

NO WAIT!

YOU HEARD IT ALL AND YOU HEARD THAT KHUANG APHAIWONG WAS THE ONE WHO ESTABLISHED THE CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY IN THAILAND. THIS MEANS HE GAVE BIRTH OR THE STABLE GROUND TO THAILAND AND KING BHUMIBOL TODAY.

LORD BUDHA WILL PUNISH THIS KING,IF HE JUST SITS AROUND AND DOING NOTHING. HE NEEDS TO COME OUT AND STOP THE PAD OR SETTLE THEM WITH THEIR GOVERNMENT TODAY AT ONE! AND FOR ALL! HE MUST BE THE ONE THAT CAN MAKE PEACE WITH ALL THAIS AND US KHMER. OTHERWISE HE CAN KISS HIS 60 YEARS PLUS ON HIS MAGNIFICENT THRONE GOOD BYE! IT'S COMING! HE OWES THAT TO KHUANG APHAIWONG AND HE OWES THAT TO HIS FATHER GOVERNOR CHHUM. THERFORE, HE OWES THAT TO US! YES!!! GOD ALMIGHTY, PLEASE HELP AND HEAR US!

Anonymous said...

Any Khmer who wants a chance to be PM in Thailand should fight for independent from the genocidal culture.

Unknown said...

Please... all Khmer brothers and sisters...do not point fingers and blame someone else..It's our own kings/rulers that did not know how to take care of the land and the people...Like you PM of today, he closed the front door to the Thais, but open the back door to the Vietcong... Look around Cambodia... There are more and more v/c....They take over everything. There are more people celebrating v/c new year now. We must find ways to make a stop to this "tihs"