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King Suriyenthrathibodi () or Luang Sorasak ()—was originally named Duea or Maduea (, มะเดื่อ), and King Chulalongkorn later issued a royal judgement identifying his regnal name as Sanphet VIII (). ทรงวิจารณ์เรื่องพระราชพงศาวดารกับเรื่องประเพณีการตั้งพระมหาอุปราช, pp. 42–59 He was the 29th monarch of the Ayutthaya Kingdom and the second king of the Ban Phlu Luang dynasty, the last dynasty of Ayutthaya.Rajanubhab, D., 2001, Our Wars With the Burmese, Bangkok: White Lotus Co. Ltd.,
People in his reign often referred to him as Phra Chao Suea ( "Tiger King"), likening him to a tiger for his fierce and cruel temperament. He was also renowned for his prowess in Muay Thai and is credited with devising mae mai muay thai (fundamental Muay Thai techniques), for which clear historical evidence exists; these were later transmitted in manuals so that later generations of Thais could learn and practise them down to the present.
The Office of the National Culture Commission (ONCC) states in its book Silpa Muay Thai ( The Art of Muay Thai) that the king once disguised himself as a commoner and fought skilled boxers from Wiset Chai Chan, defeating three leading fighters. Today, the Ministry of Culture designates 6 February—corresponding to the date of his accession attested in historical evidence—as National Muay Thai Day.
In addition, he trained his royal sons—Thai Sa and Borommakot—to be skilled in Muay Thai, Krabi-Krabong, and wrestling.
Related testimony literature also preserves varying details about the mother. The Testimony of Uthumphon gives her name as Phra Ratchachaya Devi or Chao Chom Sombun, while the Testimony of the Inhabitants of the Old Capital calls her Nang Kusawadi.
These accounts broadly agree that she had been Narai's secret consort and was later given to Phetracha when he held office as chao krom chang (head of the Elephant Department), differing mainly in her name and in the explanation for why the child was raised under Phetracha's household.
The Testimony of the Inhabitants of the Old Capital explains Narai's motive as fear that the prince might later attempt to seize the throne, as in the case of Phra Sisilp. The Testimony of Khun Luang Ha Wat instead states that Narai wished to preserve the succession for sons born to the queen consort only.
In the same narrative tradition, Narai is said to have ordered Chao Phraya Surasi (later Phetracha) to take Kusawadi as his wife, and to treat any son as his own; after the birth of a boy, Narai is said to have bestowed many goods upon the child, who later received the noble title Chao Phraya Si Sorasak.
Following the death of King Narai, Phetracha had proclaimed himself King, he appointed Luang Sorasak as the Front Palace.
As king, he constructed Wat Pho Prathap Chang at the alleged site of his birthplace in Phichit Province.
The Siamese commoners in his time gave him the name Phra Chao Suea, ( "Tiger King"), for he was, according to the official chronicles, as evil as a tiger. พระราชพงศาวดารกรุงศรีอยุธยา ฉบับพันจันทนุมาศ (เจิม). (2553). กรุงเทพฯ: ศรีปัญญา. . "Stories abound of his appalling private life and his acts of cruelty."Chakrabongse, C., 1960, Lords of Life, London: Alvin Redman Limited The Chronicle of Ayutthaya, Phan Chanthanumat (Choem)'s Edition, described his behaviour as follows:
"His Majesty habitually pleased himself with liquor and intercourse with female children aged 11-12 years. If any female was unable to endure him and writhed in pain, His Majesty would become furious and crush her to death with his feet. But if any female could maintain her tolerance without struggle, His Majesty would be elated and bestow upon her certain gratuities and rewards.
"Furthermore, when His Majesty took a trip to any canal, sea, island or any other place full of sharks, sawfish and other aquatic beings, he always drank liquor. If any concubine, lady, page or official caused his barge shaken, His Majesty would exercise no judgment and express no mercy, but would be enraged and order the person to be dragged with a hook and thrown into water to be consumed by sharks and sawfish.
"Moreover, His Majesty never maintained himself in the five precepts. He gratified himself by having intercourse with the wives of the government officers. From that time onwards, he was given the name the 'Tiger King'."
The Chronicle of Ayutthaya, British Museum's Version, also contained the like: พระราชพงศาวดารกรุงสยามจากต้นฉบับที่เป็นสมบัติของบริติชมิวเซียม กรุงลอนดอน. (2507). ตรี อมาตยกุล, บรรณาธิการ. พระนคร: ก้าวหน้า.
"At that time, the king was of vulgar mind, uncivil behaviour, savage conduct, cruel habit. He was never interested in charitable activities, but only in the activities which breached the royal traditions. Also, he lacked inhibition, but was consumed by unholy sin. Eternal were anger and ignorance in his mind. And the king habitually drank liquor and pleased himself by having intercourse with female children not yet attaining the age of menstruation. In this respect, if any female was able to endure him, that female would be granted a great amount of rewards, money, gold, silks and other cloth. Should any female be incapable of bearing with him, he would be enraged and strike a sword at her heart, putting her to death. The caskets were every day seen to be called into the palace to contain the female dead bodies and to be brought out of the palace through a royal gate at the end of the royal confinement mansion. That gate thereby gained the name the 'Gate of Ghosts' until now."
| Prince Phet (Thai Sa) Prince Phon (Borommakot) Princess Unnamed |
| Princess Kaeo Princess Thapthim |
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