Thonburi was the capital of Thailand for only 15 years, from 1767 until 1782, and Taksin was its only King. When Rama I came to the throne, he was very much aware that the moat would not provide an effective barrier against determined Burmese invaders. The area, surrounded by waterways, was also too small for what was then a growing city. The king turned his thoughts to the land on the eastern bank of the river. There were numerous settlements and temples but they were scattered amongst farmlands, orchards and marshy countryside. The Chinese merchants were offered an area of land not far from their original settlement and they did not appear to resist to be relocated. With a new capital city to be constructed on their doorstep, they were probably delighted. At an auspicious time on the 21 April 1782, stakes were driven into the soil of Bangkok for the City Pillar, marking the official founding of the new city of Bangkok.

Once Bangkok was founded as the new capital of Siam, within a short time, Thonburi became something of a rural backwater. A place of markets, gardens, canals and old temples, had been asleep all the way through the 19^th century as the Chakri Dynasty built Bangkok into a powerful city. Thonburi remained officially an independent city and province until it was merged into Bangkok in 1971. As there are many canals on the west bank, Thonburi, in general, has retained many more of its waterways and traditional wooden Thai houses than the rest of Bangkok. A cruise through the canals on this side of the Chao Phraya River is a delightful experience.

On Sunday, 7 July 2024. The Siam Society will arrange a study trip for those who are interested in discovering the lesser-known temples and mural paintings in the ordination halls of temples in Thonburi.