Phraya Sri Kodtrabong Mon-Khmer Heroes

Abstract

During prehistoric times in the area known today as Thailand, there lived various ethnic groups, especially peoples who spoke Mon-Khmer languages. This paper then aims to investigate who Phraya Sri Kodtrabong
was and of which ethnic groups he was a hero. The researcher compiled stories about Phraya Srikhodtrabong, both written and oral, in Thailand, Khamuan Province of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and in Batdambang Province of Cambodia and collected data on the worship of Phraya Sri
Khodtrabong from the three countries as well.

It was found that Phraya Sri Kodtrabong was a legendary hero influencial in an area covering the plain of the Mekhong Basin including Vientiane, the town of Tha Khaek, and Khammousn Province of the Lao PDR and Nong Khai and Nakhon Phanom Provinces of Thailand, which formerly were the Kingdom of Lan Xang, extending into the Central Region of Thailand to what is today the provinces of P hichit, Lopburi, and Sukhothai, and reaching Batdambang in Cambodia. Data from the field reveals that today in the three countries, there are two types of perception of Phraya Sri Kodtrabong. In the first, Phraya Sri Kodtrabong was an ordinary person who had courage and was able to subdue his enemies and so was proclaimed the founder of a kingdom; in the second, Phraya Sri Kodtrabong was a king so powerful that most people were afraid of hi m and he was abl e to expand hi s realm. Importantly, it was found that each group of people constructed a shrine and made amulets to worship Phraya Sri Kodtrabong. People in the Lao PDR.
people hold grand ceremonies to express their reverence for Phr aya Sri Kodtrabong. Those who are to become the governor of Phichit Province have to pay homage to Phraya Sri Kodtrabong. In Cambodia, Phraya Sri Kodtrabong became a guardian spirit which symbolizes the city of Battamban g. This indicates that while associated with no particular nation, Phraya Sri Khotrabong was regarded as a hero of ethnic groups in mainland Southeast Asia. Therefore, Phraya Sri Kodtrabong is the Mon-Khmer hero.