Sunthorn Phu

Phra Sunthorn Vohara, known as Sunthorn Phu (26 June 1786 – 1855), is Thailand's best-known royal poet. He wrote during the Rattanakosin period.

Phu's career as a royal poet began in the reign of King Rama II, and when the king died, he resigned from the role and became a monk. Twenty years later, in the reign of King Rama III, he returned to court as a royal scribe, where he remained for the rest of his life.

Phu was renowned for composing verse, and his epic poetry is popular in Thailand to the present day. His works include Nirat Phukaothong, a collection of poems recounting his journey to the Golden Mountain; Nirat Suphan, his journey to Suphanburi Province; and the Phra Aphai Mani saga.

Sunthorn Phu was born in the reign of King Rama I, on 26 June 1786. His family's house was behind the royal palace, near the present day Bangkok Noi train station. His father was from Klaeng District in Rayong Province.

At the time the poet was born, Bangkok had been established as the Thai capital just four years earlier, founding the Rattanakosin era which continues to the present day.

His father and mother divorced. His father became a monk at Bangrum temple. His mother became a wet nurse for the royal family. Phu had an opportunity to work in the palace with his mother, where he fell in love with a lady in the palace named Jun, who was related to the royal family. The couple were arrested and punished as their relationship violated the traditional social order, but they were pardoned on the king's death.

Phu later returned to Rayong to visit his father, and wrote a poem about the journey called Nirat Muang Grang which became one of his most famous poems. He wrote the poem for his fiancée, Jun. After he returned to the palace in Bangkok he married Jun, and they had a son named Pat. It was at this time that King Rama II appointed him court poet. However, the couple were not married long, divorcing after Phu had an affair with another woman. This was the first of many marriages ending in divorce, although he later professed that the wife he had loved the most was Jun. Phu became an alcoholic, and, around 1821, was jailed after a fight.

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