Bang Rajan (บางระจัน)

In the year 1763 king Mangra ascended to the throne of Burma.

His first goal was to conquer the small surrounding town states.

But the city Ayudhya in Siam relieved these town states -

- and encouraged them to to fight back.

Therefore king Mangra decided to attack Ayudhya, the heart of Siam.

In 1765 the king dispacthed a great army -

- to attack Ayudhya by two different routes.

Commander Mang-Maha-Noratha lead 100.000 men in from the the West.

Another 100.000 came down from the North lead by commander Nemeao, -

- but these didn't reach the destination as scheduled.

They were forced back near a little village.

Waves af burmese soldiers attacked the inhabitants of the village.

Despite the superior strength of the army the farmers forced it back again and again.

Rumours about the legendary courage of siamese country people -

spread fast across the whole nation.

This is their story.

The year 1765

Are you sure, Po Tan? Will the burmese come this way?

What are you afraid of? We defeat them every single time.

We will defeats them this time as well.

Wait for me here.

You follow with me.

Kill them, all as one!

Follow me.

The Commander has been wounded!

Retreat! Retreat!

Retreat!

Here is some food.

Po Tan... A burmese battalion has put up a camp in the woods.

Hurry up and eat.

The commander is wounded. Do we call it off?

Commander, sir!

THE VILLAGE BANG RAJAN

Chorb! Ming! Call for the abbot in a hurry!

My god...

I need help just to stand up straight.

Don't say that.

Bang Rajan is not strong enough, when it's leader is wounded.

The village need to find a strong man, that can replace me.

I know the right man. He harbours a bitter hatred towards the burmese.

He doesn't fear death.

He come from the village Khao Nang Buad.

Who's there? Show your face!

You are not burmese. Don't you know, it's lethal to be out here?

We come from Bang Rajan. We are looking for Ai Jan Nuad Kiew.

What do you want with me?

We want to make you our leader.

Look here.

There are wagon tracks. And so what?

Look, how deep they are. It is burmese chariots.

They carry canons to Ayudhya by the river of Prasop.

Your village keeps growing.

I fear, that one day the burmese point the canons at you.

THE BATTLE BY THE RIVER OF PRASOP

Ai Jan's mustache is the same size the horns of this buffalo.

And he is almost as smart as a buffolo.

His reputation is totally exaggerated.

But people here in the village blindly trusts, what is new.

When they see a shit in the field, they think, it is gold.

- Of all my heart I'm happy to see you. - We are pleased to be here.

These strips of clothing were blessed by the abbot. They bring luck.

- I would like to talk to the abbot. - Me too. We meet at Po Tan's house.

Come with me.

What can I do -

- make them show a little respect?

You are pissed(drunk)!

- How goes it, Ai Jan? - I'm ready, Holy man.

I never thought, you would leave Khao Nang Buad.

I asked you to follow us into the jungle, but you refused.

Live in the jungle?

What about the children of the village? Was I supposed to just leave them?

Is the temple here as good as the one in Khao Nang Buad?

My job is to preach and teach. That is enough for me.

How are you, Holy man?

I'm fine. And you, little disciple?

It is wartime, but i am neither wounded nor sick.

- Who has made you a monk? - The Abbot has given me holy orders.

You have been gone for so long. We didn't knew what happened to you.

The Abbot said, I could help you by doing good deeds.

You are blessed.

Your Mother would have been proud of you. May she rest in piece.

Po Tan, this is Ai Jan.

Po Tan, you didn't had to come. I would have visited you later.

Ai Jan, I need to tell you something, -

and the whole village has to hear it.

The Abbot told me, that you are a remarkable warrior.

The village needs skilled men, -

especially now, because i'm wounded.

Unfortunately we have to face, -

that the village is without a strong leader.

A leader and commander.

Ai Jan, Will you be the leader of Bang Rajan?

We are just normal warriors.

But if you think, that I'm worthy, I will not refuse.

You decide, how the guards must placed.

Here is the town wall weakest. The watercourse is a wall in itself.

Not one single time has the burmese succeeded getting through here.

It is difficult to send an army through.

That man is a great warrior, even though he is drunk.

He always return from the battlefield dressed in burmese armour.

Carry him back.

How do you feel about Ai Jan started living in the jungle?

Isn't he worried about his wife and children?

Or have they already been killed?

Why are you so so interested in Ai Jan?

In here it's only you and me.

And you are far more interesting than the others.

Bua! My Bua!

I have seen traces of the burmese canons.

I have spoken to Po Tan about that. We should have canons as well.

I have written a request for weapons.

It has to be delievered in Ayudhya.

AYUDHYA

Wait here.

They are coming!

How much longer do we need to wait?

- Grab some food. - Thanks.

Most people leave their villages and take refuge here.

But I insisted in fighting back the burmese.

What are you made of, You folks from Bang Rajan?

We are not from Bang Rajan.

We origin from Ban Sri Bua Thong.

We cultivated the land and went hunting. We lived a quiet peaceful life.

If you concentrate, you will not get hurt.

No blood can be spilled at an ordination ceremony.

Hurry and clean it up.

What's with you? You have acted weird lately.

What keeps E Taeng Aon?

I will let go of you, when your grandma has heard about this.

Let him go, E Taeng Aon. You rip his ear off.

That's what I call a big pig. It was Ai In, who shot it, right?

No, it was Ai Muang.

Actually it's not that big. There is hardly food for one person.

You are not so big a hunter, eh, Ai Muang?

Just say it. It wasn't you, who killed the pig, was it?

Well, don't you have anything to say?

Or have you forgotten to clean teeth?

You can say whatever you like.

But some day it will be my sword, which protects you.

It is Som!

Hey, Som. Are you on leave?

No, I deserted.

I came to participate in the ordination of my son.

But don't tell my mother. She will get so nervous.

Juk! Juk, Your father has returned!

No, don't do it!

Watch out, Ai Muang!

The people in Bang Rajan invited the survivors -

- to join them and live in their village.

We united in our hatred towards the burmese.

We became more and more every day.

We knew, we couldn't run away.

Together we would fight back the burmese.

It was here I became acquainted with a drunk -

by the name Ai Tong Maen.

Even the monks raised weapons.

Soon the town's temple was empty.

We better take a look in the temple.

You can't kill him!

I beg you you to spare his life for my sake.

But he is burmese.

Aren't they humans as well? They feel the same pain as we do.

I can't ignore your command.

Where are you from?

From Bang Rajan. We want to offer you the post as our spiritual leader

And so the monk Dhammachote started living in Bang Rajan.

In him the warriors found will, motivation and inspiration -

to win every battle.

Do you wear the blessed clothing, every time you fight?

What can I do to get such a talisman?

You have been extremely kind, and we have nothing to offer in contrast.

We are happy to give you our clothing

You really want to give them to us?

Is there found a decision?

May you live a long life.

Next time you sacrifice, spare a little for yourself.

How is your son doing?

He is dead. That's why I brought food as offer.

So he wouldn't starve in the next life.

Po Tan, can you sharpen my sword?

Of cause. just a moment.

Who's the owner of this axe? It's enormous.

It belongs to Ai Tong Maen. I can't barely lift it.

Ai Tong Maen, the drunk. WHat kind of person is he?

I have asked myself that a lot of times. I still no nothing.

I only know, that he arrived lying on a wagon pissed.

And he has not been sober since.

Ai Tong Maen, here are your axes.

You are a skilled warrior. Why don't you teach the others your technic?

I'm not a teacher.

And besides we all have to die anyway.

You talk as ugly, as you smell.

What did you say?

If you drink yourself to death, -

- what good are you, when the burmese attack?

Ai Jan! They have returned from Ayudhya.

Ayudhya didn't give us any canons.

They don't want to help us.

They fear, that if Bang Rajan falls, -

- the burmese will just have more canons.