Angkor's Last King: The Forgotten Siege of Srei Santhor

When the Siamese army bore down on Angkor in 1431, King Ponhea Yat didn't just flee — he orchestrated a strategic withdrawal that reshaped Cambodia. This episode follows the final years of the Khmer Empire through the eyes of its last Angkorian monarch. We examine Ponhea Yat's decision to relocate the capital to Srei Santhor on the Mekong, the role of Theravada Buddhism in legitimizing his reign, and the forgotten battle at Basan that sealed Angkor's fate. Drawing on the Ming shi lu, the K. 1050 stela, and the accounts of Chinese envoys, we piece together a story less about sudden collapse and more about deliberate transformation. We also explore how the devaraja cult gave way to a new political order, and why Ponhea Yat remains a controversial figure — praised as a pragmatist or blamed as the king who abandoned the gods. #Angkor #KhmerEmpire #PonheaYat #SreiSanthor #CambodiaHistory #MingShiLu #TheravadaBuddhism #Devaraja #SoutheastAsia #KhmerHistory #1431Siege #BasanBattle #FexingoHistory #AngkorFall #Ayutthaya #MekongRiver #15thCentury #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo