Two princes of Ayutthaya killed each other on elephants in 1424, and looters robbed their crypt in 1957

The Luang Prasoet version of the Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya records that in 786 of the Chula era, 1424 AD, King Intharacha fell ill and died. His three sons each governed a city: Chao Ai Phraya at Suphan Buri, Chao Yi Phraya at San Buri and Chao Sam Phraya at Chainat. The two elder sons led their armies to the capital to claim the throne. The chronicle says they fought each other on elephants at Than Forest Bridge and both died there. The youngest son, Sam Phraya, was crowned as King Borommaracha II. He built two monuments over the spot where his brothers fell and founded Wat Ratchaburana the same year. Relics were placed in the crypt under its central tower with the remains of the two princes. In 1957 gold found at nearby Wat Maha That set off a treasure hunt across Ayutthaya. On 23 September 1957 looters broke into the upper chamber of the Wat Ratchaburana crypt. One of them, drunk, informed the police, and part of the haul was recovered. An unknown amount of gold had already been sold to dealers and collectors and was never retrieved. The Fine Arts Department excavated in 1958 and found royal regalia, gold objects and votive tablets. The recovered treasure is in the Chao Sam Phraya National Museum, opened on 26 December 1961 and named after the third son. Sales of votive tablets from the crypt helped pay for the building.