HTMS Sri Ayudhya

In the 1930s, the Royal Siamese fleet pursued plans to modernize and expand its limited forces. The expansion of the Navy was approved by Parliament in 1935, and 18 million baht was allocated for the purchase of new equipment. In December 1935, the Navy signed a contract with the Japanese shipbuilding corporation Kawasaki in Kobe for the construction of two coastal defense ships for 5.727 million baht. Sri Ayutthaya was delivered on June 16, 1938 and put into operation on July 19; the Tonburi of the same type went into operation in October of that year. ^[one]

When the Franco-Thai War broke out at the end of 1940, the navy included Sri Ayutthya and Tonburi in the First Squadron, which was tasked with patrolling the eastern waters to curb possible French attacks. On the night of January 14, a group led by the Tonburi sailed from the Sattahip naval base to escort Sri Ayuttha and the convoy located on Koh Chang Island in the province of Trat . They met the next morning, and the Sri Ayutthya group returned to Sattahip. Two days later, at dawn on January 17, the Tonburi and other ships in the group were engaged in a battle with the French naval forces at the Battle of Ko Chang . ^[2] "Sri Ayudhya" was sent to help, but arrived only in the afternoon, after the end of the battle. ^[3] However, some French reports mistakenly stated that the Sri Ayutthya was damaged by a torpedo during the battle. ^[four]

On June 29, 1951, during a coup attempt known as the Manhattan Uprising, a group of junior navy officers took Prime Minister Plaka Pibunsongkram (Pibuna) hostage during a handover ceremony on the Ratchawaradit Pier on the Chauphray River in Bangkok . Pibun was taken by the rebels aboard the Sri Ayutthya. ^{[5] [6]} The captured ship began its descent downstream towards the naval administration in Bang Na. However, the conspirators could not ensure the opening of the Memorial Bridge, and the ship, therefore, could not continue moving ^[6] . Fighting soon began, and the naval units on the side of the rebels were significantly smaller than the opposing units of the army, police and air force , which remained loyal to the government. ^{[5] [6]} The fighting stopped at night, but the next morning resumed with renewed vigor. Sri Ayutthya joined the battle, but its engines were soon disabled, and the ship was in an immobilized state in front of Fort Wichaiprasit. He was fired from the east coast with guns and mortars, and by noon he was also fired by T-6 training aircraft . Strong fires began, and orders were given to leave the ship. ^[6] Pibun swam to the shore along with the sailors, while he was not injured. ^[5] Fires continued all night and the next day, when hostilities ceased. The heavily damaged Sri Ayutia finally sank on the night of July 1. ^[6]

The Sri Ayutty Corps was raised in 1967 for subsequent disposal, as it became a danger to navigation. ^[7] The ship was officially deleted from the naval registry on October 8, 1959 in Ministerial Order 350/21315.