Bodindecha was born on 13 January 1776 in modern
Phra Nakhon District during the
Thonburi Kingdom period, with personal name Sing (lit. "Lion"), as the fourth child to Chaophraya Aphairacha Pin. His mother was Lady Fug. His father, Chaophraya Aphairacha Pin, had served as
Samuha Kalahom () the Prime Minister of Southern Siam and Chancellor of Military affairs from 1805 to 1809 during the reign of
King Rama I. Aphairacha had his son Sing become a royal page of
Prince Isarasundhorn. The prince was later crowned as King
Buddha Loetla Nabhalai and Sing was transferred to the service under Prince
Maha Senanurak the
Front Palace. He joined his lord in the campaign against
Burmese Invasion of Phuket in 1809 and rose through ranks in Front Palace Police Bureau. He was later made Phraya Kasettraraksa the Head of Agriculture Department of the Front Palace. In 1816, during one of the royal barge processions, Bodindecha accidentally had his barges passed across in front of one of the royal barges and faced treason charges. Bodindecha was imprisoned and only through the intervention of Prince
Chetsadabodin that he was pardoned and released but relieved of his positions. He went on to serve Prince Chetsadabodin in his mercantile affairs. When Prince Chetsadabodin was crowned as King Rama III in 1824, Bodindecha was made
Phraya Ratchasuphawadi the Head of
Krom Suratsawadi or Conscription Department.
Laotian Rebellion wars In 1826, King
Anouvong of Vientiane rebelled against Siamese rule in
Lao Rebellion. Bodindecha with the title Phraya Rajasupawadi was assigned Southern Laos and the
Kingdom of Champassak. Bodindecha managed to take the city of
Champassak and capture King
Nyô and send him to Bangkok.
Chaophraya Aphaiphuthon the
Samuha Nayok fell ill and died during the campaigns in 1827. King Rama III then elevated Bodindecha to Chaophraya Rajasupawadi and transferred the responsibilities of the
Samuha Nayok to him. When Prince
Maha Sakdi Polsep, the leader of the campaign, returned to Bangkok, Bodindecha was left in charge in Laos. He brought the renowned Lao Buddha image
Phra Bang from Vientiane to Bangkok (which would later be returned to Vientiane in 1867). Upon his return to Bangkok, King Rama III commanded Bodindecha to return to Laos in order to completely destroy the city of
Vientiane to prevent further rebellions. During this time, Emperor
Minh Mạng sent Vietnamese envoys to bring Anouvong from
Nghệ An Province back to Vientiane to negotiate. Anouvong, however, ambushed the Siamese garrisons and retook Vientiane. The position of Bodindecha's encampment at
Nong Khai became insecure so Bodindecha decided to retreat south. Anouvong sent his son
Raxavong Ngao to lead Lao army to pursue Bodindecha. Bodindecha decided to meet his enemies at Bokwan (modern
Si Chiang Mai District,
Nong Khai Province).
Rattanakosin Chronicles of the Third Reign from 1931 gives accounts on personal engagements between Bodindecha and Raxavong Ngao in the Battle of Bokwan. Raxavong Ngao drove Bodindecha off his horse and rushed his spear at the Siamese general that narrowly missed. Raxavong Ngao then slashed Bodindecha with sword but Bodindecha's younger brother ran to aid and received the blow and died. Bodindecha took the opportunity to stab Raxavong's thigh with knife. Siamese soldiers came to rescue and shot Raxavong Ngao at his knee. Lao soldiers then carried Raxavong Ngao off the battlefield. Bodindecha's victory at the Battle of Bokwan in 1828 caused Anouvong to flee to
Xiang Khuoang.
Chao Noy the ruler of
Muang Phuan told Bodindecha the whereabouts of Anouvong so that Bodindecha managed to send his men to capture Anouvong and sent him as captive to Bangkok. Upon his return to Bangkok, King Rama III officially invested him with the title of
Chaophraya Bodindecha the
Samuha Nayok Prime Minister of Northern Siam. The title name "Bodindecha" was from the king's personal name "Chetsadabodin".
Siamese-Vietnamese Wars In 1833, Bodindecha led Siamese armies to attack
Saigon and to put the Cambodian Prince Ang Em on the throne at
Oudong against the pro-Vietnamese king
Ang Chan II, while his colleague
Chaophraya Phraklang led the fleet. Bodindecha marched through Cambodia virtually unopposed as King Ang Chan had fled to southern Vietnam along with his court. Bodindecha joined Phraklang at
Châu Đốc,
An Giang Province in 1834 and they both marched the fleet along the
Bassac River to Saigon. Bodindecha met the Vietnamese fleet at Vàm Nao canal in January 1834 and the Battle of Vàm Nao ensued. The Siamese were defeated and Bodindecha and Phraklang retreated to Châu Đốc. After repeated Vietnamese attacks on Châu Đốc, Bodindecha decided to retreat to
Battambang, his main base. Initial Siam's defeat enabled
Nguyen dynasty to fully control Cambodia. After the death of King Ang Chan in 1834, Emperor Minh Mạng put Cambodia under direct rule led by
Trương Minh Giảng. Bodindecha made Prince Ang Em the governor of Battambang and returned to Bangkok. However, Prince Ang Em switched side to Vietnam in 1838 and gave Siamese officials in Battambang to the Vietnamese. Bodindecha returned to Battambang in 1839 and in 1840 the native Cambodians
rose in rebellion against Vietnamese rule. In November 1840, Bodindecha laid siege on
Pursat and managed to obtain peaceful surrender. The Vietnamese had retreated from Cambodia to An Giang Province by 1841. Bodindecha then sent Ang Im's younger brother Prince
Ang Duong to Oudong as a candidate for Cambodian throne. Bodindecha returned to Bangkok in 1845. The Vietnamese, however, renewed their attacks in May 1845 and took
Phnom Penh. Bodindecha hurriedly marched to Oudong to defend.
Nguyễn Văn Chương led the Vietnamese armies to lay siege on Oudong in September 1845. After some fightings and stand-offs, both sides agreed to negotiate. After five-month-long siege, Nguyễn Văn Chương lifted the siege and went back to An Giang. It was agreed that Prince Ang Duong was to be crowned and tributes would be sent to both Siam and Vietnam. Bodindecha presented the royal regalia granted by King Rama III to Ang Duong and crowned him as the King of Cambodia in 1848. Chaophraya Bodindecha was known as Sửu Pha Họa Di (
chữ Hán: 醜頗禍移) and Phi nhã Chất tri (
chữ Hán: 丕雅質知) in Vietnamese sources. ==Final years and death==