Phikun Thong

Princess Pikul Thong was the daughter of King Yotsakan and Queen Pikul Chanthra, the rulers of Sanphaburi (ancient manuscripts refer to it as Santhaburi). As she entered her teenage years, her beauty became legendary, said to be unmatched by any woman. Beyond her grace, she possessed two divine gifts: whenever she spoke, golden bullet wood flowers (Pikul Thong) would fall from her mouth, and her hair carried a perpetual fragrance.
One day, feeling restless, Pikul Thong asked King Yotsakan for permission to go swimming in the stream with her nannies. Because an astrologer had predicted she would one day be separated from her kingdom, the King ordered nets and buoys to be placed all around the watering area for her safety.
At that time, a massive Vulture King named Thao Suban Paksa spotted the carcass of a rotting dog and swooped down to eat it near the area where the Princess was bathing. Disturbed by the foul stench, Pikul Thong sent her nannies to investigate. Upon finding the vulture scavenging, they insulted and cursed the bird with harsh words. Infuriated, the Vulture King argued that the carcass was his natural food and that a high-born princess should not speak so crudely. He flew away, but his heart was consumed by a desire for revenge.
The Vulture King devised a plan: he transformed himself into a handsome young man and sought shelter in a hut at the edge of the royal gardens. He magically created gold for the elderly couple who owned the hut, claiming he found it while digging for yams, making them incredibly wealthy. Eventually, he pressured the couple to go to the palace to ask for Pikul Thong’s hand in marriage. Terrified, the couple told him such a bold request could lead to the execution of their entire lineage, but the disguised vulture feigned a life-threatening heartbreak.
Reluctantly, the elderly couple petitioned King Yotsakan. The King was outraged. He declared that if their nephew truly had the merit to marry his daughter, he must build a bridge of silver and gold stretching from the edge of the garden to the palace within three days—or the entire family would face execution.
The couple returned home in tears, blaming the young man for bringing ruin upon them. The Vulture King comforted them, promising to die in their place if he failed. That night, he told them he had errands to run, transformed back into a giant vulture, and flew to Mount Ninthakala. There, he summoned his legion of subjects to help him construct the bridge, successfully completing the task.