Thao Thep Kasattri and Thao Sri Soontorn—Phuket, Thailand.
Posted by: 
Ianatlarge
N 07° 58.860 E 098° 21.840
47N E 429908 N 882251
Two statues of two heroines, who defeated a Burmese invasion of Thailand, on the island of Phuket.
Waymark Code: WMAVMK
Location: Thailand
Date Posted: 02/28/2011
Published By: 3am
Views: 9
The history: In 1785 the King of Burma invaded Siam (modern Thailand) in a combined, massive invasion of nine different armies. One of these armies attacked the Siamese island of Phuket. Unfortunately, for the Siamese, the governor of the island had recently died, leaving the island bereft of formal leadership. Seizing the initiative, the wife of the governor, Than Phu Ying Chan and her sister Mook assembled a mixed group of militia and resisted the Burmese using guerilla tactics, including dressing women in military uniforms to delude the Burmese into believing that they faced reinforcements. After a month of conflict the Burmese army withdraw, the date given for this is March 13, 1785.
In gratitude the Siamese King, Rama I, elevated the two women into the nobility granting them the names listed on the title of this waymark.
In memory of their achievement in 1967 a sizeable monument to the two women was erected in Phuket province. This was a prominent event, with the King of Thailand in attendance. Every year, in March, a celebration is held in honour of their triumph.
The statues are 13kms or so north of Phuket town, on a traffic roundabout, along a major highway. The two ladies stand side by side, dressed as men, both with swords, gazing outwards. Locally, the statues are referred to as "The Heroines". The symbol of the two women is the seal of the province of Phuket. As with most statues in Thailand, this is also a shrine, with many locals visiting the site. I will point out, however, that to reach the monument requires one to cross several lanes of busy Thai traffic, so take care: "Jog Dee", as we say in Thailand, — good luck.
Interesting enough, this story resembles that of Yamo, the wife of the deceased governor of Korat, who also led a group of women who forced the invading Lao to withdraw.
URL of the statue: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
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