Thao Suranari ( th, ท้าวสุรนารี; 1771–1852) is the royally bestowed title of Lady Mo, also known as Ya Mo (, who was the wife of the deputy governor of

Nakhon Ratchasima Nakhon Ratchasima ( th, นครราชสีมา, ) is one of the four major cities of Isan, Thailand, known as the "big four of Isan". The city is commonly known as Korat (, ), a shortened form of its name. It is the governmental seat of ...

(Korat), the stronghold of

Siam Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...

ese control over its Laotian

vassal A vassal or liege subject is a person regarded as having a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch, in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. While the subordinate party is called a vassal, the dominant party is called a suzerain ...

s. In 1826, the King of

Vientiane Vientiane ( , ; lo, ວຽງຈັນ, ''Viangchan'', ) is the capital and largest city of Laos. Vientiane is divided administratively into 9 cities with a total area of only approx. 3,920 square kilometres and is located on the banks of ...

Anouvong Chao Anouvong ( lo, ເຈົ້າອານຸວົງສ໌; th, เจ้าอนุวงศ์; ), or regnal name Xaiya Setthathirath V ( lo, ໄຊຍະເສດຖາທິຣາຊທີ່ຫ້າ; th, ไชยเชษฐาธ� ...

invaded Siam, seeking complete independence. Anouvong's forces seized the city of Nakhon Ratchasima by a ruse when the governor was away. The invaders evacuated the inhabitants, intending to resettle them in Laos. Lady Mo is credited with saving her people by harassing the enemy. Varying stories describe her either getting the invading soldiers drunk, or leading a rebellion of the prisoners on the way back to Vientiane. The generally accepted version is that, when the Lao invaders ordered the women to cook for them, Lady Mo requested knives so that food might be prepared. That night, when the invaders were asleep, she gave the knives to the imprisoned men. They surprised the Lao troops, who fled, and the prisoners escaped. Thai King

Rama III Nangklao ( th, พระบาทสมเด็จพระนั่งเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หัว, ; 31 March 1788 – 2 April 1851), birth name Thap ( th, ทับ), also styled Rama III, was the third king of Siam u ...

soon sent an army in pursuit, led by General Sing Singhaseni (สิงห์ สิงหเสนี). He defeated Anuvoung's forces in three days of fighting and completely destroyed Anuvoung's capital city of Vientiane. King Rama III awarded her the title Thao Suranari, (or ''Lady Suranari'' – "the brave lady") in recognition of her courageous acts.

Statue

A statue of Thao Suranari stands in the centre of Nakhon Ratchasima, and is a popular object of devotion. A festival in her honour is held each year at the end of March and the beginning of April. The statue was designed by Phra Thewaphinimmit () (1888–1942) and sculpted by Silpa Bhirasri. Thao Suranari's statue was placed next to the Chumphon Gate of the city wall on January 15, 1934. It has since been suggested that the story of Thao Suranari was somewhat embellished during the Thai nationalist movement under Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram in the 1930s. As part of a 77 million baht city center renovation project, dirt and trees were uprooted for construction of a new tree-lined watercourse, a central stage, and to upgrade the Lady Mo monument and redo Chumphon Gate.

External links

History of Lady Mo
''Korat Post''. {{DEFAULTSORT:Suranari, Thao 19th-century Thai women 19th-century Thai people 1771 births 1852 deaths Nakhon Ratchasima People from Nakhon Ratchasima province Monuments and memorials to women Women in 19th-century warfare 18th-century Thai women

Statue

See also

External links