Thao Suranari

Statue of Thao Suranaree in Khorat city centre. 14°58′29″N 102°5′53″E

Thao Suranaree (Thai: ท้าวสุรนารี) or Khunying Mo (1771-1852) was the wife of the deputy governor of Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand at the time of King Anouvong's rebellion of 1826. She is credited with saving the city from the rebel army. Varying stories describe her getting the invading soldiers drunk, or leading a rebellion of captured prisoners. The name Thao Suranaree was given to her by King Rama III in recognition of her bravery.

A statue of Thao Suranaree stands in the centre of Nakhon Ratchasima city, and is a popular object of worship, while a festival in her honour is held in the city at the end of March and the beginning of April each year. The statue was designed by Phra Thewaphinimmit (1888-1942) and sculpted by Silpa Bhirasri. It was erected next to the Chumphon gate on January 15 1934.

As part of a 77 million Baht city center renovation project, dirt and trees are uprooted for the construction of a new tree-lined watercourse, central stage, which includes an upgraded Lady Mo monument and Chumphon Gate rework.

External links

• History of Lady Mo by Khorat Post. The following translated article excerpt appears in the Korat Post webpages in full.

In BE 2369, Prince Anuwongse of Vientiene revolted and ledan army to seize Nakhonratchasima. At that time, Phrayasuriyadej was away on business to Khukhan, leaving behind only minor officials of the political affairs department. The Vientiene troops easily entered and seized Nakhonratchasima, overrunning the small number of defenders, including Khun Ying Mo, Ms.Boonluar and herding them together to march back to Vientiene.

Khun Ying Mo sagaciously instilled morale and heart in the captive people of Nakhonratchasima . She did everything to make the Lao soldiers sympathetic to their Thai captives. She also found ways to delay the journey, such as claiming that captives were sick or that a cart had broken and needed repair. She was also holding secret talks. She asked [her captors] for axes to repair ‘broken’ carts, or to cut brush for firewood, etc., in order that the captives would have these tools when needed. Khun Ying Mo ordered that wood sticks be gathered and sharpened with axes, and that hoes be used as well in place of weapons [when the time arrived].

Upon reaching Thungsamrit, Khun Ying Mo, with a strategy in mind, asked her captors to allow the marchers to rest so that their sore muscles could recover from the long journey, and the Lao commanders allowed this. After setting up camp at Thunsamrit, Phrayahrom, Phrayapalat and Khun Ying Mo commanded that a group of young women lure the Lao soldiers outside the camp. Cooks remained in camp. At this time, male cooks separated into groups with a number of weapons. Junior political affairs department staff took the left and right flanks. Phrayapalat acted as commander of the main force. Khun Ying Mo acted as head of a group of skilled women in a reserve force. After some time passed, all those who had prepared rushed together at the same time, shouting and cheering, chopping at the Lao soldiers and scattering them in confusion. The Lao soldiers had no idea of the impending attack, and fell and died or scattered away.