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Ma Mya (Thai: มะเมียะ; Burmese: မမြတ်) was a Burmese woman of Mon descent whose existence cannot be proven yet. However, she was best known for her tragic love legend story between her and Prince Sukkasem na Chiengmai , who at the time studied at St. Patrick School (now Basic Education High School No. 5 Mawlamyine).

Story

According to Biographer Prani Siridhara na Badalung (ปราณี ศิริธร ณ พัทลุง) from the book 'Phet Lanna No.1'(เพชรลานนา เล่ม 1), Ma Mya was a young female cigarette merchant in Mawlammyine (at the time, it was called Moulmein). She met Prince Sukkasem when he studied at Mawlamyine after his father sent him to St. Patrick School, and they fell in love and swore to be lovers at the Kyaikthanlan Pagoda. However, after Prince Sukkasem graduated, he went back to Chiang Mai with Ma Mya, disguised as a man, who followed him, but later it was revealed that she was a Burmese woman. Prince Kaew (then Viceroy of Chiang Mai), father of Prince Sukkasem, told him that it was inappropriate for a Chiang Mai royalty to marry a Burmese woman, especially Prince Sukkasem who would be next ruler of Chiang Mai, and Prince Sukkasem was already engaged to Princess Buachum.

In April 1903 , Prince Sukkasem sent Ma Mya back to Mawlamyine at the city wall's gate amidst the crowd watching the event. then Heartbroken Ma Mya used her long hair to clean her lover's shoes for the last time ever before going back to Mawlamyine by riding the elephant. After that, Ma Mya shaved her head and became a Thilashin. The Nun Ma Mya went to Chiang Mai again when she heard Prince Sukkasem would be married to Princess Buachum. Prince Sukkasem refused to meet her but gave money to Ma Mya. Ma Mya went back to her hometown and became a Thilanshin for the rest of her life, while Prince Sukkasem was an alcoholic and died in 1913. It's believed that Ma Mya died in 1963 at the age of 75 , after her lover in 49 years later. it was rumour that Ma Mya's ashes was placed at Northern Royalties Cemetery, Wat Suan Dok. but later revealed that it was a hoax.

Controversies about facts

It is hypothesized that Ma Mya did not actually exist and may be just a fictional story. There are many facts about Ma Mya.

1. Succession of Ruler in the future of Prince Sukkasem wasn't a problem for the love story because Prince Laokaew, his cousin, has a higher chance of succession and Lanna's succession must follow in Agnatic seniority, so it wasn't true that Prince Sukkasem would be the next ruler of Chiang Mai. With his failed life and his position that wasn't part of The Royalties with five bowls's group (เจ้าขันห้าใบ Chao Khan Ha Bai), the highest royalty - authority ranks in then-Northern Thailand Kingdoms, it was also made impossible to be next ruler.
2. Prince Wongsak Na Chiang Mai, Prince Sukkasem's nephew and pretender to the Chiang Mai throne, said, 'It wasn't a sad story like they wrote it." He said Prince Sukkasem was just a playboy and had relationships with some Burmese women, but not seriously. and this made Prince Kaew, his father, upset because he just wanted Prince Sukkasem to go study and not do other things. He also said Prince Sukkasem wasn't an alcoholic until he died because he was heartbroken.
3. Prani Siridhara na Badalung later revealed that the name 'Ma Mya' was from a Shan woman in his neighbor's Wat Pa Pao named Myat, so Ma Mya wasn't the real name of a Burmese woman who was a lover of Prince Sukkasem (if she had existence).
4. Story of Prince Sukkasem should rather be true story of Prince Wongtawan, his younger brother, from the irregularities found:
   1. When Prince Sukkasem studied at Mawlamyine, Prani told him he was 15 years old. but when calculated with his age and year that claimed he studied at Mawlamyine, it was found that he was already at 19, so this was past his study age.
   2. The story that Prince Sukkasem sent Ma Mya by riding the elephant at Hay Ya city gate wasn't true because travel from Chiang Mai to Mawlamyine at that time used water transportation by taking a boat ride from Chiang Mai to Tak, then transportation on land to Mawlamyine. can't transport on land directly from Chiang Mai to Tak at that time. and Hay Ya gate was for transporting the corpse or died bodies, so it was impossible to used Hay Ya gate for sent Ma Mya back to Mawlamyine.
   3. Prani told me that Prince Kaew and Prince Sukkasem gave 'Baht' money to Ma Mya, which is an irregularity  because Northern Thailand did not use Thai Baht money until after 1916, or after Prince Sukkasem died 3 years later. Prior to using Thai Baht, Northern Thailand used the British Indian Rupee as its currency.
   4. Prince Wongtawan studied at King's College in Bangkok; the same year Prince Sukkasem he was sent to study at Mawlamyine, according from Prani.
   5. In King Vajiravudh's personal diary, Prince Wongtawan was proposed to marry a lady who was the alleged daughter of a prince in the Chakri dynasty, but later found that the prince didn't recognize her as one of his children, so King Vajiravudh overpassed the marriage, and didn't find Prince Wongtawan would be married to that lady.
   6. The incident where Ma Mya used her hair to clean Prince Sukkasem's shoes was similar to the real event when Princess Dara Rasmi used her hair to clean King Chulalongkorn's shoes before went back to Chiang Mai.
5. Thai Travel Youtuber Mr.Hotsia traveled to find out about the story of Ma Mya and interviewed a Thilashin who believed to be Ma Mya's student and found the photo that was believed to be Ma Mya. The lady in that photo had a Thai husband and gave born a baby, then gave the baby to others for raising and the baby died when was 9 months old. It was found that the lady who was believe to be Ma Mya was born in 1902, the same year Prince Sukkasem studied at Mawlamyine, and it was impossible that Ma Mya and Prince Sukkasem met at that time.

In popular culture

• The Book 'Phet Lanna' (เพชรลานนา) No.1 (1964) and No.2 (1995) by Prani Siridhara na Badalung.
• The Book 'Love Life of Chiang Mai Prince' (1980) also by Prani Siridhara na Badalung.
• Lanna folk song 'Ma Mya' by Charan Manophet, and Soontaree Vechanont.
• Short drama 'Ma Mya' in Channel 7 lead role by Sornram Teppitak and Suvanant Kongying