The Heroines Monument at Thepkasattri Road Roundabout in Thalang is one of Phuket’s main attractions. The memorial tells the inspirational story of how two brave sisters, Lady Chan and Lady Mook, led the local people, many women, to fight against the Burmese invaders. Despite winning a battle over two centuries ago, the sisters still have a powerful influence on the psyche of the local islanders. In fact, for many Thai people, history is the same as that of Joan of Arc.
The Heroines Monument, also called Thao Thep Kasattri Thao Si Sunthon Monument, is one of the historical landmarks in the “Pearl of Andaman,” Phuket. The statues of the “two heroines,” Chan and Mook, were erected in honor of these brave women. who led an army composed chiefly of women to repel the Burmese invasion of the 18th century. The governor of the city of Thalang, the husband of Lady Chan, sadly died before the Burmese attacks. Instead of fleeing to safety, Lady Chan convinced the women on the island to disguise themselves as male soldiers to give the illusion of appearing heavier than men along with her sister Mook. Although the Burmese army was outnumbered, the women’s fighting skills against the army led them to victory.
The Monument to the Heroines erupted in 1967 and is located at the roundabout in the heart of the city. There is also a tiny shrine below the Monument where visitors can pay their respects with marigolds, gold leaf, and incense sticks. People usually bring these items with them before entering Phuket or buy them from nearby stalls. Thao Thepkasattri-Thao Sri Suntorn, an annual festival full of cultural and sporting events, is organized every March.
Who are the Phuket Heroines?
Chan and Mook were born into the family head of Baan Kien village. Chan has been married and widowed twice. The second time I was between 45 and 50 years old. Her husband was the governor of Thalang city. He died of a long illness. This happened just before the Burmese troops invaded.
At the start of the invasion, instead of running away, she and Mook decided to rally the humans and fight back. The rest of the story became legend. Documentaries show how Lady Chan lived their whole life after the war. She helped local people rebuild their lives, including through the tin trade, an unusual role for Thai women back when they were only expected to run the household and raise children.
Good to know about the Phuket Heroines Monument
There is a small shrine at the base of the Monument where people come to pay their respects to the ladies commonly known by Thais as Ya Chan and Ya Mook (you is “grandmother” in Thai). Most Thai visitors make it a mandatory stop before entering the city, especially on their first visit. They usually wear garlands of marigolds, incense sticks, and gold leaf (to dress up the mini version of the identical statues). Article. It is a tradition among local people to bid farewell to the Monument and ask the heroines to save them from misfortune before leaving the island.
You are often visited by students pursuing higher education. If you are in Phuket in mid-March, you can witness a magnificent annual event called Thao Thepkasattri-Thao Sri Suntory. Festival. The fair lasts about two weeks and consists mainly of sporting and cultural experiences. It can take a long time to safely cross the street to the central Monument due to traffic. If you want to see it up close, you better go after peak hours.
