Thung Samrit, Phimai: where the captive families of Korat rose against Chao Anouvong's army

What happened here

Early March 1827Stop 3 of 3

The column of the town officials' families stopped to rest at Thung Samrit. The royal chronicle says Phraya Palat asked for some of the knives, axes and guns to be given back, claiming they were needed to hunt for food for the families on the way. Most books date the battle to 4 March.

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What happened at Thung Samrit

The contemporary testimonies and dispatches agree that when the column of families reached Thung Samrit, the deputy governor and the town officials, who had caught up to rejoin their families, made a plan with the townspeople. At dawn they all fell on their Lao guards together, while the monks, novices and women in the column cheered them on. Almost all of the 200 Lao soldiers guarding them were killed. Chao Anouvong sent a force of 2,000 to put the rising down, and it too was beaten back.

The Royal Chronicle of the Third Reign and the records of the suppression of the Vientiane rebellion state that Than Phu Ying Mo, the deputy governor's wife, led the women as a reserve in this fight, and that she was later made Thao Suranari. The story of Nang Sao Bunluea setting fire to the gunpowder carts and dying in the blast has not yet been found in any document written before 1932.

The place today

At Ban Samrit is the Thung Samrit memorial, with a shrine to the spirits of Nang Sao Bunluea and those who fought beside her. The villagers hold a commemoration at the beginning of March every year. From here it is about 20 minutes to Phimai Historical Park.

Position on the map: Approximate coordinates of the Ban Samrit area, Samrit subdistrict, Phimai district.