History Of Phuket | Heroines Of Thalang
In the history of Phuket, for centuries, it remained largely uninhabited, serving primarily as a stopover for pirates and ships replenishing supplies. Change was slow, but the island’s population gradually increased over time. This is the story of how two of the island’s women became heroes as they thwarted a Burmese invasion.
The History Of Phuket And The Nine Armies War
Our story begins near the end of the 18th century, a time of exploration and brutal conflict. Phuket’s strategic location in the Straits of Malacca, a burgeoning trade route, made it a valuable prize. While the Siamese had previously granted the French access to the island, this influence was waning due to maritime lawlessness and unpredictable winds hindering trade.
The Nine Armies War, a clash between the Burmese and the Siamese, was raging at the close of the 18th century. An epic conflict involving 144,000 Burmese troops stretched the once-mighty Siamese army thin across multiple fronts, making it struggle to defend its realm.
Amidst this turmoil, a figure emerged from the shadows of Burmese military might: Maha Thiri Thihathu. He was a seasoned campaigner who planned to attack Siam on five fronts. Six thousand of his troops had seized Prachuap Kiri Khan, while Malay forces sympathetic to the Burmese simultaneously targeted Songkhla, Phattalung, and Nakhon Si Thammarat.
Thihathu, in a questionable move, split his forces on the southern front. He dispatched his lieutenant southward with three thousand warriors, targeting Phuket. Thihathu himself, meanwhile, led a campaign of coastal devastation along the Gulf of Siam.
The Rise Of Heroines
The Siamese faced challenges. The Thonburi Period had recently ended, giving way to the Rattanakosin Kingdom, and the Siamese forces were only half the size of the Burmese army. The heroine of our story was sitting in prison on charges that historians today still do not know why.
When the Burmese annexed Phang Nga, Lady Chan and her sister Lady Mook made their escape and returned to Thalang on Phuket. Francis Light, a close confidant and friend; best known as the founder of Penang; passed on a crucial warning to Lady Chan about the imminent arrival of Burmese forces.
Phuket at this time was a small community, its population a mere 14,000. A few hundred trained soldiers were among them, but the rest were farmers, fishermen, and civilians. The attack on Phang Nga killed the island governor, which suddenly left Phuket rudderless.
Defences In Disarray
With the island’s governor now dead and its defences in disarray, Than Phu Ying Chan and Mook stepped into leadership. They recognised that a conventional defence was impossible. But the island’s fort, equipped with cannons and grapeshot, offered a glimmer of hope against the invaders.
In a strategically deceptive move straight out of Sun Tzu’s Art of War, Ladies Chan and Mook divided five hundred or so women of Thalang into groups. The women were outfitted with male clothing and cleverly crafted fake weaponry. This deceptive ruse created the illusion of a much larger and more formidable fighting force than existed.
The population sought refuge within its walls, bringing what provisions they could, while outside, food sources were destroyed to deny them to the enemy. And, with a stroke of good fortune, Francis Light returned to the island with a supply of arquebuses. With cannons, arquebuses, and that typical Thai stoicism, Thalang braced itself for a Burmese onslaught. The stage was set for a confrontation that would etch the names of two remarkable women into Siamese history forever.
The Battle Of Thalang
The Burmese assault began in earnest in February 1785. The Burmese landed on Nai Yang Beach, and in a stealth move sailed upriver towards Thalang. As they advanced, they sacked and burnt small villages, a brutal prelude to what was to come.
Despite lacking heavy artillery for a fort bombardment, the Burmese marauders anticipated minimal resistance. They surrounded the fort’s trenches with swords, spears, and muskets, staying beyond cannon range.
Inside the fort, day and night, Lady Chan’s troupe of “soldiers” paraded the ramparts, a carefully choreographed spectacle designed to deceive the enemy. For twenty-five gruelling days, the siege went on. There were many fierce clashes and it’s estimated that the Burmese lost upwards of four hundred troops.
The ruse worked flawlessly. Thoroughly convinced that Thalang was far too well-defended, with an army too numerous and well-equipped to conquer, the Burmese invaders retreated, abandoned their campaign, and sailed back towards their homeland.
History Of Phuket – 13 March Victory Day
Phuket now lay in ruins, its landscape scarred by war. What’s more, many islanders perished, victims of starvation, disease, or the enemy’s hand. Many others were taken as prisoners of war.
Yet the sisters’ strategic thinking and courageous leadership saved Thalang from almost certain destruction. They took a town with no governor, facing a massive invasion force, and, with a bit of ingenuity and a couple of cannons, they triumphed over the invaders against all odds.
Their actions earned them the titles Thao Thep Kasattri and Thao Si Sunthon from King Rama I, and the people of Phuket will always remember March 13th as the day they achieved victory over the Burmese.
