I’d wanted to visit the Nine Heroes of Thalang monument for a long time, and on this trip to Phuket I finally had the chance. The weather wasn’t ideal, with overcast skies and a little rain made photography tricky, but I was glad to be there. Walking around the statues, I could appreciate the details of each figure and learn more about the people commemorated alongside the famous sisters, Lady Chan and Lady Mook.

One thing that surprised me was the condition of the monument and the surrounding park. During my visit, both looked rather run-down compared with many other monuments I’ve visited in Thailand. Given how deeply Thao Thepkrasattri and Thao Srisoonthorn are revered in Phuket, I had expected the grounds to be better maintained.

The sisters are honoured each year at the Thao Thepkrasattri–Thao Srisoonthorn Festival, also known as the Heroines’ Festival. The annual commemoration centres on 13 March, with ceremonies honouring their defence of Thalang. Cultural activities and historical performances take place around that date, although the wider programme varies from year to year.

Having finally reached a place I’d wanted to see for so long, I was glad to have visited, but a little disappointed by its upkeep. I hope the park receives the care that such an important part of Phuket’s history deserves.

I knew the names of all nine heroes, but matching each name to a statue proved harder than expected. Some sources conflicted, so I’ve done my best to piece together the identifications using the available references and my photographs. If you spot an error or have a reliable source that could help, I’d welcome the clarification.

The most useful reference I found was a numbered diagram from Suek Thalang 2328 by Chanthana Phummabut, reproduced on page 112 of the Prateep Na Thalang family history. The image above is an English adaptation of that diagram.

Its inclusion in a family history connected with the heroes’ descendants made it a promising starting point. Even so, I struggled to reconcile some of the numbered identifications with the statues in my photographs. Overlapping figures and the angle of the original image made the task more difficult, particularly when tracing which weapon belonged to which person.

I’ve therefore used the diagram alongside my own photographs to put together the identifications presented here. They represent my best understanding, rather than a definitive guide, and I would welcome any corrections supported by reliable references.

The monument honours seven other figures alongside the two famous sisters. Several were Lady Chan’s children, and their stories connect Thalang with both the defence of the island and the royal court in Bangkok.

Phraya Thalang Thien (พระยาถลางเทียน)
A son of Lady Chan, Thien helped defend Thalang against the Burmese and later became its governor, overseeing several towns along the Andaman coast. He was an ancestor of the Prateep Na Thalang family.

Mae Prang (แม่ปราง)
Lady Chan’s daughter and Thien’s sister, Mae Prang is remembered for supporting the defence of Thalang. The available accounts offer little detail about her precise wartime duties.

Phraya Thalang Tongpoon (พระยาถลางทองพูน)
Also spelled Thongphun, he was a military strategist who helped organise resistance to the Burmese alongside Lady Chan and Lady Mook. He was an ancestor of the Na Thalang family.

Chao Chom Manda Thong (เจ้าจอมมารดาทอง)
A daughter of Lady Chan and Phraya Thalang Phimon, Thong became a royal consort of King Rama I and the mother of Princess Ubon. Her title, Chao Chom Manda, identifies her as a royal consort who bore the king a child.

Phra Yokkrabat Jui (พระยกรบัตรจุ้ย)
Another son of Lady Chan, Jui was a royal official remembered for naval service against Burmese forces. His title, Yokkrabat, referred to a provincial official with responsibilities for justice and administration.

Nai Tongpen (นายทองเพ็ง)
Also known as Thong Peng, Tongpen was a civilian who commanded cannon batteries during the defence of Thalang. As head of the arsenal, he played an important role in the town’s artillery defence.

Mahad Lek Nium (มหาดเล็กเนียม)
Also spelled Niam, he was a son of Lady Chan who served as a royal page to King Rama I. Local reporting describes him as the first person from Phuket to hold that position. Mahad Lek means royal attendant.

A wargamer’s view of the defenders

From a wargaming perspective, the statues offer an appealing starting point for modelling the defenders of Thalang. With some artistic licence, they suggest a varied force of artillery crews, archers, spearmen, musketmen and swordsmen, including fighters carrying a sword in each hand.

The figures wear wrapped lower garments, with a mixture of bare torsos, fitted jackets and cloth worn across the body. These could inspire an irregular collection of miniatures, with variations in clothing and equipment rather than a single standard uniform. The statues are modern commemorative interpretations, however, so I would treat them as modelling inspiration rather than a precise record of dress in 1785.

The cannons would make striking centrepieces for a tabletop defence, supported by musketmen and archers, with spearmen and swordsmen ready for close combat. Basket-carrying figures could add character to the force and represent the people bringing supplies forward. Together, they suggest plenty of scope for a distinctive Thalang defence scenario.