Thaosuranari ( Thai. ท้าว สุร นารี) in translation means "brave mistress." This is the official title of the heroine of the newest Thai historiography Ya-Mo (1777-1852) or “grandmother Mo” (ย่า โม), as they also call her in Thailand . She was the wife of the vice governor of Nakhon Ratchasima province, Siam stronghold in control of the territory of her Lao vassal . Regarding the Burney Accords as a sign of Siam's weakness, King Vientiane Anuwong (1767-1827) made an attempt to get rid of vassalism and, under the pretext of liberating the Lao from slavery in 1826, sent his three armies to Korat . As a result of the invasion, the city fell, the local population was captured and subjected to forced internment .
Various sources contradictory describe the " Yo -Mo feat", offering options ranging from the drunkenness of Lao soldiers to the organization of an uprising at one of the halts along the road to Vientiane. In any case, they agree that the result of her sole act was supposedly to disperse and disorganize the Lao army, as a result of which the time necessary for the reinforcement approach from Bangkok was won. In May 1827, General Singsinghaseni defeated Anuwong's armies, and then almost completely destroyed the capital Vientiane.
The title of Thaosuranari was granted by Ya-Mo to King Rama III in recognition of her "ingenuity, determination and courage." On January 15, 1934, a statue of Thaosuranari was installed in Korat. Every year, at the foot of the monument, a holiday is celebrated, which is accompanied by torchlight processions, grandiose fireworks at the four city gates, an exhibition of folk costumes, carnival displays on historical motifs, as well as a light and music show illustrating a real or imaginary event connected with her name.
Recently, doubts have arisen about the authenticity of the Ya-Mo story, which could almost completely be falsified by Thai nationalist historiography in the 1930s. This topic is especially sharply discussed not only by professional historians of Laos and Thailand, but also by lovers of the history of these countries.