Ma Mya

Lore & Background

According to Thai biographer Prani Siridhara na Badalung, Ma Mya was a young cigarette merchant in Moulmein. She met a man she believed to be Prince Sukkasem while he supposedly studied at a school in Moulmein—though the well-known missionary school there, St. Patrick's High School, does not have records matching such a prince in the 1890s–1900s. They fell in love, swearing vows at Kyaikthanlan Pagoda. After his supposed graduation, she disguised as a man and followed him to Chiang Mai, but her identity as a Burmese woman was revealed. The figure identified as Prince Kaew, Sukkasem's father, is not a recognized name for a ruler of Chiang Mai; the ruling Chet Ton dynasty included figures like Prince Inthawichayanon or Prince Kaew Nawarat, but 'Prince Kaew' as Sukkasem's father is unsubstantiated. The match was deemed inappropriate because Sukkasem was allegedly engaged to a Princess Buachum—also not a known historical figure—and was expected to become the next ruler. In April 1903, Sukkasem sent Ma Mya back to Moulmein at the city wall's gate. Heartbroken, she used her long hair to clean his shoes before departing by elephant. She later shaved her head and became a Thilashin (Buddhist nun). When she heard of Sukkasem's wedding, she returned to Chiang Mai but he refused to meet her; she sent a message of forgiveness and returned to Moulmein, remaining a nun for life. Sukkasem is said to have died in 1913, reportedly an alcoholic, but this is not supported by verifiable historical records of Chiang Mai royalty.

Reader's Guide

Ma Mya's story is a significant piece of Myanmar and Lanna folklore, blending themes of love, class, and cultural conflict. The legend has been preserved in Thai and Burmese historical accounts, though its accuracy is disputed. Some Thai historians question whether Ma Mya existed, while Burmese historians affirm the story's truth. Controversies include inconsistencies in chronology, currency, and travel routes, as well as claims that the tale may have been conflated with that of Prince Wongtawan, Sukkasem's brother. The Kyaikthanlan Pagoda and Khaymar Thiri monastery in Mawlamyine, where Ma Mya became a nun, have become tourist sites. The story has been adapted into a Lanna folk song by Charan Manophet and Soontaree Vechanont, and a 1994 Thai television drama starring Suvanant Kongying. Despite uncertainties, Ma Mya remains a romantic yet tragic figure in regional memory.

Did You Know?

• Ma Mya's story is often told as a bedtime story in Thai popular culture, but it is not supported by known Burmese folklore collections.
• Some Thai historians claim Ma Mya may never have existed, while some Burmese historians agree the story truly happened.
• A figure identified as Prince Sukkasem's nephew said Sukkasem was a playboy and not heartbroken, contradicting the tragic love narrative.
• The name 'Ma Mya' may have come from a Shan woman named Myat, according to a later revelation by biographer Prani Siridhara.

The Romance and Its Sorrowful Conclusion

Ma Mya, a young woman of Mon descent who worked as a cigarette merchant in Moulmein, found herself drawn into a love affair that would define her life and echo through generations. Prince Sukkasem na Chiengmai, sent by his father to study at St. Patrick School in Mawlamyine, became the object of her devotion. The two pledged their love at the Kyaikthanlan Pagoda, a vow that would haunt them both. When Sukkasem graduated and returned to Chiang Mai, Ma Mya followed in disguise, presenting herself as a man to remain by his side. The deception was eventually uncovered, and Prince Kaew, the Viceroy of Chiang Mai, declared the union unsuitable for a member of the northern royal house, particularly one already betrothed to Princess Buachum. In April 1903, Sukkasem sent her away at the city gate before a watching crowd. In a gesture that Dr. Tin Maung Kyi, a noted Burmese historian, identifies as an act of humble submission in Myanmar tradition, Ma Mya used her long hair to wipe his shoes one final time before mounting an elephant and riding back to Moulmein. The scene at the western gate, as recalled by those present, became indelible.

A Life of Renunciation and Quiet Forgiveness

After the devastating parting at the city gate, Ma Mya shaved her head and entered the Buddhist monastic order as a Thilashin. Her new life of devotion did not, however, silence the memory of the prince. When word reached her that Sukkasem was set to wed Princess Buachum, she traveled to Chiang Mai once more. The prince refused to see her, offering only money. In response, Ma Mya asked royal messengers to convey a single message: she forgave him, and she wished that the vows they had made at the pagoda would not be reconsidered or dishonored. She then returned to her hometown in Mawlamyine and remained a Thilanshin for the rest of her days. Prince Sukkasem, meanwhile, descended into alcoholism and died in 1913. Ma Mya, it is believed, outlived him by forty-nine years, passing in 1963 at the age of seventy-five. Rumors once circulated that her ashes rested in the Northern Royalties Cemetery at Wat Suan Dok in Chiang Mai, but this claim was later exposed as a fabrication. Her final years were spent in quiet monastic life, a stark contrast to the public spectacle of her farewell.

Skepticism, Disputed Details, and Rival Accounts

The Ma Mya legend has not escaped serious scholarly challenge. Some Thai historians have questioned whether the woman ever existed at all, suggesting the narrative may be entirely fictional, while Burmese historians maintain the story is historically grounded. Additional complications have emerged over the years. Thai biographer Prani Siridhara na Badalung later disclosed that the name Ma Mya was borrowed from a Shan woman named Myat at a nearby monastery, casting doubt on whether it was the lover's true name. Prince Wongsak, Sukkasem's nephew and a claimant to the Chiang Mai throne, dismissed the romantic framing, describing his uncle as a casual playboy rather than a heartbroken romantic. The succession argument that Sukkasem could not marry a commoner because he would become ruler has been undermined by evidence that his cousin Prince Laokaew held a stronger claim under agnatic seniority, and that Sukkasem did not belong to the highest royal rank. Furthermore, the famous elephant ride from the city gate is geographically implausible, as travel between Chiang Mai and Mawlamyine at the time relied on water routes via Tak. Some researchers even propose the story belongs to Sukkasem's younger brother, Prince Wongtawan, citing an age discrepancy in the records.

Enduring Resonance in Myanmar and Beyond

More than a century after the events at Moulmein's western gate, the tale of Ma Mya and Prince Sukkasem continues to captivate audiences across Myanmar. In Burmese culture, she occupies a special place as a romantic yet tragic figure, a commoner whose love for a royal prince transcended the rigid boundaries of class and nationality. The story is frequently shared as a bedtime narrative, passed from one generation to the next, preserving the emotional core of a woman who loved deeply, was rejected by the structures of power, and ultimately chose a life of spiritual devotion over bitterness. The physical landmarks of their story remain active sites of memory and pilgrimage. The Kyaikthanlan Pagoda, where the two exchanged their vows, and the Khaymar Thiri monastery, where Ma Mya took her vows as a nun, both situated on Kyaikthanlan Hill in Mawlamyine, have become well-known tourist destinations. Visitors come to walk the ground where a young cigarette merchant and a Lanna prince once pledged themselves to each other, and where a heartbroken woman chose the silence of the monastic life as her final refuge. The legend endures not merely as history but as a living emotional truth for many in Myanmar.