Phra Lo Garden, Phrae

Phra Lo Garden at Muang Boran consists of a group of sculptures of imaginary char ac ters from the Phra Lo folk tale. Some of the tableaus of statues are Phra Lo, the hero, and his two companions Nai Kaeo and Nai Kwan. The others include Phra Lo and Phra Phuan and Phra Phaeng. Phra Lo is a classical literature of the early Ayutthaya period telling of a love story occurring in Phrae Province in Northern Thailand.

Phra Lo, the son of Thao Maen Sruang and Nang Bun Luea, was the King of Sruang City. On one occasion, Thao Maen Sruang marched on Thao Phimphisakhon and killed him. The two towns began fighting. Thao Phichai Phitsanukon, the son of the slain chief, became the Lord of Mueang Srong. He had two daughters, Phra Phuan and Phra Phaeng. It was not long after these events that the two princesses learnt about Phra Los hand some ness and set about making themselves known to him. They per suad ed their companions, Nang Ruen and Nang Roi, to pay some wondering minstrels to sing of the beauty of the two princesses so that Phra Lo would learn of their existence. Phra Lo was deluded and expressed interest in seeing the two ladies. He was tricked again into taking a love potion made by a spirit in the forest and then led to Mueang Srong by Kai Kaeo, a mythical creature. Phra Lo put forward his proposal for marriage to the two princesses per son al ly. Knowing that Phra Lo had sneaked into the palace of the two prin cess es, the queen whose hus band was slained by Phra Los father, strongly objected to the marriage of Phra Lo and Phra Phuan and Phra Phaeng. She planned to kill them all. The assassination was completed when the prince and the princesses were all killed by the queens archers. The lovers were seen standing dead. The tragic scene never fails to make us feel profound sadness for the un for tu nate lovers.

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