Phraya Phichai Dap Hak Monument

The Fine Arts Department designed and cast the bronze statue, unveiled on 20 February 1969. English Wikipedia says King Bhumibol presided, but no Thai source confirming this was found, and no individual sculptor is named. The figure, about 2 m tall on a 2 m pedestal, wears Thonburi-era warrior dress and holds a sword in each hand, the right blade broken.

Phraya Phichai was born in 1741 at Ban Huai Kha, Phichai, named Choi. A boxing lover from childhood, he was renamed Thongdi by his teacher Khru Thiang of Ban Kaeng and nicknamed Thongdi Fan Khao, "white teeth", because he did not chew betel. At 14 he went to live with the abbot of Wat Mahathat, Phichai.

Thongdi won a bout before Phraya Tak, governor of Tak, and became his bodyguard, breaking out of besieged Ayutthaya with him in 1767. After independence was restored he rose through the titles Luang Phichai Asa, Chamuen Waiworanat, Phraya Siharat Decho and Phraya Phichai, governor of Phichai from around 1769.

The Burmese attacked Phichai twice. In the second attack — by tradition on 7 January 1774 in today's calendar (2316 in the old Thai reckoning) — led by Po Suphla, Phraya Phichai fought with two swords near Wat Eka; his right blade broke but he fought on to victory, hence "Dap Hak", "broken sword".

After King Taksin's fall in 1782, tradition holds that Rama I invited him to serve, but he chose to die with his master, entrusting his son Nai Ket, later also Phraya Phichai, to the new king. Pramin Khruetong notes in Silpa Watthanatham that the chronicles do not record how he died, though execution early in the reign is likely. His ashes are traditionally said to be in a prang at Wat Ratchakhrue, Thonburi.

On the grounds is the Nam Phi Iron Sword Museum, set up by Uttaradit Province in 1999 for King Bhumibol's 72nd birthday. It displays a sword said to be the world's largest, forged from 557.8 kg of Nam Phi iron into a blade of about 450 kg and 9.24 m, in a mother-of-pearl rosewood scabbard. The Phraya Phichai Dap Hak Museum tells his life, models the battle and shows late-Ayutthaya Uttaradit tools; it opens about 09:00–16:00.

Every 7–16 January the province holds the Phraya Phichai Dap Hak and Red Cross Fair at the stadium before the hall; 2026 was the 59th, suggesting it began around 1968, with offering processions, cultural parades from nine districts, Thai boxing and the Miss Uttaradit and Khun Suek contests. Photos from January 1970 show a spirit-invocation rite for Phraya Phichai at the monument.

People come to kneel, light incense and tie coloured cloth on the statue, asking for victory and success, so it is both memorial and shrine. His birthplace at Ban Huai Kha, Phichai district, about 44 km south, has a replica teak house and a seated statue.

Come in the morning or evening, as the open plaza is hot. During the January fair expect traffic and road closures. From here Wat Phra Thaen Sila At and Wat Phra Yuen Phutthabat Yukhon in Thung Yang are within 20 minutes' drive.