Ko Samet Thailand Mermaid on Main Boat Port

Phisuea Samut, also known as Nang Phisuea Samudra (), is a sea

ogress An ogre (feminine: ogress) is a legendary monster depicted as a large, hideous, man-like being that eats ordinary human beings, especially infants and children. Ogres frequently feature in mythology, folklore, and fiction throughout the world. ...

and main character from ''

Phra Aphai Mani Phra Aphai Mani is a 48,700-line epic poem composed by Thai poet Sunthorn Phu, who is known as "the Bard of Rattanakosin" (). It is considered to be one of Thailand's national epics. With 48,686 couplets, it is listed as the longest Thai single ...

'', the masterpiece epic poem of

Sunthorn Phu Phra Sunthorn Vohara (Phu) (, , ; 26 June 1786 – 1855), known as Sunthorn Phu (, , ), was a Thai poet. He is often referred to as the "Shakespeare of Thailand." Born four years after the founding of the Rattanakosin Kingdom, he entered royal ...

. It is considered to be one of Thailand's

national epic A national epic is an epic poem or a literary work of epic scope which seeks to or is believed to capture and express the essence or spirit of a particular nation—not necessarily a nation state, but at least an ethnic or linguistic group wi ...

Legend

According to the epic poem ''

'', Phisuea Samut is a sea

who lived in a cave beneath the sea. One day, Phra Aphai Mani, a prince from the Rattana Kingdom, was sent to study abroad by his father, with the intention of having him ascend to the throne after his passing. Aphai is a master of playing a magical flute called Pi (ปี่), which had the power to put people to sleep or even kill them. Nang Phisuea Samudra was captivated by the beautiful music of the flute and decided to rise from the sea to find its source. When she finally met Aphai, she instantly fell in love with him and began plotting to marry him. While Aphai's companions were lulled to sleep by the sound of his flute, Phisuea Samudra disguised herself as a beautiful woman to be with him. Aphai knew all along that she was an ogress in disguise, but he was unable to escape. Aphai and Phisuea lived together and had a son named Sin Samudra (สินสมุทร). For eight years, Sin was kept isolated from the world until one day, Aphai revealed the truth about his mother to him and they devised a plan to escape. Aphai tricked Phisuea Samudra into going to meditate on a distant island and fasting for three days. When Phisuea realized she had been deceived, she became agitated and lost her beauty, transforming back into an ogress. She wandered along the beach searching for her beloved. The story ends with Aphai managing to escape and arriving on a shore, where he played his magic flute, breaking Phisuea Samudra's heart and killing her. The statues of Phisuea were erected on the shores of Koh Samet to commemorate her strong love. Her memorial statues can be found across Rayong province, where she was worshipped as a deity known as Mother Sea Butterfly. “Butterfly” (not an insect) is distorted from the word “ghost” and literally translates as “ancestral ghost”. Her story is still part of popular Thai theater, and she is portrayed as a sad romantic figure.

Gallery

File:Peesua Samut (Sea Ogre) statue at Samed port (Front).jpg, Welcoming statue of Phisuea Samut at the main port of Samet File:Peesua Samut (Sea Ogre) statue at Samed port (Rear).jpg, The statue at Samed Port File:Statues at Wat Phra Yai 02.jpg, The statue of Phisuea Samut located at Wat Phra Yai in the north of

Ko Samui Ko Samui (or Koh Samui), often locally shortened to Samui (, ), is an island off the east coast of Thailand. Geographically in the Mu Ko Samui, Chumphon Archipelago, it is part of Surat Thani Province, though as of 2012, Ko Samui was granted munic ...

, Thailand. File:Unnamed Road, Tambon Puek tian, Amphoe Tha Yang, Chang Wat Phetchaburi 76130, Thailand - panoramio (1).jpg, Puek Tian Beach and statue of Phisuea Samut

Notes

References

{{reflist Thai legendary creatures Culture of Thailand Water spirits