The team at Centre Point Thong Lo would like to wish everyone a Happy Chinese New Year! And as the Year of the Rooster approaches, we thought we’d share an intriguing tale from ancient Siamese literature that involves an enchanted rooster. It’s the story of the blood feud of Phra Lo and his tragic love affair with two enemy princesses.
Phra Lo: A Tragic Story of Love, Beauty and Scandal
The tale of Phra Lo (or ‘King Lo’, as we’ll call him) comes from a classic Thai poem. It’s an intriguing story of star-crossed lovers unlike many others in ancient Thai literature. Similar to the story of Romeo and Juliet, the tale of King Lo has a tragic end. But it differs in many ways – namely in that it involves sorcery, seduction and a secret love triangle that was doomed from the moment it was conceived.
In this classic poem, King Lo was the ruler of Suang City, whilst King Phichaiphitsanukon ruled Song City. The two were enemies, because King Lo’s father had killed the other’s father in a previous war. King Phichaiphitsanukon’s stepmother was enraged and wanted nothing more than revenge for the murder of her husband.
King Lo was a man of exquisite beauty. The poem says that minstrels across ancient Siam sung of his beauty, and women across the countryside longed to lay eyes on him. Among these women were King Phichaiphitsanukon’s daughters – Princesses Phuean and Phaeng.
A Sinister Rooster Sealed King Lo’s Fate
The two princesses devised a sinister plan to lure King Lo to their kingdom. They sent minstrels to his court to sing of the princesses’ beauty and consulted several sorcerers to conjure up spells to bring him, but to no avail. Finally, they found a sorcerer powerful enough to bring King Lo to them. He did so by sending an enchanted betel nut that – once tasted – made the urge to visit the princesses irresistible.
As King Lo travelled through the Kingdom of Song, the sorcerer sent a possessed, wild rooster to charm him. He chased after the rooster, and it led him to the princesses’ private garden. The two princesses met him there and seduced him together.
King Lo stayed with the princesses for about two weeks, before they three were caught out by princesses’ father – King Phichaiphitsanukon. But even their father was charmed by King Lo’s legendary beauty. He immediately gave the three his blessing.
However, this scandalous love affair was not to be. King Phichaiphitsanukon’s stepmother could not forget the transgressions of King Lo’s father. She ordered him executed, and in the ensuing battle, the princesses and their attendants were pierced by arrows and killed. Strangely enough, this bloody battle ended the enmity between the two kingdoms.
Celebrate Chinese New Year with Centre Point Thong Lo
If you’re planning to visit Bangkok to celebrate Chinese New Year, be sure to check in with our promotions page. We’re offering several attractive discounts that will make this year’s festivities all the more enjoyable.
