Phraya Singhanatracha Memorial

The Phraya Singhanatracha Memorial marks the start of Khunlum Praphat Road in Mae Hong Son town, honouring the man who founded and first governed the city. Born Chan Kale in 1826 in Chiang Tung, a Tai Yai (Shan) settlement in what is now Myanmar’s Shan State, he crossed into Thai territory and gathered settlers to establish Ban Khun Yuam village. In 1874, Chao Inthawichayanon, the ruler of Chiang Mai, renamed the growing settlement Mae Hong Son and elevated Chan Kale to the title Phraya Singhanatracha, appointing him the town’s first governor.

He held the post for roughly a decade, until his death in 1884 at 58. In that time he laid out agricultural land for residents, organised the town’s early infrastructure, and promoted Buddhism — including building the original small chedi on Doi Kong Mu, the hill overlooking town. That chedi grew over subsequent decades into Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu, which today is Mae Hong Son’s most photographed landmark and visible from most points in the valley below. The memorial statue itself is a more recent commemorative addition, built to mark his role as the city’s founding figure rather than dating from his own era.

Insider Tip: Visit the memorial on your way up to Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu rather than as a separate trip — the two sites tell one connected story, and seeing the chedi Phraya Singhanatracha founded gives the roadside statue more context than it has standing alone.

Watch out: The memorial sits on a town-centre road rather than in a dedicated park, so there’s limited space to linger — treat it as a five-to-ten-minute stop on the way to or from somewhere else rather than a destination in itself.

Local residents still visit to pay respects, particularly around town anniversaries, which adds a genuine cultural layer beyond the statue’s roadside setting. Combine it with Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu and Wat Chong Kham and Wat Chong Klang, both a short drive away in the same district, for a half-day covering the town’s founding history and its best-known temples.