Phraya Surin Phakdi Si Narong Changwang (Pum) Monument

Once a year, on 13 April, Surin’s provincial government and local organisations gather at this plaza for a merit-making ceremony and wreath-laying in honour of Phraya Surin Phakdi Si Narong Changwang (known locally as “Pum”) held the same day as a national merit day for Thais who died defending the country. Outside that one date the monument sits quiet: a free, open-access bronze statue at the southern edge of Surin town, near kilometre zero of the Surin-Prasat road. That’s the edge of the old city, not the dead centre, a detail several older write-ups get wrong.

The statue

The dark-patina bronze figure, 2.2 metres tall, holds an elephant goad in one hand, a direct reference to the skill that made Pum a leader in the first place: controlling war elephants. A pair of swords sits across his back, marking him as a warrior as much as an administrator. The statue rests on a stone base inscribed with an account of his achievements in Thai script. Small food vendors set up nearby through the day, and the open plaza around the base gives clear sightlines for photos from several angles.

Who Pum was

Pum was a Kui community leader skilled at managing elephants who helped gather people and establish Surin during the late Ayutthaya to early Rattanakosin period, the same elephant-handling tradition that still defines the province’s Kui villages today. He later received a royal title from King Rama I and became Surin’s first governor. Provincial records disagree on the casting year of the statue itself (Surin’s public relations office gives 1971, other accounts give 1968) but every source agrees on the formal inauguration date, 13 April 1985, which is why that date is now the annual commemoration.

Visiting

Insider Tip: If your visit doesn’t line up with 13 April, come early morning or early evening instead. That’s when the most local visitors stop to pay respects on an ordinary day, and the softer light works better for photos than the flat glare of midday.

Watch out: Don’t expect a temple or museum built around the statue. This is a standalone civic monument in an open plaza, not a ticketed compound.

The monument is easy to reach by tuk-tuk or songthaew from anywhere in central Surin; most drivers recognise “Pum Monument” by name.

Nearby

Combine it with the Surin City Pillar Shrine, Surin National Museum, or a trip out to Surin Elephant Village to round out the elephant-heritage theme that runs through the whole province.