In the morning of 25 July 1902, rebels attacked and looted the town of Phrae, killing over twenty government officials including the royal commissioner, Phraya Ratcharitthanon.

Ten rebel leaders were executed, sixteen were taken to Bangkok for imprisonment, and Chao Phiriya Theppawong, the ruler of Phrae, escaped into exile in Luang Phrabang.

A few months earlier, the Holy Man's Rebellion in the Northeast saw rebels sack the town of Khemmarat before being routed by the Siamese army.

[3] During the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) and his predecessor, Siam had lost numerous territories to France and Britain, normally lands ethnically non-Thai.

In order to tighten and retain the land left, King Chulalongkorn began passing reforms which centralized the country around Bangkok and reduce the power of local rulers, with local rulers in the country's north being forced to hand over higher taxes and most of their power.

The revolt was led by Phya Pap and aimed to install him as king and expel all Siamese and Chinese people from the area.

[8] One of the principal leaders of the rebellion, Phaka Mong, fled to Siam from Kengtung due to large amounts of debt he owed to the local ruler.

Knowing that they would face retaliation from the Siamese in the future, the Shans led by Sala Po Chai and Phaka Mong set out on a rebellion.

In the chaos, many villagers fled Phrae, although the rioters told the town folk that they would not be harmed but instead the Siamese who ruled over them.

The leaders, Slapochai and Phaka Mong, travelled to Khum Chao Luang where they convinced Phiriya Theppawong there to join their cause and to also provide food and weapons.

[4] On 26 July, the Ngiao began hunting ethnic Central Thais (Siamese), but also encouraged their murder through prizes totalling 400 Baht per person, including women and children.

[12] Three days after fleeing Phrae, Chaiboon went to local villagers in Ban Rong Kat to beg for food.

However the former treasurer of the Phrae, Phra Wichai Racha, hid three Siamese government officials from being murdered by rioters.

[7] In addition to the local residents, Westerners were unharmed such as Dr. Thomas who led an American Presbyterian mission in Phrae.

[9] Upon learning of the situation in Phrae, King Chulalongkorn assigned Chao Phraya Surasak Montri to lead Siamese forces from Bangkok to suppress the rebellion whilst local troops from nearby towns were called in to assist.

[9] News of a Shan attack on Lampang came from Nai Fuang, a judge from Phrae, who escaped and telegraphed this information of 26 July.

[4] The King of Lampang, Bunwatwongse Manit began preparing his town's defences by assembling a force of 1,000 irregulars.

[9][12] Despite Phaka Mong's failed offensive, officials in Chiang Mai and Lampang were still unsure on whether the Shans would launch further attacks.

Lyle began writing to Sala Po Chai urging him to not engage with Surasak Montri in battle.

After 15 days, it was considered that he abandoned all of his duties and Surasakmontri ordered Chao Piriya Thepwong's removal from his position, making Phiriya Theppawong the last king of Phrae.

[5] In December 1902, French authorities seized letters in Luang Namtha sent by Lassavong from a village controlled by France near Chiang Khong to the local rulers of Chiang Hung urging them to send 500 soldiers to the Shan rebels for renewed attacks against the Siamese in January 1903.

Following several night-time raids and short skirmishes, French authorities captured Lassavong and his son, moving them both to Muang Sing.

As prisoner, Lassavong was forced to write to the chiefs of Chiang Hung telling them to not come south and that any rescue attempts would result in his and his son's executions.

Fearing that the Siamese would accuse the French of arming the Shans, diplomat Renee Chevalier negotiated for the return of the eight rifles.

On 26 October 1902, hundreds of Siamese soldiers entered Ta Pha village in modern Phayao province.

Ta Pha housed a Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation (BBTC) compound which was owned by the British.

From the compound, one Burmese and one Shan who worked on the teak plantation were executed outside Ta Pha and the Siamese spent five days destroying the village.

Harold Lyle was suspicious that British subjects did anything wrong and travelled to Ta Pha along with the French consul Lugan and Belgian lawyer Robyns.

In December 1902, the French consul in Nan suggested that France should revoke previous agreements with Siam in favour of a more aggressive approach.

[5] After receiving information in April 1904 about an upcoming attack on Chiang Rai, the Siamese requested French permission to enter the reserve zone.