| WAT KHON (วัดโขน) |
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Wat Khon or the “Monastery of the Masked Play” is located on Ayutthaya's city island
in the southwestern area in Pratu Chai sub-district, west of the Somdet Phra Sri Nakharin
Park. The monastery is named after the "Khon", a type of Thai drama; a mask play which
repertoire is drawn from the Ramakien (Ramayana).
The site is mentioned on a mid-19th century map in the more or less the same position as
on Phraya Boran Rachathanin's map drafted in 1926, but is denominated as Wat
Lanthom Yai (วัดลั่นทมใหญ่) or the "Monastery of the Frangipani Tree" (1). Wat
Lanthom Yai was located east of Wat Cho (vanished) on the oldest map.
Historical data about the monastery and its construction is unknown.
Wat Khon was situated on the south bank of Khlong Klaeb (also called as Khlong Pratu
Tha Phra). It is difficult to locate the position of the monastery at present. We found an
unexcavated brick mound covered in vegetation about one hundred meter south of the
remains of the Klaeb canal, which we believed at first it was the location of Wat Khon.
After studying the maps, this position though seems to correspond more with Wat Sakei
on Phraya Boran Rachathanin's map; only, a Fine Arts Department map drafted in 1993,
situates Wat Sakei in another location, just north of Wat Wang Chai. Map data as thus is
not matching. To make it more difficult, we found a location called Wat Khon on the mid-
19th century map in more or less the same location where PBR positions Wat Sakei.
In conclusion, this author is of the opinion that there are no traces anymore of Wat
Khon/Wat Lanthom Yai, once situated along Khlong Klaeb. The monastery should as
thus be classified as disappeared.
Footnotes:
(1) Frangipani, Nosegay or Pagoda Tree. Scientific name: Plumeria Rubra.
in the southwestern area in Pratu Chai sub-district, west of the Somdet Phra Sri Nakharin
Park. The monastery is named after the "Khon", a type of Thai drama; a mask play which
repertoire is drawn from the Ramakien (Ramayana).
The site is mentioned on a mid-19th century map in the more or less the same position as
on Phraya Boran Rachathanin's map drafted in 1926, but is denominated as Wat
Lanthom Yai (วัดลั่นทมใหญ่) or the "Monastery of the Frangipani Tree" (1). Wat
Lanthom Yai was located east of Wat Cho (vanished) on the oldest map.
Historical data about the monastery and its construction is unknown.
Wat Khon was situated on the south bank of Khlong Klaeb (also called as Khlong Pratu
Tha Phra). It is difficult to locate the position of the monastery at present. We found an
unexcavated brick mound covered in vegetation about one hundred meter south of the
remains of the Klaeb canal, which we believed at first it was the location of Wat Khon.
After studying the maps, this position though seems to correspond more with Wat Sakei
on Phraya Boran Rachathanin's map; only, a Fine Arts Department map drafted in 1993,
situates Wat Sakei in another location, just north of Wat Wang Chai. Map data as thus is
not matching. To make it more difficult, we found a location called Wat Khon on the mid-
19th century map in more or less the same location where PBR positions Wat Sakei.
In conclusion, this author is of the opinion that there are no traces anymore of Wat
Khon/Wat Lanthom Yai, once situated along Khlong Klaeb. The monastery should as
thus be classified as disappeared.
Footnotes:
(1) Frangipani, Nosegay or Pagoda Tree. Scientific name: Plumeria Rubra.
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| Text & photographs by Tricky Vandenberg - July 2009 Review April 2011 |
| (Wat Lanthom Yai on a mid-19th century map) |
| (Wat Khon on a begin-20th century map) |