| WAT SAM PLUM |
Wat Sam Plum can easily be found east of the city island. It is located dead-center in
the middle of the Rojana Road - as it leads to/from the Asian Highway. Wat Sam Plum
serves as a traffic roundabout, and it is well-known welcoming sign to the old city. Its
large chedi is usually decorated and lit up at night.
There is only the single bell-shaped chedi in situ, but its size is fairly large for the area.
The remaining structures of this monastery were cleared away due to road construction.
However, it is still possible to see red bricks on the banks of Khlong Dusit. Some of
these may have belonged to this monastery.
The history of this temple is not very clear. The style of the chedi suggests that it was
constructed in the middle-Ayutthaya period. However, it should be pointed out that,
King Borommakot (r. 1733-1758) renovated many monasteries in this area during his
reign, so it is possible that Wat Sam Plum is even older than the chedi’s structure
suggests. Wat Sam Plum was once part of an ancient canal system. One could travel
from this monastery via Khlong Dusit to Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon. The area between
these two sites was known for its rice mills and rice distilleries. Villagers could also head
north toward Wat Ayodhya from this prime location.
The canal system has been mostly destroyed by road construction, and a water gate
prevents navigation. The modern city has grown around Wat Sam Plum. Thai youth have
jokingly nicknamed this temple “Chedi Nag Leng” (or Yankee chedi), because it sits in
the middle of the road forcing everybody to move around it. The chedi is now a very
useful marker for tourists. If you turn north at Wat Sam Plum, it will lead you to ruins
such as Wat Kudi Dao and Wat Maheyong. If you turn south at Wat Sam Plum, it will
take you to Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon and Wat Phanan Choeng.
the middle of the Rojana Road - as it leads to/from the Asian Highway. Wat Sam Plum
serves as a traffic roundabout, and it is well-known welcoming sign to the old city. Its
large chedi is usually decorated and lit up at night.
There is only the single bell-shaped chedi in situ, but its size is fairly large for the area.
The remaining structures of this monastery were cleared away due to road construction.
However, it is still possible to see red bricks on the banks of Khlong Dusit. Some of
these may have belonged to this monastery.
The history of this temple is not very clear. The style of the chedi suggests that it was
constructed in the middle-Ayutthaya period. However, it should be pointed out that,
King Borommakot (r. 1733-1758) renovated many monasteries in this area during his
reign, so it is possible that Wat Sam Plum is even older than the chedi’s structure
suggests. Wat Sam Plum was once part of an ancient canal system. One could travel
from this monastery via Khlong Dusit to Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon. The area between
these two sites was known for its rice mills and rice distilleries. Villagers could also head
north toward Wat Ayodhya from this prime location.
The canal system has been mostly destroyed by road construction, and a water gate
prevents navigation. The modern city has grown around Wat Sam Plum. Thai youth have
jokingly nicknamed this temple “Chedi Nag Leng” (or Yankee chedi), because it sits in
the middle of the road forcing everybody to move around it. The chedi is now a very
useful marker for tourists. If you turn north at Wat Sam Plum, it will lead you to ruins
such as Wat Kudi Dao and Wat Maheyong. If you turn south at Wat Sam Plum, it will
take you to Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon and Wat Phanan Choeng.
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| Text & photographs by Ken May - August 2009 |
(Click the button for aerial view)
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