| WAT THA YAK (วัดท่ายักษ์) |
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Wat Tha Yak was situated off the city island in the northern area of Ayutthaya in Suan
Phrik sub-district, on the boundary with the Pho Sam Ton sub-district of Bang Pahan.
The ruin is located on the east bank of the old Lopburi River on a stretch presently called
Khlong Bang Khoat, 200 meters south of Wat Dao Khanong.
Author stumbled on this brickwork when looking for the remains of the northern tax
station. There are bricks spread all over the site and along the bank of the canal.
The remaining construction is a bit strange, divulging a standing Buddha image in a portal
and having, what looks like, gateways on both sides; a fort-like construction.
Its historical background and period of construction are unknown.
The site is not registered on the Fine Arts Department map drafted in 1993 as
the location of the temple is situated outside the limits of the map.
In interviews with people living in the vicinity of the ruin it was not possible to
gather much information. The temple stood empty since at least more than 70 years as
most of them knew the ruin since their childhood. They used to call this temple “Tha
Yak” as it was called that name by their parents and grandparents. A local woman
commented that the temple was built by the Burmese, pointing to the fall of Ayutthaya in
1767 and the presence of the Burmese camp in the vicinity, but this is a generic for most
of the brickwork in this area. [1] [2]
Conclusion is that nobody seems to know the exact meaning of "Tha Yak". Literally
translated it means the “Landing of the Yaksa”, may be referring to the Yak Kubera,
guardian of the north. It could also be interpreted as “big” or “large”, as thus the “Large
Landing”.
Following old documents one of the four royal customs house (ขนอน) was situated near
Ban Bang Luang in the turn of Ban Maen and the Pho Sam Ton waterway. [3] It stood
behind Wat Na Phra That and in the front of the temple was a market place. [4]
Here remain some questions. Ban Bang Luang seems to be unknown in this area.
There is though a Wat Luang within the oxbow of the old Lopburi River in Wat Tum sub-
district a few hundred meters south of the location of Wat Tha Yak. The name of the
temple may have been derived from the name Bang Luang, as a monastery was often the
center of a community and "Bang" is also used to indicate a village along a waterway. It
remains a guess.
Wat Na Phra That is the name for an important monastery with a reliquary tower. As the
old documents comment, such a temple would likely not exist outside the city walls. The
name of the temple was probably mistaken in the old texts or miscopied from older
manuscripts. Wat Na Phra That is as thus likely not the correct name for the temple
in this location.
Tha Yak could refer to the landing of the Customs or Toll House, a landing which was
probably not so small in size as all trade (boat traffic) coming in over the Lopburi River
(and from the North) was controlled here and tax levied.
References:
[1] Interview with the Sarawat Kamnan of Suan Phrik sub-district on 27 April 2011.
[2] Interview with villagers in vicinity of the ruin on 4 May 2011.
[3] อธิบายแผนที่พระนครศรีอยุธยากับคำวินิจฉัยของพระยาโบราฌราชาธานินท์
ฉบับชำระครั้งที่๒ และ ภูมิสถนกรุงศรีอยุธยา (2007) - Explanation of the map of the
Capital of Ayutthaya with a ruling of Phraya Boran Rachathanin - Revised 2nd
edition and Geography of the Ayutthaya Kingdom - Ton Chabab print office -
Nonthaburi (2007) - page 89.
[4] พรรณนาภูมิสถาน พระนครศรีอยุธยา เอกสารจากหอหลวง
(ฉบับความสมบูรฌ์) - Geographical description of Ayutthaya: Documents from the
palace - Dr Vinai Pongsripian - Bangkok (2007) - page 44.
Phrik sub-district, on the boundary with the Pho Sam Ton sub-district of Bang Pahan.
The ruin is located on the east bank of the old Lopburi River on a stretch presently called
Khlong Bang Khoat, 200 meters south of Wat Dao Khanong.
Author stumbled on this brickwork when looking for the remains of the northern tax
station. There are bricks spread all over the site and along the bank of the canal.
The remaining construction is a bit strange, divulging a standing Buddha image in a portal
and having, what looks like, gateways on both sides; a fort-like construction.
Its historical background and period of construction are unknown.
The site is not registered on the Fine Arts Department map drafted in 1993 as
the location of the temple is situated outside the limits of the map.
In interviews with people living in the vicinity of the ruin it was not possible to
gather much information. The temple stood empty since at least more than 70 years as
most of them knew the ruin since their childhood. They used to call this temple “Tha
Yak” as it was called that name by their parents and grandparents. A local woman
commented that the temple was built by the Burmese, pointing to the fall of Ayutthaya in
1767 and the presence of the Burmese camp in the vicinity, but this is a generic for most
of the brickwork in this area. [1] [2]
Conclusion is that nobody seems to know the exact meaning of "Tha Yak". Literally
translated it means the “Landing of the Yaksa”, may be referring to the Yak Kubera,
guardian of the north. It could also be interpreted as “big” or “large”, as thus the “Large
Landing”.
Following old documents one of the four royal customs house (ขนอน) was situated near
Ban Bang Luang in the turn of Ban Maen and the Pho Sam Ton waterway. [3] It stood
behind Wat Na Phra That and in the front of the temple was a market place. [4]
Here remain some questions. Ban Bang Luang seems to be unknown in this area.
There is though a Wat Luang within the oxbow of the old Lopburi River in Wat Tum sub-
district a few hundred meters south of the location of Wat Tha Yak. The name of the
temple may have been derived from the name Bang Luang, as a monastery was often the
center of a community and "Bang" is also used to indicate a village along a waterway. It
remains a guess.
Wat Na Phra That is the name for an important monastery with a reliquary tower. As the
old documents comment, such a temple would likely not exist outside the city walls. The
name of the temple was probably mistaken in the old texts or miscopied from older
manuscripts. Wat Na Phra That is as thus likely not the correct name for the temple
in this location.
Tha Yak could refer to the landing of the Customs or Toll House, a landing which was
probably not so small in size as all trade (boat traffic) coming in over the Lopburi River
(and from the North) was controlled here and tax levied.
References:
[1] Interview with the Sarawat Kamnan of Suan Phrik sub-district on 27 April 2011.
[2] Interview with villagers in vicinity of the ruin on 4 May 2011.
[3] อธิบายแผนที่พระนครศรีอยุธยากับคำวินิจฉัยของพระยาโบราฌราชาธานินท์
ฉบับชำระครั้งที่๒ และ ภูมิสถนกรุงศรีอยุธยา (2007) - Explanation of the map of the
Capital of Ayutthaya with a ruling of Phraya Boran Rachathanin - Revised 2nd
edition and Geography of the Ayutthaya Kingdom - Ton Chabab print office -
Nonthaburi (2007) - page 89.
[4] พรรณนาภูมิสถาน พระนครศรีอยุธยา เอกสารจากหอหลวง
(ฉบับความสมบูรฌ์) - Geographical description of Ayutthaya: Documents from the
palace - Dr Vinai Pongsripian - Bangkok (2007) - page 44.
| Text & photographs by Tricky Vandenberg - May 2011 |
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| (View from the west) |
| (View from the north) |
| (Standing Buddha image in portal) |
| (View from the west) |
| (View from the south) |
| (Click for aerial view) |