KHLONG AYODHYA (คลองอโยธยา) |
Text & map by Tricky Vandenberg - March 2014 |
Khlong Ayodhya also called Khlong Wat Doem was a man-made short-cut canal running north-south and dug in a loop of the Pa Sak River, which river bed became later Khlong Hantra. The canal is today defunct, but some small stretches still can be seen. The canal likely existed prior the establishment of Ayutthaya in 1351, as part of a pre-Ayutthayan city outpost founded by the Khmer who ruled at Lopburi in the 11th Century and held control over the central Chao Phraya River basin. At the origin of the canal (north) was one of the four floating markets of Ayutthaya situated below the shrine of Jao Pun Thao Kong (1) [1]. The canal in its southern extension was called Khlong Kudi Dao, starting at the crossing of Khlong Wat Pradu near Wat Kudi Dao and running further south into Khlong Kramang. On the west bank of Khlong Ayodhya stood Wat Dusitharam, Wat Ayodhya, Wat Bot Racha Decha and Wat Jakrawan; on its east bank Wat Phlai Chumphon and Wat Sing Narai. Footnotes: (1) The location of this old shrine is not known to the author. References: [1] Markets and Production in the City of Ayutthaya before 1767: Translation and Analysis of Part of the Description of Ayutthaya - Chris Baker - Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. 99, 2011. |
(View of a stretch of Khlong Ayodhya) |
(View of a stretch of Khlong Ayodhya) |