History of Ayutthaya - Temples & Ruins

WAT LAN PHO (วัดลานโพธิ์)

Wat Lan Pho is located northwest of the main island. It was once situated within the
defensive Khlong Maha Nak canal system. In its present form, Wat Lan Pho is a brick
mound with a small vihara protecting a single golden Buddha image in the Subduing
Mara pose. The appearance of this image looks modern, but it could be a renovation of
the original form. A few small fragments of Buddha images have been place on the
vihara’s alter. The mound, itself, has been capped with thick layers of cement. There are
some bricks, tiles, and pottery shards in the area; however, there are no traces of chedi
or other temple structures.

There is very little known about the history of this monastery. It does not appear on
Phraya Boran Rachathanin’s map of 1926 and is first mentioned on a Fine Arts
Department map of 1993. Charnvit Kasetsiri and Michael Wright point out that a Lao
settlement was located in this area. The war captives trapped and sold birds that were
later released for merit [1]. There is no clear connection between Wat Lan Pho and a
Laotian community. Nevertheless, the people in this impoverished neighborhood are
mostly Buddhist.

Wat Lan Pho is difficult to find because it is situated in someone’s backyard. It is hidden
by trees and nestled beside rice fields. With the construction of Highway #309 and other
modern roads, the area’s interlocking system of canals was permanently blocked. A
reservoir was established just south of Wat Phu k hao T h ong, which further altered the
geographic landscape. Meanwhile, seasonal flooding prevailed. All these factors have
contributed to this temple’s demise. It is only the small community of fisherman and
farmers that are aware of its existence.

References:

[1] Discovering Ayutthaya - Charnvit Kasetsiri & Michael Wright (2007) - Toyota
Thailand Foundation - page 139.