| WAT POM YAI (วัดป้อมใหญ่) |
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| Wat Pom Yai or the Monastery of the Large Fortress was located off the city island in the western area in Ban Pom Sub-district. The monastery was located along the Chao Phraya River above the city and the site can be accessed via road No 3412. Wat Phra Ngam was situated north of it and Wat Pom Noi on its south side. Wat Phukhao Thong was situated on the opposite side of the Chao Phraya River. Between Wat Pom Yai and Wat Pom Noi was a canal called Khlong Wat Pom, which had a junction with the Chao Phraya River. Opposite the mouth of this klong was another canal leading to Wat Phukhao Thong called Khlong Yai. Nothing of this monastery remains at ground level. The site is covered with vegetation and rather marshy. On the eastern side of the site (along Khlong Wat Pom) there is an earthen wall, which may be could contain remnants of the outer wall of the monastery, although this remains a guess. The site is heavily prone to inundation. For this reason a new temple with the an identical name was established at the end of the 20th century at the opposite side of the old Monastery along Rd 3412. The monastery figures in the Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya. Migrating Shans fleeing Burma, fought off successfully the Burmese at Nong Pling and advanced to Phitsanulok in 1584. Prince Naresuan at Phitsanulok ordered all the border routes sealed to block their escape and received the Thai Yai and their families at Phitsanulok. The Thai Yai were thereafter sent down to Ayutthaya and took residence near Wat Pom. "On Tuesday, the eleventh day of the waning moon of the eighth month, a year of the tiger, eighth of the decade, [1566?] the King ordered the Thai Yai families; who had come seeking the shelter of the King’s [CD: great] [CF: royal] merit, delivered down to the Celestial Capital and Great [D: Royal] Metropolis. His Royal Father bestowed utensils and comestibles on all the Thai Yai and then allowed them to take up residence in the vicinity of Pòm Monastery." [1] Wat Pom Yai was located in approx. geographical coordinates: 14° 21' 48.33" N, 100° 32' 1.96" E. References: [1] The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya - Richard D. Cushman (2006) - page 96 / Source: British Museum, Reverend Phonnarat & Royal Autograph - Naresuan Prepares Ayutthaya’s Defenses. |
| Text, maps & photographs by Tricky Vandenberg - August 2009 Updated July 2018 |
| (The new temple called Wat Pom Yai) |
| (Former location of Wat Pom Yai) |
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| (Earthen wall on the east side) |
| (Detail of a 1993 Fine Arts Department map - Courtesy Khun Supot Prommanot, Director of the 3th Regional Office of Fine Arts) |
