| 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 Khuat, 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. South of the standing brickwork is an old pond. 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 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 mis-copied 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. The ruin of Wat Tha Yak is located in geographical coordinates: 14° 24' 8.83" N, 100° 32' 43.83" E. 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] Athibai Phaenthi Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya kap khamwinitjai khong Phraya Boran Racha Thanin - Explanation of the map of the Capital of Ayutthaya with a ruling of Phraya Boran Rachathanin (2007) - Revised 2nd edition and Geography of the Ayutthaya Kingdom - Ton Chabab print office - Nonthaburi (2007) - page 89. [4] Phanna phumisathan Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya: Ekasan jak Ho Luang - Geographical description of Ayutthaya: Documents from the palace - Dr Vinai Pongsripian - Bangkok (2007) - page 44. |
| Text, map & photographs by Tricky Vandenberg Updated February 2015 |
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| (View from the west) |
| (View from the north) |
| (Standing Buddha image in portal) |
| (View from the west) |
