Wat Chai Watthanaram

Wat Chai Watthanaram, or the Monastery of the Temple for the Advancement of Victory, as Richard Cushman translate it, is a restored ruin situated off the city island in the western area of Ayutthaya in the Ban Pom Sub-district. The large monastery is located on the west bank of the present Chao Phraya River (1), in front of the Siriyalai Palace, which is directly across the river. The primary access to Wat Chai Watthanaram was by river, as waterways were the most important means of transport in that era.

The late Ayutthaya period began in 1629 CE with the reign of King Prasat Thong and is most notable for square-shaped or indented-cornered pagodas and the re-emergence of the prang as the monastery's principal monument. Khmer culture was revived with the building of Wat Chai Watthanaram. [1]

Hiram Woodward wrote in his work 'Art and Architecture' that “It seems that the last prang built before Wat Chai Watthanaram was Ratchaburana, 1424”. There is, though, quite some reason to believe that the building of Wat Worachet and its prang was finalised a long time before Wat Chai Watthanaram was inaugurated. We must, although, not take the sentence out of its context, as Woodward probably wanted to point out that the architecture during Prasat Thong’s reign was strongly influenced by Khmer architecture and thus more closely identified with the early Ayutthaya period. [2]

Many texts and books describe the architecture of Wat Chai Watthanaram as similar to Angkor Wat. However, for those who have seen Angkor Wat, the view of Wat Chai Watthanaram will only be a far cry.

History

King Prasat Thong (reign 1629-1656 CE) built this royal monastery on the bank of the Lopburi River in 1630 CE to make merit for his foster mother, as well as to show himself as a man of great Buddhist merit in fact, a political goal [3].

The temple was built on the site where his foster mother, the wife of Okya Sri Thammathirat, resided in Ayutthaya. [4]

“And at the house of the Supreme Holy Imperial Mother, the Holy-Lord-Omnipotent ordered the construction of a holy great cedi reliquary. It possessed holy porticos surrounding it and the corners of those holy porticos were fashioned into beautiful pagodas of the directions and beautiful pagodas at intervals. Arid it contained a holy recitation hall, a holy preaching hall, and a Buddhist academy, and dormitories were built and presented to the holy monks in great numbers. When it was finished it was given the name of the Monastery of the Victorious and Prosperous Temple. On its lord abbot the King bestowed the holy name of the Holy Victorious Senior Monk, Royal Abbot of the Forest Dwelling Sect, and on the monastery bestowed a steady consignment of food in perpetuity without cease in holy memory of His mother.” [5]

Wat Chai Watthanaram was one of the grandest and most monumental ruins of Ayutthaya. [6]

The construction of the monastery may have taken 20 years to complete as a gold tablet buried behind a Buddha image in one of the spired roof halls was inscribed: “Auspicious occasion in Maha Sakarat 572 (1649 CE), Wednesday of the 4th month, 15th day of the waxing moon, year of the dog with number two ending, firstly established.” [7]

In the Historical Account written by Van Vliet, in the passage referring to 1637-8, he mentions “the King’s temple . . . under construction”, indicating that construction was still ongoing at that time. [8]

Since the reign of King Prasat Thong, all Ayutthaya Kings have regularly made pilgrimages to this sanctuary and attended royal funerals. In the last Burmese war with Ayutthaya (1764-1767 CE), the site may have served as a stronghold, as shown by reinforced walls and surviving cannon and cannonball remains. [2]

After the destruction of Ayutthaya by the Burmese, the temple was deserted, prey for the jungle and looters for over 200 years.

Architecture

Before we start with the monastery's architecture, it is interesting to hear what a traveller to Siam in 1655 CE had to say about his visit to this sanctuary. The large “Abbentak” is Wat Chai Watthanaram the small “Abbentak” is Wat Phutthaisawan, on the French maps, indicated as “Pagode de la feue Reine”.

“Meanwhile we also viewed some of most elegant Siamese temples and pyramids, especially the large and the small “Abbentak”, one for the kings and the other for the queens, built in the grand manner at no little cost, glittering with gold and gemstones like a gilded mountain. The larger one has a wide and blunt domelike tower, elegantly sculpted and girded by gilded images. One could walk around it, and at the front side one could climb many stone steps to about half-way. There was a door that is not opened for anyone except, formerly, for the kings. Inside there are many images (said to be) made of solid gold. In front, at the entrance next to the stairway, there also stood many gilded statues in niches especially made for this purpose. And on every side an awe-inspiring, large man of stone guards the entrance, each with a tiger standing before him, a tiger which, it is said, he fought and vanquished. From there we walked under a broad and very long gallery that had been built around this tower in the shape of a large square, standing so completely full of large costly gilded images that we almost overlooked the extraordinary multitude of smaller medium-sized and very small images. It was impossible to count them. Many were of copper and metal. Most sat with legs crossed under the body as usual, though in every one of the corners and in other notable places some stood upright on their legs or feet. There were also so many middle-sized and very small ones, beaten from pure gold, that it seemed unbelievable. ….Most of these figures were much bigger than men or women, as large as the greatest giants and giantesses about whom we might ever have heard or read. All the ones here were in beautiful proportions, modeled in brickwork and polished up with lime and then made smooth and even with black lacquer, on which they manage to attach very firmly the beaten gold, since I myself have seen how they made such images in a restored and hence ‘new’ temple not far from the lodge. To sum up, this certainly looked to be as beautiful and elegant a display as one is likely to find in all of papistry. This is especially true of the small Abbentak. As to size, construction, elegance, and multitude of images it matches the larger one. Moreover, these [images] all seemed newly gilded, all the way up to the highest vault. To simple folk this had the appearance of a small heaven. Even if I seem to write extensively about this, [what I describe here] is hardly half of what we ourselves beheld in astonishment.” [9]

Wat Chai Watthanaram exemplifies symmetry. The temple is built on an east-west axis, oriented east towards the main river and the rising sun. The monastery is nearly perfectly sculpted, rendering it beautiful in both the horizontal and vertical planes. Most of the structures described here can still be seen today, except for the vihara and the monks’ residences, which were likely built mainly of wood. The use of eight-spired roof halls, or meru, in the gallery's construction makes Wat Chai Watthanaram unique.

The outer wall

The temple complex of Wat Chai Watthanaram was surrounded by a rectangular wall measuring approximately 194 by 117 meters and about two meters high. The foundations of this wall, which are still partly visible, have a width of approximately one meter. Initially, the wall had eight arched gateways about 2.5 meters high. The north and south sides had two entries the west side had one, and the riverside had three. Two gateways are still visible today. These gateways had a triple-tiered roof, arched like a barrel vault, and were decorated with parallel vertical stucco ribs to imitate tiles.

In the Ayutthaya period, there must have been quite an elaborate royal boat landing on the east side, as this was the main entry to the complex. From the landing, a brick pathway led through the mid-eastern gateway into the sanctuary. [10]

On the west side of the outer wall is only a single gateway. Foundations of what appeared to have been a road led from this gateway. Apparently, this road was a covered corridor to screen off the ladies of the court, similar to the “chanuan” at the Grand Palace. On either side of this corridor were supposedly the monks’ quarters.

The chedis

To the east, close to the river, stand two large identical chedis about 20 meters north and south of the ordination hall. The two chedis are the only original structures not situated on an elevated platform.

Both chedis, elevated on a square base, are typical of Prasat Thong’s reign, being twelve-rabbeted-angled structures with a single staircase on the east leading to the top of the base. The chedi, with three rabbets on each angle (Th: chedi yo mum mai sip song), was developed from the redented added-angled chedi invented in the middle of the second sub-period. The twelve-rabbeted-angled chedi was a “trademark” during the reign of King Prasat Thong. [11]

What, or whose, ashes have been buried inside the chedi is unknown. It could have been his mother’s and his father’s remains, especially as the monastery had been built in merit for his mother. It would be rather exceptional if these chedis were constructed merely as decoration.

The inner wall and main platform

The brick pathway also passed the inner wall and led to the central staircase of the first of three raised platforms, about 1.5 meters high. The platform, which houses the ordination hall, the gallery and the quincunx, is double-redented on its corners. The inner wall, which contained all the monastic structures and whose foundations were restored, was 2.5 meters high and rose 1 meter above the first platform. Next to the central staircase, staircases also stood on the north and south sides of the platform. [12]

The Ordination Hall or Ubosot

Climbing the central stairs, you arrived on the main platform, straight in view of the restored ruin of the ordination hall. At present, only the elevated base remains. The rectangular structure measures about 45 meters long and 19 meters wide.

The ubosot was accessed by two small staircases to the east and west of the hall. The hall was built in what we now call the middle Ayutthaya period style, which implies that a porch surrounded the structure. The porches on the east and west were about 4 meters deep, but no more than 1 meter wide along their length. The three-tiered roof, covered with glazed tiles, was supported by two colonnades of five columns dividing the space into a central part and two aisles. The walls were made of brick and stucco, the most commonly used materials for temple construction at that time. The eight bai sema were reconstructed in their original positions. Unlike Wat Maha That and Wat Ratcha Burana, built in the early Ayutthaya period, the ubosot here does not extend into the gallery, unlike at Wat Phutthaisawan. As at the vihara and ubosot of Wat Maha That, the side walls were divided into nine bays, each decorated with false windows, similar to the gallery's exterior and the meru.

The gallery

The base of the gallery is about one meter above the main platform. The gallery surrounding the quincunx in the centre stands isolated from the ordination hall. Each side of the square gallery measures about 55 meters. The gallery can be accessed only through two doorways on the east and the west side. The walls of the gallery bear false windows, creating a decorative contrast of light and shadow within the gallery, a technique also applied to the royal vihara of Wat Maha That and likely copied from the temples at Angkor, but here executed in brick and stucco forming part of the walls. The interior wall of the gallery was painted with scenes from the Vessantara Jataka. The gallery was roofed, and pillars running perpendicular to the walls supported the roof. Holes in the walls and columns still show where wooden beams formed the roof structure. Archaeological excavations found evidence that the roofing material consisted of curved tiles with decorative fascias. The ridges were decorated with marble studs. [13]

Within the gallery, lining the inner walls, were 104 gilt lacquered sitting Buddha statues in the attitude of “Victory over Mara”. Two additional images flanked each meru, with their backs to the central prang, bringing the total to 16 Buddha statues.

The gallery had eight "meru," or funeral pyres, with a roof on each side, located in the four cardinal and four intercardinal directions. These eight 25-meter-high, spired-roof halls look very similar to the “Golden Meru” used in the funerals of Royals, hence the use of the word “Meru”. Each Meru had an interior chamber, which opened out onto the gallery and contained twelve large, seated and crowned Buddha images: two in each corner meru or “meru thit” and one in each midpoint meru or “meru rai”. [14]

The ceiling over the large Buddha statues was made of wood, with golden stars on a black-lacquered background. The spired-roof halls had roofs shaped like a prang, with a Nophasun decorating the tops. [15]

Beth Fouser uses the Thai word “Men” for “Meru”. She describes these funeral towers as follows: “They are square in plan with several redentations at the corners, making them roughly octagonal, and are about 25.5 metres in height, composed of seven tiers or storeys of diminishing size, almost like "the sections of a collapsible drinking cup"." A finial in the shape of a miniature prang originally surmounted the men, though only fragments of these have survived. There are openings from the gallery through each men, making circumambulation of the gallery possible. The corner men have two openings into the gallery only, whereas the midpoint men have three openings: two into the gallery and one into the courtyard, which then leads to the staircases of the central prang. Originally there were gabled roofs attached to all four sides of each men, making them symmetrical, but these have not survived. The square holes where wooden beams were attached to support the roofs, and on some of the men the original wooden beams themselves are visible. Enclosed by porches on the two outer sides of the corner men and the single outer side of the midpoint men are large stucco relief panels depicting scenes from the life of the Buddha. The outside walls of the porches are decorated with the same stepped mullion design that appears along the exterior gallery walls.” [16]

The exterior of the funeral towers was decorated with stucco relief panels, twelve in total, depicting scenes from the Jataka (the Buddha’s life) in a clockwise order. Some fragments of the paintings and reliefs can still be seen (but not for long).

The Quincunx

The gallery encloses an open courtyard. In the middle of this courtyard stands the quincunx, the central prang with four minor prangs situated at the four intercardinal directions, all standing on a raised square platform.

Wat Chai Watthanaram was built as a Khmer Temple Mount, with the central prang representing Mount Meru. The main prang is 35 meters high and has a steep staircase on each cardinal side, leading from the courtyard to a large niche. Only the niche on the east led into an interior chamber. This prang is an example in which a niche replaced the cella, or antechamber, of the early Ayutthaya period. Initially, the interior chamber and the niches held Buddha images but are now empty. [17]

The four minor prangs measure about 11 meters wide and five square meters at the base. [18]

The stucco surface of the prangs bears nail holes. It is believed that the holes were made by pins used to attach sheets of gold-plated tin to its surface, covering the five prangs in shimmering gold. [19]

Other structures

On the northern side of the main platform, next to the gallery's north wall, we find a small chedi. This chedi obviously was not part of the initial construction and was added later.

A small prang with an antechamber is situated north of the inner wall and also bears traces of later architecture. It was also not part of the temple's original design. [20]
Chaofa Thammathibet Chaichet Siriyawong (Chaofa Kroma Khun Senaphithak) was the eldest son of King Borommakot (reign 1733-1758 CE) and his first queen, Kroma Luang Aphainuchit. He was commonly known as “Chaofa Kung” and was appointed heir apparent. He died from a series of punishments given by his father because he accessed the Royal chambers with false keys, visited four royal concubines at night, and planned to seize power. He was cremated at Wat Chai Watthanaram, and his remains were placed in a chedi, as was customary for royals at the time. He was a poet and wrote many travel poems, such as “Kap Ho Khlong Nirat Phra Bat”, “Kap Ho Khlong Praphat Than Thongdaeng”, and the “Kap He Ruea” boat song. Also, Chaofa Sangwan, the third queen of King Borommakot and granddaughter of King Petracha, and Chaofa Nim, the King’s first concubine, were cremated at Wat Chai Watthanaram. The foundations of these three chedis are still visible on the northern side. [21]

A report by a Sri Lankan envoy who visited Wat Chai Watthanaram in 1750 CE describes two additional buildings, one containing "various images of the Buddha and two figures of the Sacred Footprint with the auspicious symbols in gold", and the other, "a similar hall to the west with three Buddha images.” Fouser presumed these structures were viharas. No trace remains of these buildings they were probably added after Wat Chai Watthanaram was built, since the complex was conceived as a whole. [22]

Symbolism

Wat Chai Watthanaram reflects the Buddhist worldview, as described in the Traiphum cosmography.

The universe consists of an infinite number of solar systems (Chakrawan), each depending on a central mountain named Phra Men, or Meru. Around this central mountain are eight circular belts of oceans, divided from each other by seven annular mountains (Satta Boriphan). Outside of all is an eighth ring of mountains called the Crystal Walls of the World. On the ocean between the seventh mountain chain and the walls of the world, which is called the Great Ocean, are four groups of islands, each consisting of a principal island and 500 satellites. The group to the south, called Jambudvipa (Siamese, Chomphu Thawip), is inhabited by man the groups to the north, east, and west are inhabited by beings akin to man but differing in appearance. [23]

The main prang thus represents Mount Meru, the central axis of the world and the abode of the gods the prang is surrounded by four smaller prangs at each corner on the same platform, representing the four continents the courtyard represents the seven oceans, and the gallery the seven annular mountains. The outer wall symbolises the crystal mountain Chakrawan and thus is called Kamphaeng Kaeo, or the crystal wall.

Noh Na Paknam

Noh Na Paknam was a prolific writer, art historian, and preservationist who worked closely with Silpakorn University and the Fine Arts Department and wrote extensively on Thai temples, antiques, and murals. From November 1966 to March 1967 CE, he spent five months in the Ayutthaya area, visiting known temples and ruins. He visited Wat Chai Watthanaram, built during the reign of King Prasat Thong, at least on 13 November and 13 December 1966 CE, but complained that the site was "now fallen into the forest" and very overgrown. When Prince Worawongse Krom Muen Phithayalak Phrutthiyakorn served in Ayutthaya, he recounted to the newspaper Siam Samai (New Era, Volume 2, 1967) that whenever criminals needed to be apprehended, they would often go to Wat Chai Watthanaram, as it was a hideout for criminals of that era due to its dense forest. The following is a report from his site visit.

"I hired a ferry to cross over to Wat Chai Watthanaram. I got lost looking for the entrance for a long time because the trees were so dense that it was like a thick forest. I had to go around to enter through the brick-making village on the north side near Khlong Klaep. It is a pity that this ancient site cannot withstand the forest. There have been many times when it was cleared, but then the forest came back and took over again, so it is not convenient to see anything. I just walked along the corridor, sat and copied the patterns of the leaf-shaped Buddha images and the base of the Buddha image in the crematorium during the time of King Prasat Thong. This type of boundary marker reminds me of the boundary marker at Wat Sala Pun, which is of the same type as the boundary marker at Wat Chai Watthanaram, carved from fine-grained hard stone, 0.52 m wide and 60 cm thick. The height cannot be measured because as far as can be found, each piece is damaged and broken. It is impossible to find a complete one. The patterns on the boundary markers are also different from one another. It should be kept in the museum, but that's it. If I talk about it, it's just a waste of time. No one will listen because no one has an eye for art. No one sees the value of the style and the patterns. One day, when they realise it, it will be too late. It will be completely broken and ruined. Inside the royal crematorium, there are pointed arches with sixteen corners each. The capitals of the pillars are adorned with long petal-like mouldings. The wooden star carvings on the ceiling have long been removed by vandals. The Buddha images enshrined around the cloister are all stucco, showing traces of previous stucco work. Each image measures 1.02 meters in width at the base and sits on a pedestal 65 centimetres high. The base of the pedestal is 56 centimeters high, and the distance between each image and the ground is 12 centimeters. These measurements were taken in such detail because it is anticipated that the temple will soon collapse under a pile of bricks due to neglect. Therefore, these details were recorded as evidence, perhaps for the benefit of future archaeologists."

On 13 December 1966 CE, he noted: "Each time they visit Wat Chai Watthanaram, its significance increases. The cremation pyres and surrounding structures are magnificent and beautiful. Some Thai-style paintings remain on the western ceiling, and it seems they used green paint. They intend to climb up and copy them later. The stucco Buddha images show signs of multiple layers of additions and repairs, indicating the skill of the craftsmen during the reign of King Prasat Thong. To truly appreciate it, one must examine the inner layers. I happened to see a section that had been chipped away, and the craftsmanship was beautiful. The lips have soft, gentle lines, instead of the stern expression seen on the outside."

Noh Na Paknam wrote that when King Prasat Thong built Wat Chai Watthanaram at the site of his queen's cremation, he designated the new temple Wat Aranyik. Wat Chai Watthanaram was the largest temple and became the residence of Somdet Phra Wanarat, the Sangharaja of the Aranyavasi sect, who had previously resided at Wat Pa Kaeo in Thung Prachet (today called Wat Worachet Thepbamrung) and then moved to the larger, more luxurious, and more convenient Wat Chai Watthanaram. The temple is located to the west of Ayutthaya, in accordance with ancient tradition. The road to Wat Aranyik later deteriorated, making access difficult.

Wat Chai Watthanaram, although built in imitation of early Ayutthaya architecture—with the main stupa as the central feature and a surrounding cloister—is merely a veranda enclosing the stupa. The layout, however, is not typical of early Ayutthaya architecture. In the early Ayutthaya period, the temple featured a large main vihara (assembly hall) at the front, with a cloister enclosing the rear and a central stupa. Wat Chai Watthanaram resembles early Ayutthaya architecture only in its main prang (tower) and cloister. The front part, the ordination hall, is not directly attached to the cloister. The ordination hall is large, surrounded by boundary markers (sema). A notable feature is the pair of large, twelve-sided, truncated pagodas flanking the front of the ordination hall (but lacking the four niches on each side), indicating the architectural style of the mid-Ayutthaya period.

The fact that Wat Chai Watthanaram faces east suggests it existed before the Ayutthaya period, or at least in the early Ayutthaya period, before the construction of the Khlong Tho canal, a straight canal behind the Grand Palace used for royal barge travel or as a landing point for members of the royal family. For example, after the reign of King Prasat Thong, the royal consorts and ladies-in-waiting frequently visited Wat Chai Watthanaram, as clearly documented in other sources.

The main Buddha image is made of laterite stone, roughly laid as a core and then covered with plaster. However, the main Buddha images in the cremation pyres and along the cloisters are all made of brick and mortar. There is not a single stone image. Every square inch of Wat Chai Watthanaram is mortared.

It is also doubtful that during the Prasat Thong period, the cremation might have shifted to Wat Chai Watthanaram. This is because historical records state that the body of Prince Thammathibet, the Crown Prince, was buried at Chai Watthanaram during the reign of King Borommakot. [24]

Wat Chai Watthanaram on old maps

Maps of Ayutthaya indicating Wat Chai Watthanaram were first published in 1724 CE. The monastery complex is mentioned as the “King's Golden Pagoda” on the detailed map of the Chao Phraya River and beyond (De Groote Siamse Rievier Me-Nam), belonging to François Valentijn's work Oud en Nieuw Oost-Indien, 1724-1726.

In 1751 CE, Jacques Nicolas Bellin published in l'Abbé Prévost's "Histoire Générale des Voyages" a map of Ayutthaya named “Plan de la Ville de Siam, Capitale du Royaume de ce Nom Levé par un Ingénieur François en 1687” on which Wat Chai Watthanaram is labelled as “Pagode Royale”.

Piriya Krairiksh suggests it may have been called Wat Pallankara Aramwihan and renovated and enlarged between the 1730s and 1750s. [24]

Excavation and restoration

Primary excavations at this site were conducted after the excavations of Wat Phra Ram in 1958 CE. Although treasure hunters had already disturbed the ancient structures, many precious objects were unearthed in the crypt of the central prang. Only in 1987 CE did the Thai Department of Fine Arts start restoring the site. In 1992 CE, it was opened to the public. Only in 1987 CE did the Thai Department of Fine Arts start restoring the site. In 1992 CE, it was opened to the public.

In April 2007 CE, the Thai government allocated 49 million baht to the Department of Fine Arts to repair and reinforce the frontal wall and flood defence barrier at Wat Chai Watthanaram. These structures, in use for over 20 years, were weakened by the 2006 flooding and now face renewed risk from rising waters of the Chao Phraya River. The Director of the Office of Fine Arts Region 3 explained that the project focused on strengthening existing barriers to protect the temple’s important areas. [26]

Wat Chai Watthanaram sustained severe damage during the major floods of 2011 CE, which submerged the site and threatened its structural integrity. In response, a 12-year, $1.8-million restoration project was launched in 2012 CE. The U.S. government (through the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation), Thailand's Fine Arts Department, and the World Monuments Fund jointly funded and managed it.

The restoration went beyond basic repairs. Engineers installed new drainage and flood-control systems, restored four Meru pavilions and their cloisters, repaired murals and Buddha statues, and used advanced technologies such as laser scanning and digital mapping to document the site for future conservation. The project also emphasised public engagement through educational events and documentaries to raise awareness.

The restoration formally concluded in November 2024 CE, coinciding with Thailand's Loy Krathong festival. The project is now recognised as a model for conservation-led tourism, balancing preservation with community and visitor engagement. Wat Chai Watthanaram has since gained international acclaim, being named among National Geographic's top travel destinations for 2025 CE, and stands as a leading example of how heritage sites can be revitalised for cultural and economic benefit. [27]

Wat Chai Watthanaram is at the geographical coordinates: 14° 20' 34.37" N, 100° 32' 30.52" E.

The Royal Pavilion

Tamnak Jao Phraya Kalahom, or Tamnak Phra Jao Prasat Thong, is situated just north of Wat Chai Watthanaram (Wat Jayavathanarama). King Prasat Thong built the royal pavilion before the main construction of Wat Chai Watthanaram began in 1630 CE so he could follow the temple's progress. He built the royal monastery on the bank of the Chao Phraya River to make merit for his foster mother, the wife of Okya Sri Thammathirat, and to show himself as a man of great Buddhist merit. The monastery's construction may have taken about 20 years to complete, as indications suggest it was inaugurated in 1649 CE. The pavilion (tamnak) probably later served a religious function, as the king prepared himself there before performing a ceremony at the temple.

Beth Fouser - stating McGill - wrote that King Prasat Thong was "reported to have favoured Wat Chai Watthanaram, where he often went to perform religious ceremonies. On one occasion, after the prediction of the court astrologer that there was going to be a fire in the royal palace, the king packed his possessions into boats and waited in front of Wat Chai Watthanaram until the danger was passed." [26]

Thus, the royal pavilion was one of King Prasat Thong's favourite places and, probably, of all the Ayutthaya kings after him. Today, the site is only a mound of bricks, with some brickwork on top and crumbled walls. The mound lies silently in a small street just north of the monastic ruins.

The site is mentioned on a Fine Arts Department map drafted in 1993 CE and is located at the coordinates 14° 20' 41.0" N, 100° 32' 29.0" E.

Footnotes:

(1) Not many people realise the Chao Phraya River was not running on the west side of the city island in the Ayutthaya period. At that time, it was the Lopburi River that flowed around Ayutthaya. Today's Chao Phraya River ran through the Bang Ban Canal to Si Kuk and from there to Bang Sai (historical site: Chedi Wat Sanam Chai), where the Lopburi River joined the Chao Phraya River. At the time, the Chao Phraya River was situated about ten kilometres west of the centre of Ayutthaya. The city was linked to the ancient Chao Phraya River in the northwest of Ayutthaya via the Khlong Maha Phram and in the southwest via the Khlong Nam Ya. Steve Van Beeck (1994), in 'The Chao Phya: River in Transition" (Oxford University Press - New York.), writes that "It was not until 1857 that an alternative path was created [for the Chao Phraya River]. A 5-kilometre channel was dug from the entrance of Wat Chulamani to Ban Mai. The river responded by following this new course and abandoning the old one, in effect making a secondary river of the stretch that ran from Ban Mai, and into the Chao Phya Noi. Half as wide as the river above and below it, the 1857 Ban Mai shunt funnels the Chao Phya down to Ayutthaya."

References:

[1] Ayutthaya Provincial Administration Organization [APAO]. Ayutthaya: World Heritage Reflections of the Past. p. 48.

[2] Woodward, Hiram (2005). Art and Architecture. p. 64.

[3] Baker, Chris Pombejra, Dhiravat na Van Der Kraan Alfons & Wyatt, David K. (2005). Van Vliet's Siam. Silkworm Books. p. 20.

[4] Fouser, Beth (1996). The Lord of the Golden Tower. White Lotus. p. 44.

[5] Cushman, Richard D. & Wyatt, David K. (2006). The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya. Bangkok: The Siam Society. p. 215.

[6] Baker, Chris Pombejra, Dhiravat na Van Der Kraan Alfons & Wyatt, David K. (2005). Van Vliet's Siam. Silkworm Books. p. 20.

[7] Ayutthaya Provincial Administration Organization [APAO]. Ayutthaya: World Heritage Reflections of the Past. p. 50.

[8] Baker, Chris Pombejra, Dhiravat na Van Der Kraan Alfons & Wyatt, David K. (2005). Van Vliet's Siam. Silkworm Books. p. 138.

[9] Terwiel, Barend Jan (2008). A Traveler in Siam in the Year 1655: Extracts from the Journal of Gijsbert Heeck. Silkworm Books. pp. 61-2.

[10] Fouser, Beth (1996). The Lord of the Golden Tower. White Lotus.

[11] Intralib, Sontiwan (1991). An outline of the History of Religious Architecture in Thailand. Third Edition December 1991. Faculty of Archaeology, Silpakorn University.

[12] Ayutthaya Provincial Administration Organization [APAO]. Ayutthaya: World Heritage Reflections of the Past. p. 48.

[13] Ibid. p. 52.

[14] Fouser, Beth (1996). The Lord of the Golden Tower. White Lotus. p. 53.

[15] Ayutthaya Provincial Administration Organization [APAO]. Ayutthaya: World Heritage Reflections of the Past. p. 52.

[16] Fouser, Beth (1996). The Lord of the Golden Tower. White Lotus. pp. 57-9.

[17] Ayutthaya Provincial Administration Organization [APAO]. Ayutthaya: World Heritage Reflections of the Past. p. 48.

[18] Fouser, Beth (1996). The Lord of the Golden Tower. White Lotus. pp. 89, 125.[19] Ibid. p. 90.

[20] Ibid. p. 53.

[21] Ruangsilp, Bhawan (2007). Dutch East India Company Merchants at the Court of Ayutthaya: Dutch Perceptions of the Thai Kingdom, Ca. 1604-1765. BRILL, Leiden-Boston. pp. 201-2.

[22] Pieris, Paulus Edward. An account of King Kirti Sri's embassy to Siam in Saka, 1672 (1750 A.D.) - "Siam Observer" Office, 1908. p. 20.

[23] Alabaster, Henry (1871). The Wheel of The Law. London: Trubner & Co. pp 12-3.

[24] Uluchada, Prayoon aka Noh Na Paknam (2527). Five Months in the Midst of Ayutthaya's Brick Rubble. (Hā Dư̄an Klāng Sākʻit Pūn Thī ʻAyutthayā). Bangkok.
[25] Baker, Chris Pombejra, Dhiravat na Van Der Kraan Alfons & Wyatt, David K. (2005). Van Vliet's Siam. Silkworm Books. p. 46.
[26] NNT - Department of Fine Arts receive 49-million-baht funding from Cabinet - 02 April 2007.
[27] Ajanapanya, Nongluck (2026). Wat Chaiwatthanaram: The Temple That Rose Again. The Nation, 12 July 2026.
[28] Fouser, Beth (1996). The Lord of the Golden Tower. White Lotus. p. 49.

Map 1 - Detail of de Courtaulin's drawing “Siam ou Iudia, Capitalle du Royaume de Siam Dessigné sur le lieu Par Mr Courtaulin missre Apostolique de la Chine”, published in 1686 CE by map seller, Franciscus Jollain, the elder (1641-1704 CE).
Map 2 - Detail of Kaempfer's sketch 1690 CE. Werke 4. Kritische Ausgabe in Einzelbänden. Herausgegeben von Detlef Haberland, Wolfgang Michel, Elisabeth Gössmann. Engelbert Kaempfer in Siam. Iudicum Verlag GmbH München 2003.
Map 3 - Detail of Vincenzo Maria Coronelli's drawing "Siam, o Iudia", published in 1695 CE.
Map 4 - Detail of Jacques Nicolas Bellin's map "Plan De La Ville De Siam’ based on a Jesuit survey in 1687 CE and published as plate No. 4 in volume 9 of the 1752 CE French edition of Abbé Antoine François Prévost's l'Histoire Générale des Voyages.

AYUTTHAYA HISTORICAL RESEARCH

WAT CHAI WATTHANARAM

(One of the two large chedis, close to the river – April 2009 CE)

(Buddha image in the cloister of Wat Chai Watthanaram – July 2008 CE)

(Aerial view of Wat Chai Watthanaram – downloaded from Facebook – unknown date)

Selected PICTURES

Pictures taken February 2008 CE

Pictures taken February 2015 CE

OUT OF THE OLD SHOEBOX

MAPS

When the past no longer illuminates the future, the spirit walks in darkness.
(Alexis de Tocqueville)

HISTORY OF AYUTTHAYA

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