Wat Jao Fa Ratsami, or the Monastery of Princess Ratsami, was located outside the city island in the eastern area of Ayutthaya in the Phai Ling Sub-district. It stood adjacent to and east of Wat Jao Fa Dok Dua.
The monastery was near the confluence of three canals: Khlong Ban Bat (1), Khlong Kramang (2) and Khlong Dusit (3). The temple was set up on the south bank of Khlong Ban Bat, with its mouth at the (new) Pa Sak River and on the west bank of Khlong Dusit, a canal which led towards Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon.
No visible traces were remaining of this monastery at ground level. Presently, the area is a parking lot with hangars for large vehicles.
Its historical background and period of construction are unknown.
The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya speaks of a Lady Ratsami, who was one of the six daughters of the major queen of King Borommakot (reign 1733-1758 CE) and thus a daughter of the king King Borommakot’s major queen bore the title Aphainuchit, and descended from the royal family line of King Narai (reign 1656-1688 CE).
"Now, the Department of the Third Rank Aphainuchit, the Major Holy Queen, had one Holy Royal Son and six Holy Royal Daughters. Now the Holy Oldest Daughter bearing the holy name of Celestial Lady Bòrom was one the Celestial Lord Tham Thibet, namely the Department of the Fourth Rank Sena Phithak, was one Celestial Lady Thida was one Celestial Lady Ratsami was one Celestial Lady Suriyawong was one Celestial Lady Suriya was one and Celestial Lady In Sudawadi was one—making altogether seven of Their Holinesses." [1]
As it was customary at that time to establish a monastery on the funeral pyre grounds of Royals, this location could be the place where Lady Ratsami has been cremated, or her remains have been deposed (It should be said that usually the remains of members of the Royal family were deposed at Wat Phra Sri Sanphet). Another explanation could be that this temple had the sponsorship of Princess Ratsami before.
The monastery is only mentioned on a Fine Arts Department map drafted in 1993 CE and was approximately in geographical coordinates: 14° 21' 18.54" N, 100° 35' 17.99" E.
It is not at all sure that in this location ever stood a monastery as it is only mentioned on the 1993 CE FAD map. In Tamnan Krung Kao, we read that there was a palace situated along Khlong Ban Bat, east of Wat Phichai and situated close to Wat Photharam. The text speaks of a single palace and is not referring to this location. The palace, known by the locals as the Palace of Jao Fa Dok Dua, belonged to Jao Fa Ratsami Sri Suriyawong Phong Kasatri and was the refuge of ex-King Uthumphon (reign 1758 CE) after the Burmese attack on Ayutthaya in 1760 CE. [2]
Footnotes:
(1) Khlong Ban Bat, or the Canal of the Village of the Monk's Alms-Bowl, is in Ho Rattanachai and Phai Ling sub-districts of Ayutthaya. The waterway links the Pa Sak River with Khlong Kramang in the Phai Ling Sub-district and Khlong Khao Mao in the Hantra Sub-district. Given its rectilinearity and east-west orientation, this canal was man-made.
(2) Khlong Kramang flows on the border between Hantra and Phai Ling sub-districts. It covers the stretch between Khlong Hantra and Khlong Ban Bat. Like Khlong Hantra, Khlong Dusit and Khlong Khao San, this canal was once a stretch of the Pa Sak River. The canal is named after a common fish in the Siamese waters, the Smith's Barb (ปลากระมัง).
(3) Khlong Dusit flows through the Phai Ling Sub-district. Like Khlong Hantra, Khlong Kramang and Khlong Khao San, this canal was likely once a stretch of the Pa Sak River.
References:
[1] Cushman, Richard D. & Wyatt, David K. (2006). The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya. Bangkok: The Siam Society. p. 422.
[2] Phraya Boran Ratchathanin (1907). Tamnan Krung Kao. pp 82-3.
