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 who 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 the area west of Wat Mae Nang Pluem on 11 February 1966 CE. The following is a report from his visit.
"We set off, exploring across the fields behind Wat Mae Nang Pluem, then heading west. We passed a mound of earth in the middle of the rice fields and found an unnamed, abandoned temple, with only fragments of bricks remaining as evidence (1).
Further on, we reached another large mound surrounded by a big moat. This was an old temple, which the villagers called Wat Kalib. The main chapel stood on a high mound. We found corrugated roof tiles, terracotta floor tiles, and a white sandstone Buddha statue. Villagers recounted that during excavations, they once found a Buddha image in the Malay style, wearing a Chibo (the type of hat unknown) with star and crescent moon motifs, symbols of Islam (2). Therefore, they believed it was a Malay temple, hence the name Wat Kalib. (3)
Upon inspection, we found it to be a genuine Buddhist temple, leaving no room for other interpretations. We found numerous fragments of broken Buddha images, along with decorative eaves tiles and a large perforated brick measuring 37 x 19 x 13 cm with five holes, indicating an ancient temple dating to the early Ayutthaya period. One of the Buddha images was a white sandstone statue with a long monastic robe draped over a belt. It extended down to the thighs, which was very unusual. I thought it was a standing Buddha image.” [1]
I initially guessed, based on the 1974 CE FAD map, that this site was at 14° 21' 59.40" N, 100° 33' 59.14" E. However, Miss Chorpech Nunoi, admin of the Preserve Culture Group on Facebook and an enthusiastic researcher, visited the site at 14° 22' 1.29" N, 100° 33' 57.19" E.
She reported that “Wat Kalib, or Wat Ta Rim (4) as the locals call it, is said to occupy this forested area, according to the villagers' land deeds. It is surrounded by a moat. The author went around to the other side to find an entrance, only to find it flooded. A line of bricks could be seen in the distance from the other side. There must be more to it, without a doubt. This is the hope of finding evidence of a once-ruined temple. Even a single brick is valuable. Actually, an entrance is somewhat visible, but it's obstructed by dense, tough tree roots that are difficult to cut through.”
Based on her survey, “the forest area shown on the map, according to the locals, belongs entirely to Wat Kalib.” Noh Na Paknam reported the site as a large mound surrounded by a wide moat, which Nunoi now seems to confirm.
