Wat Maha Thalai, or the Monastery of Great Destruction, is located off the city island, in the eastern area of Ayutthaya, in the Phai Ling Sub-district. The restored ruin is in the Ayutthaya Provincial sports complex, east of Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon, on which are four restored temple ruins from the Ayutthaya era.
Wat Sema (ruin) stood north, Wat Mo Hon (defunct) east, Wat Suwimon (defunct) south and Wat Maklam (restored ruin) west.
The information board in situ mentions that the monastic structure was rectangular and built of brick and mortar, measuring 7.6 x 10 metres. The temple dates to the middle Ayutthaya period (1488 - 1629 CE) and was restored in the late Ayutthaya period (1629-1767 CE).
The site is situated on the horizontal axis Wat Khanan - Wat Maklam - Wat Maha Thalai - Wat Mo Hon and on the vertical axis Wat Fai Mai - Wat Sema - Wat Maha Thalai - Wat Suwimon.
The site was completely restored (including a walking path, rest benches and bicycle parking facility) after the extensive flooding of October-November 2011 CE.
