AYUTTHAYA HISTORICAL RESEARCH



WAT THA KHLONG (2)





Wat Tha Khlong, or the Monastery of the Landing of the Herd of Elephants, was located off the city island, in the northern area of Ayutthaya, in Hua Ro Sub-district. Like Wat Intharam, Wat Wihan Thong, Wat Pa Khonthi and Wat Mae Nang Pluem, Wat Tha Khlong faced the Lopburi River, now Khlong Mueang.


Since starting this website around 2008 CE, I have been very confused about Wat Tha Khlong's existence and its eventual location. I initially logged it on the old website but did not post it on the new website until now.


The existing maps of Ayutthaya are highly confusing. A 19th-century map does not indicate Wat Tha Khlong. The 1926 Phraya Boran Ratchathanin’s map places Wat Tha Khlong slightly SSW of Wat Mae Nang Pluem. A 1957 CE map shows Wat Tha Khlong between Wat Mae Nang Pluem and Wat Wihan Thong. The 1974 CE FAD map also places Wat Tha Khlong between Wat Mae Nang Pluem and Wat Wihan Thong, but slightly northwest, and names it Wat Tha Phlong (วัดท่าโพลง). The 1993 and 2007 CE FAD maps do not show Wat Tha Khlong.



The 'Description of Ayutthaya', a verbal account of the old capital probably compiled from survivors' memories after its destruction in 1767 CE, lists the ferry landings clockwise. [1]


The next ferry after the one from Sattakop Gate to Wat Khun Yuan is the one from Wat Pa Khonthi to Wat Song, followed by the last ferry on the northern side. This ferry was the regular day-and-night service for officials from the Front Palace, departing from Nobles Landing beside the Maha Chai Fort to Tha Khlong and Wat Mae Nang Pluem. So, upstream (from west to east), we had the landing of Wat Pa Khonthi first, then the Herd landing (Tha Khlong). Wat Mae Nang Pluem was located between the two landings. The Herd landing logically must have been the landing of Wat Tha Khlong. [2]


Because most of the maps show Wat Tha Khlong between Wat Wihan Thong and Wat Mae Nang Pluem, or not at all, its location was a bit of a riddle.


On 24 August 2026 CE, I received new information from Chorpech Nunoi, admin of the Preserve Culture Group on Facebook, who forwarded notes taken by Watcharin (Patipat) Phumphongphaet in 1970 CE. Phumphongphaet was an archaeologist with Thailand's Fine Arts Department and an active researcher in archaeology, art history, and epigraphy. He conducted documented archaeological work at Phra That Phanom and later published specifically on the Portuguese community of Ayutthaya.


In these handwritten notes, he noted that Wat Tha Khlong lay parallel to Wat Mae Nang Pluem, and that a slaughterhouse within the temple grounds occupied the entire area. The slaughterhouse was located north of Wat Mae Nang Pluem. Coincidentally, Rungrot Farm occupies that area today.


In the 16th century, before Ayutthaya's city wall was extended, elephants were kept in an area between Wat Song and Wat Khun Saen. Whether Wat Tha Khlong had any connection to this is unknown. Still, Wat Mae Nang Pluem is mentioned in the Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya, which record a herd of elephants that appeared near the monastery and were rounded up near Wat Song around the end of 1548 CE and the beginning of 1549 CE. (1)


"About seven days later a herd of elephants, breaking out of the cover of the jungle, came in toward Mae Nang Plüm Monastery and entered a corral at Sòng Monastery.” [3]



Historical data about the monastery and its construction are unknown.


In the 'Description of Ayutthaya', it is stated that there was a land market in Iron Village at Tha Khlong. In the village, braziers for forging iron nails and cramps, large and small, were sold. [4]


Wat Tha Khlong was situated at the geographical coordinates: 14° 22' 8.53" N, 100° 34' 11.20" E.


Another temple with the same name exists north of Ayutthaya, in the Wat Tum area.


Footnotes:


(1) In the mid-16th century, the Phaniat peninsula was still attached to Ayutthaya, and the Lopburi River did not yet surround Ayutthaya. Around 1580 CE, a shunt was dug from the Lopburi River near the Khu Na, or front moat, so that the Lopburi River completely enveloped Ayutthaya and separated the Phaniat area from the city. Shortly after, large wooden trunks were used as a weir (Thamnop Ro) and plugged into the shunt to prevent the northern side from becoming shallow, which would have left the Grand Palace area vulnerable to attack. From then on, the Lopburi River encircled the city of Ayutthaya. Hua Ro became the northern point of Ayutthaya.


References:


[1] Baker, Chris (2011). Note On Testimonies And Description Of Ayutthaya. Journal of the Siam Society. Vol. 99.

[2] Baker, Chris (2014). Final Part of the Description of Ayutthaya with Remarks on Defense, Policing, Infrastructure, and Sacred Sites. Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. 102.

[3] Cushman, Richard D. & Wyatt, David K. (2006). The Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya. Bangkok: The Siam Society. p. 24.

[4] Baker, Chris (2011). Before Ayutthaya Fell: Economic Life in an Industrious Society. Markets and Production in the City of Ayutthaya before 1767: Translation and Analysis of Part of the Description of Ayutthaya. Journal of the Siam Society. Vol. 99.



MAPS



Map 1 - Detail of Phraya Boran Ratchathanin's map, 1926 CE. Wat Suwandararam, Ayutthaya.
Map 2 - Detail of a 1957 CE Fine Arts Department map. Amatyakul, Tri (1957). Guide to Ayudhya and Bang-Pa-In. Bangkok, Prachandra Press.
Map 3 - Detail of a 1974 CE Fine Arts Department map. Courtesy of Dr Surat Lertlum, Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy.
Map 4 - Google Earth.



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HISTORY OF AYUTTHAYA



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