Wat Tham Niyom, or the Monastery of the Revered Dhamma, is a temple used by the monastic clergy and located off the city island in the eastern area of Ayutthaya, in the Hua Ro Sub-district. Wat Nang Chi (defunct) stood in the north, while Wat Jan (defunct - formerly opposite the railway station) stood on its southern side.
Wat Tham Niyom features on a 19th-century map as Wat Yom Thai. The map indicates no chedi or prang in its location. Wat Yom Thai and Wat Yom Mon were situated about 200 meters from each other following a Fine Arts Department excavation map drafted in 2007 CE. Wat Yom Thai stood south of Wat Yom Mon, identical as indicated on the 19th-century map. On Phraya Boran Ratchathanin's map drawn in 1926 CE, the monastery is named Wat Yom.
Wat Yom had mural paintings illustrating scenes of a royal barge procession almost fitting the scribes made during King Narai's reign (1656-1688 CE) on royal processions both on water and on land (1). Phraya Boran Ratchathanin had the murals at Wat Yom copied on a manuscript in 1897 CE. Prince Damrong Ratchanuphap had the mural paintings recopied on a manuscript at the beginning of the 20th century (1918 CE) and preserved at the National Archives in Thailand. The original murals are unfortunately destroyed.
In 1985 CE, the Muang Boran Publishing House released entire books about the murals at Wat Pradu Songtham and Wat Yom. The murals at both monasteries are viewed as artistically connected due to execution techniques, including the linear depiction and colour application.
Wat Tham Niyom is a temple built in the Rattanakosin period on the premises of the former Wat Yom Thai (some remains were excavated by the Fine Arts Department in geographical coordinates: 14° 21' 32.52" N, 100° 34' 53.31" E). It is a classic Buddhist temple with an ordination hall built in the late Ayutthaya style (1629-1767 CE).
Wat Tham Niyom is in geographical coordinates: 14° 21' 33.61" N, 100° 34' 57.12" E.
Footnotes:
(1) The article "The Royal Barge - A Short History", edited in the Bangkok Post on 7 June 2006, mentions that King Narai ordered the murals at Wat Yom painted.
