Wat Phraya Kong Chedi, Thailand

Address

Wat Phraya Kong Chedi, Thailand

Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya District,

Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya 13000,

Thailand

Moolavar

Buddha

Introduction

This temple ruin is located off the main island in the southern area. It is hidden in a dense jungle-like forest and surrounded by rice fields. There are no villages or landmarks nearby. Its remote location makes it one of the most difficult temples to find in the city. There are at least two distinct structures and a surprisingly large number of Buddha images in situ. The location of the statues in close proximity suggests that the monastery had a gallery hall of some sort. Some of these images are quite large, and most of them have been carved from stone by hand – in contrast to the brick and mortar style used at other temples. Some heads are still intact, but looting is evident. A few have had their faces sliced off leaving only a portion of the head.

Puranic Significance

One unexcavated building has several walls supporting it. There are traces of stucco decorations, but the heavy vegetation makes an obstacle for getting a closer look. The structure appears to be a preaching hall; however, the roof has collapsed and filled in with debris over the years. Much of it is still buried underground. A second structure appears to be a square-like chedi with multiple layers. Most of it has been buried by a mound of soil, heavy vegetation, and other debris. It is possible to climb to the top of this structure. Its roof has caved in leaving a big indentation. On the western side there appears to be a large hole, but it is difficult to ascertain if it was dug by looter or an actual entrance. Wat Phraya Kong has many other unexcavated mounds in situ that could be the remains of smaller collapsed chedi.

More excavation is necessary to understand the layout of Wat Phraya Kong. The monastery has an east/west alignment. Boundary walls can be seen in a few places. Many of these brick have a different color and density than the ones normally found at other temples in Ayutthaya. One mystery is why this monastery was constructed at this remote location. The Chao Phraya River is several kilometers away. There isn’t any clear evidence of an ancient canal leading to the monastery; however, a small lake has formed to its north. This may have provided some access at one time.

The history or this monastery is unknown. A map hanging on a wall in the Ayutthaya Historical Study Center suggests that Wat Phraya Kong predated the establishment of the city in 1350. The evidence for this claim is uncertain, but the presence of a large number of laterite blocks (some of rather enormous size) suggests a Khmer background – and it is generally believed that a small military outpost from Lopburi settled in this city prior to King U-Thong’s arrival (Kasetsiri 75-89)