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Thailand - Ayutthaya 2 - Outside the island


Photo Gallery of Ayutthaya in Thailand, no.2.

Ayutthaya is 80 km north of Bangkok. It's the ancient capital of Ayutthaya kingdom (1351 - 1767).
 
The Ayuttaya city is surrounded by Chao Phraya river (Menam Chao Phraya) and its branches. The old buildings were destroyed because of a lot of fights with Burma during the Ayutthaya period.

This page shows "Outside the island" such as What Yai Chai Mongkol, Japanese village, Japanese town, and so on.

Ayutthaya City (Ayutthaya Historical Park)
(The original file is from the Wikimedia Commons.)
Ayuttaya on the map
(80 km north of Bangkok)


  • Ayutthaya 1F Historical Park (Wat Mahathat, Wat Phra Si Sanphet and so on)
  • Ayutthaya 3F Bang Pa-In Palace, House in old days, Sala Pra Ming Kwan



[Ayutthaya] Wat Yai Chai Mongkon

Wat Yai Chai Mongkon, outside the Ayutthaya island, was built in 1357 by the King U-Tong.
 Wat Yai Chai Mongkon, outside the Ayutthaya island, was built in 1357 by the King U-Tong.
 The huge and magnificent chedi and a lot of Buddha images around are overwhelming.
------------ Explanation board says; ------------
The Great Chedi Chaya Mongkhol was built by the command of King Naresuan the Great, to commemorate his decisive victory over the Burmese invasion in A.D. 1592. The event was climaxed in the momentous elephant combat between the King and the Burmese crown prince Maha Uparaja, in the province of Suparnburi the renown of King Narasuan was such that there was no more outside invasion for the following two hundred years.
@Thus, the Great Chedi serves as a symbol of prowess and sacrifice of the King and his soldiers, who with their national and religious devotion have brought about calm and peaceful assurance to the Thai people.

Another board information (details) is here
*) To close: Click outside of this window

The explanation board of Wat Yai Chaimongkhon, the details.

Initially, this monastery was constructed by King U-thong in 1900 B.E (1357 A.D.). to accommodate the monks that once were ordained from Phra Wanratana Mahathera Bureau in Ceylon. This denomination is called The Pakaew Group. Thereby this monastery was named "Wat Pakaew".

Many people because followers of this denomination and there were many monks ordered in the order so that Pakaws Group quickly because propous during this period.
Later on many people were faithful in this domination. Many of them were ordained the monks of this domination so that Pakaew Group became prosperous rapidly during that time.

Phra Rachathibodi then appointed the director of this sect as the right-sided patriarch named "Phra Wanratana" while "Phra Putthakosajam," held the position of the left-sided patriarch. Since the patriarch stayed here, this monastery was named Wat Chao Phayatai.
The ubosot of this monastery was the place where King Tianracha had prayed for the throne before he could beat Khun Worawongsathiraj, another candidate for the throne.

In 2135 B.E.(1592 A.D.) in the reign of King Naraesuan the Great, Phra Maha Uparacha of Burma marched his army to Ayutthaya in order to take control over the Thai Kingdom. King Naresuan then marched his army to combat the invader. They met at Nong Sarai, Supan Buri district. King Naraesuan had a fight on elephant back with Phra Maha Uparacha. King Naresuan was able to kill his rival but he could not destroy the enemies army because his soldiers were further behind. King Naraesuan was full of rage when he came back to Ayutthaya and wanted the commanders to be executed because they were unable to follow him.

However, Phra Wanratana of Wat Pa Kaew asked him for the death penalty and suggested him to build a Chedi to celebrate the victory instead. King Naraesuan the Great then decided to construct a large Chedi in this monastery named Phra Chedi Chaimongkhon. This monastery became Wat Yai Chaimongkhon later on.

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This temple has a big Reclining Buddha image.
It's not as big as the one in Wat Pho (Bangkok), still it's big !
Entrance 1
The entrance !
Now, let's go !
Entrance 2
Decoration of the gate of the entrance.
Scenery around the entrance
Some old buildings will come into view.
Over there
A big chedi can be seen over there.
Entrance 1
The entrance !
Now, let's go !
Entrance 2
Decoration of the gate of the entrance.
Scenery around the entrance
Some old buildings will come into view.
Over there
A big chedi can be seen over there.
Reclining Buddha 1
The Reclining Buddha image was probably built in the reign of King Narasuan, particularly used for worship and meditation.
The present image was restored in 1965 A.D.

Reclining Buddha 1
The Reclining Buddha image was probably built in the reign of King Narasuan, particularly used for worship and meditation.
The present image was restored in 1965 A.D.

Reclining Buddha 2
Very big compared to visitors.
Reclining Buddha 3
A lot of people come to pray.
Reclining Buddha 2
Very big compared to visitors.
Reclining Buddha 3
A lot of people come to pray.
Reclining Buddha 4
Feet of the Buddha image.
Gold leaves cover them.
Reclining Cat
Reclining cat besides the Reclining Buddha. :D
Reclining Buddha 4
Feet of the Buddha image.
Gold leaves cover them.
Reclining Cat
Reclining cat besides the Reclining Buddha. :D
The Chedi
The Chedi has come to view.
The frond
There are stairs and you can go up.
The Chedi
The Chedi has come to view.
The frond
There are stairs and you can go up.
Upstairs
One shot of upstairs.
Upstairs
One shot of upstairs.
The front stairs
Looking down from the front stairs.
Upstairs of the chedi
Upstairs of Chai Mongkol.
The front stairs
Looking down from the front stairs.
Upstairs of the chedi
Upstairs of Chai Mongkol.
White Buddha
Behind the huge chedi, a white Buddha image is enshrined.
Another side
Chedis on the another side also.
Looking down
Scenery looking down at the front.
The front stairs
The scenery of the front stairs.
White Buddha
Behind the huge chedi, a white Buddha image is enshrined.
Another side
Chedis on the another side also.
Looking down
Scenery looking down at the front.
The front stairs
The scenery of the front stairs.
The whole scenery of the chedi
it's huge ! You must come here at least once.
Buddha images in line
I guess you've once seen this kind of pictures.
Famous angle.
The whole scenery of the chedi
it's huge ! You must come here at least once.
Buddha images in line
I guess you've once seen this kind of pictures.
Famous angle.
From behind
The image from behind.
White statues
Looks like one scene where Buddha is teaching his students.
From behind
The image from behind.
White statues
Looks like one scene where Buddha is teaching his students.
Main hall ?
A image is enshrined and a lot of people come to pray.
Skyblue TukTuk
This colored tuktuks can be seen not so often.
Flowers 1
Same as a rare four-leaf clover in Japan, if you find five-leaf flower, you will be very lucky. :D
Flowers 2
There is a five-leaf flower in the picture.
You'll be lucky ! :D
Main hall ?
A image is enshrined and a lot of people come to pray.
Skyblue TukTuk
This colored tuktuks can be seen not so often.
Flowers 1
Same as a rare four-leaf clover in Japan, if you find five-leaf flower, you will be very lucky. :D
Flowers 2
There is a five-leaf flower in the picture.
You'll be lucky ! :D

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[Ayutthaya] Japanese village (Ban Yipun)

When I was a junior high school student, I learned about a Japanese who did a great job in Thailand named " Nagamasa Yamada ". I'm wondering if students these days also learn it or not. :)
This was the Japanese village related the Japanese, memorial site of the old Japanese settlement in Ayutthaya.
The entrance
(Entrance fee is 20 Bahts.)
The entrance
(Entrance fee is 20 Bahts.)
Monument and the atmosphere
(Looks like a park inside the area.)
Monument and the atmosphere
(Looks like a park inside the area.)
The entrance
(Entrance fee is 20 Bahts.)
Monument and the atmosphere
(Looks like a park inside the area.)
Stone monument in the Japanese village (Ban Yipun)
< Stone monument > It says like this:
Ayutthaya was the capital of Thailand for 417 years from 1350 to 1767.
The number of people who came from overseas exploded from the late 16 century and they worked as traders or volunteer soldiers for the kingdom.

In those days, Japanese government encouraged trade with another countries with issues of red seal (license to work for foreign trades) and lots of Japanese came to the capital of Thailand, Ayutthaya, and the king of Ayutthaya gave them places to stay as other people from overseas.
The number of Japanese people during Ayutthaya period is said to be from eight hundred to three thousand and what's more, eight thousand people were in this village including workers from China, Vietnam and Thailand itself.

The heads of Japanese village those days were:
Oakbra pure society (?) (1600-1610), Kuemon Shiroi (1610-1617), Nagamasa Yamada (1617-1630), Taemon Itoya, Kunisuke Hiramatsu (1633-1640), Hanzaemon Kimura, Zenemon Antonio (1640- ?)

One of them, Nagamasa Yamada (said to be from Shizuoka prefecture in Japan) became a influential person as a leader of Japanese volunteer soldiers and was given a title of "Okya Senaphimuk" in favor with King Songtham.

After the death of the king in 1628, he remained loyal to two princes but left the capital to finish a war in Nakhon Si Thammarat (Southern Thailand), then became a ruler of the place and passed away a while later.
Map of Ayutthaya those days
(Explanation with the picture:
Water painting in "Ayutthaya, the capital of Siam", publish in Holland.
From this painting, you can see that the traffic in Ayutthaya in those days were by channels. Japanese village at that time was outside of this map, bottom right.)
Red seal ship
(Left: Red seal ship, Suetsuguya-maru
Bottom right: wooden plaque of battle ship)
The middle: Head of a Buddha statue found in 1933 by a professor of Tokyo Metropolitan University)
Map of Ayutthaya those days
(Explanation with the picture:
Water painting in "Ayutthaya, the capital of Siam", publish in Holland.
From this painting, you can see that the traffic in Ayutthaya in those days were by channels. Japanese village at that time was outside of this map, bottom right.)
Red seal ship
(Left: Red seal ship, Suetsuguya-maru
Bottom right: wooden plaque of battle ship)
The middle: Head of a Buddha statue found in 1933 by a professor of Tokyo Metropolitan University)
Nagamasa Yamada
(There is a gift and display corner here.)
Lanthom
(Known as "Pagoda flower" or "Wat flower" and called "Lanthom". These days, the name has been changed to "LeeLawadee" because "Lanthom" sounds "sorrow" in Thai.)
Shaved ice shop
(You can send some goods from here to Japan by a Japanese delivery service, Kuroneko Yamato. :D )
Big Japanese fan
(Hand painted with fluorescent colours on velvet close.
Trilogy of morning glow, evening glow and night. 1,350 Baht.)
Nagamasa Yamada
(There is a gift and display corner here.)
Lanthom
(Known as "Pagoda flower" or "Wat flower" and called "Lanthom". These days, the name has been changed to "LeeLawadee" because "Lanthom" sounds "sorrow" in Thai.)
Shaved ice shop
(You can send some goods from here to Japan by a Japanese delivery service, Kuroneko Yamato. :D )
Big Japanese fan
(Hand painted with fluorescent colours on velvet close.
Trilogy of morning glow, evening glow and night.
1,350 Baht.)
Scenery of Menam Chao Phraya along the area of Japanese village
(Boats are coming and going. The picture right is carrying sand.)
Scenery of Menam Chao Phraya along the area of Japanese village
(Boats are coming and going. The picture right is carrying sand.)
Scenery of Menam Chao Phraya along the area of Japanese village
(Boats are coming and going. The picture right is carrying sand.)
Scenery of Menam Chao Phraya along the area of Japanese village
(Boats are coming and going. The picture right is carrying sand.)

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[Ayutthaya] Wat Phanan Choeng

Wat Phanan Choeng is located in the southeast of Ayutthaya.
This temple is said to be from a myth of love of a Thai prince and Chinese princess, and Chinese people in Thailand visit here and pray.

Wat Phanan Choeng is famous for a 19 meter high sitting Buddha statue which was made in 1334, that is before Ayutthaya became the capital in 1350, and is called " Luang Po To ".

" Luang Po To " is worshiped as " Sum Po Hud Kong ", God of Trade and immigration by Chinese people..
Appearance
Explanation board
(The content is below)
Around entrance
(People are praying here also.)
To the main hall
(Front entrance)
Appearance Explanation board
(The content is below)
Around entrance
(People are praying here also.)
To the main hall
(Front entrance)
Large Buddha statue
(Luang Po To, 19 meter high)
Inside the temple 1
(You can get gold leaves by making a money offering and put the leaves onto the Buddha statue.
Any place to put is fine. :) )
Inside the temple 1
(You can get gold leaves by making a money offering and put the leaves onto the Buddha statue.
Any place to put is fine. :) )
Inside the temple 2
(At the back of the main hall.)
Large Buddha statue
(Luang Po To, 19 meter high)
Inside the temple 1
(You can get gold leaves by making a money offering and put the leaves onto the Buddha statue.
Any place to put is fine. :) )
Inside the temple 2
(At the back of the main hall.)

< Wat Panan Choeng: explanation board >
Wat Panan Choeng is an old monastery housing Thailand's largest ancient Buddha image, known as "Luang Po To". A historical chronicle states that this gilded stucco image was made in A.D.1334, some twenty-six (26) years before the establishment of Ayutthaya as the capital of the Thai Kingdom in A.D.1350.

Originally, the Buddha image was exposed to the elements of nature in accordance with Thai tradition where no covering structure was made over a large statue so that the magnificence of the image could well be admired from any angle as well as from any visible distance.

Chinese followers revere the Buddha image as their "Sum Po Hud Kong", or the god protector of those who sail, since much sailing was done by the Chinese then, for trade or for migration.

Though an old temple, Wat Panan Choeng has never been deserted by its followers. In fact, continuous development has been made thorough time, as evidenced by the existing landscape and Thai architectural structures omated by decorative art motifs attributed to different periods, side by side.

The interior and its facilities have constantly changed in adoption to time, to ease the process of worshipping and study.

It is also said that the beginnings of the temple is related to a love myth between a Thai Prince and a Chinese Princess of long ago.

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