KHLONG FANG (คลองฟาง)
Text & maps by Tricky Vandenberg - November 2013
Khlong Fang or Rice Straw Canal is a defunct canal once situated on Ayutthaya's city
island in Pratu Chai Sub-district.

The east-west running canal had its mouth at the old
Lopburi River (at present the in
1857 deviated Chao Phraya River) at Hua Laem (sharp headland) and linked up with
Khlong Tho. The canal pierced the fortified city wall at the Khlong Fang Gate, a large
water gate in between
Wat Sing and the Satkop Fortress. The canal has been filled up
somewhere after the fall of Ayutthaya (1767) and no traces of the waterway are left
today, with exception of a part of the moat of
Wat Worachetharam. Khlong Fang
extended as a small ditch into the
Grand Palace grounds feeding Sra Kaeo (Crystal
Pond).

Starting from its mouth, on the south bank stood Wat Sing and
Wat Lokaya Sutha; on
the north bank stood
Wat Khok, Wat Worachetharam and Wat Rakhang.

Khlong Fang on old maps

On Kaempfer's drafted map (1690) we find only the Khlong Fang Gate, but there is no
indication of the canal itself.

On Bellin's map (1750), Khlong Fang turns 90 degrees into
Khlong Chang Maha Chai
encircling
Wat Sop Sawan. The canal is indicated here with a road on both banks.

On a map drafted somewhere in the mid-19th century, Khlong Fang is not mentioned. [1]

On Phraya Boran Rachathanin's map (1926) the canal links up with Khlong Tho as
written above, without mentioning a road on both banks.

Khlong Fang is clearly indicated on a Fine Arts Department map published in 1957
running in between Wat Lokaya Sutha and Wat Worachetharam; and running south of
Wat Rakhang (on the map called Wat Wora-Bote). [2]

References:

[1] Athibai Phaenthi Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya kap khamwinitjai khong Phraya Boran
Racha Thanin - Explanation of the map of the Capital of Ayutthaya with a ruling of
Phraya Boran Rachathanin - Revised 2nd edition and Geography of the Ayutthaya
Kingdom - Ton Chabab print office - Nonthaburi (2007).  
[2] Tri Amatyakul - Guide to Ayudhya and Bang-Pa-In (1957) - Prachandra Press,
Bangkok.
(Detail of Bellin's map - Anno 1750)
(Detail of Phraya Boran Rachathanin's map - Anno
1926)
(Detail of a Fine Arts Department map - Anno 1957)