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) |