WAT MUANG (วัดม่วง)
Wat Muang or the Purple Monastery is an active monastery situated north of
Ayutthaya in the
Pho Sam Ton fields of Pho Sam Ton sub-district of Bang Pahan in
Ayutthaya Province. The temple was called after the old location Ban Muang and is
located on provincial Rd #2003, 500 meter below the Asian Highway.

Wat Muang was established around 1812 AD and received its boundary stones two
years later (1814 AD). It is thus a Ratanakosin period construction. [1]

The temple stood on the right bank of the old
Lopburi River, in a location where the  
river made a bend and went straight towards Hua Ro. Due to the construction of the
Asian Highway the stretch of water between Wat Muang and
Wat Pa Fai was cut by the
road and silted up overtime. Locals confirmed there was until the end of the 1980's a dry
canal, which was used as a track on which even cars drove down. It was used before by
buffaloes to go drink in the river. The canal held only water in the monsoon period. The
canal was filled up and a road built on top. [2] Some traces of what was once the
Lopburi River, still can be found in front of Wat Muang.

The remaining stretch of water running from Wat Muang towards
Wat Dao Khanong is
called Khlong Ban Muang. The full stretch from Wat Pa Fai until Hua Ro was known as
the Pho Sam Ton River in the Early Ratanakosin period.

Wat Muang features the classic monastic structures in situ.

The monastery is situated in Geo Coord: 14° 25' 42.58" N, 100° 32' 47.21" E.

References:

[1] http://www.watkhok.com - retrieved 21 December 2012.
[2] Interview with locals near Wat Pa Fai - January 2013.
Text & photographs by Tricky Vandenberg - January 2013
Wat Muang from the west
Entry gate of Wat Muang
View of ubosot and vihara
(Wat Muang from the west)
(Entry gate of Wat Muang)
(View of ubosot and vihara)