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| KHLONG WAT TUM |
| Text & photographs by Tricky Vandenberg - November 2013 |
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| Khlong Wat Tum is situated off the city island in the northern area of Ayutthaya in Wat Tum sub-district. The canal was once a part of a loop or ox-bow in the old Lopburi River, the main river which encircled the City of Ayutthaya in the Ayutthayan era (1350-1767 AD). A khlong lat or shortcut had been dug in the reign of King Borommakot (r. 1733-1758) (1) cutting through this loop and straightening the river between Wat Tha Yak and Wat Klang Raman. The canal cut through the village of Bang Khuat and was thus called Khlong Bang Khuat. The latter connected Khlong Pho Sam Ton (today Khlong Ban Muang) with Khlong Hua Ro (both stretches of the old Lopburi River). Along this shortcut no ruins of former monasteries were found. Due to the strong current, the width of the shortcut canal increased overtime. The old track of the Lopburi River from Wat Pa Fai until Hua Ro was until the early years of the 20th century an important and heavily used waterway. On the north bank of the canal stood Wat Hong, Wat Sasada and Wat Luang; on the north bank stood Wat Khwit and Wat Tum. Footnotes: (1) Interview with the head monk of Wat Klang Raman (north) on 20 May 2011. |
| (Khlong Wat Tum on a municipal map) |