History of Ayutthaya - Historical Sites

LAM HOEI BRIDGE

Saphan Lam Hoei (Lit: the Bridge of the Wry Waterway) is located on the city island
in Pratu Chai Sub-district. The structure can be found at the crossing of the present Pa
Thon Road with Khlong Tho Road. The remains of the old bridge are situated under the
present wooden bridge.

The brick bridge was built over Khlong Tho - Khlong Chakrai Yai, a canal which was a
shortcut in the loop of the old Lopburi River. Today the canal starts in Khlong Mueang
or City Canal in the north (adjacent the ancient Grand Palace) and has its mouth at Pratu
Chakrai Yai in the Chao Phraya River in the south. The bridge stood north-northeast of
the today defunct Wat Khok Khamin.

The remains of the foundations of this bridge became visible in 2017, when the Fine Arts
Department made archaeological excavations along Khlong Tho - Chakrai Yai and
encountered some brickwork.

The bridge connected the road coming from Ayutthaya's ancient ring road behind the
Rear Palace in the west - called Thanon Law or "Lao Street" - with Thanon Talaeng
Kaeng or the "Street of the Gallows", connecting further east with Thanon Pa Thon.

There was a fresh market called Lam Hoei Market to the east of the bridge in the
Ayutthaya period. [1]

The Lam Hoei Bridge is visible on Kaempfer's map published in his book The History
of Japan (1727). [2]

References:

[1] Phanna phumisathan Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya: Ekasan jak Ho Luang -
Geographical description of Ayutthaya: Documents from the palace - Dr. Vinai
Pongsripian - Bangkok, Usakane, n. d. (2007).
[2] Kaempfer, Engelbert (1727) - The History of Japan (Together with a Description of
the Kingdom of Siam) - London, John Gaspar Scheuchzer.

Consulted works:

[1] Athibai phaenthi Phra Nakon Sri Ayuthaya - Phraya Boran Rachathanin (1908).
[2] Phaenthi Krung Sri Ayutthaya - Phraya Boran Rachathanin (1926).
[3] Discovering Ayutthaya - Charnvit Kasetsiri & Michael Wright (2007) - Toyota
Thailand Foundation.

Text & photographs by Tricky Vandenberg - November 2009
Updated May 2017

(Brick foundations of the Lam Hoei bridge)