| WAT KHANAN (วัดขนาน) |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| Wat Khanan was a monastery situated off the city island in the eastern area of Ayutthaya in Phai Ling sub-district. The temple was located on the east bank of Khlong Dusit on the same north-south axis as Wat Dusit, Wat Saphan Rueak, and Wat Khanun. Wat Khanan was situated south of Wat Khanun. The monastery's historical background and period of construction are unknown. The site is not indicated on a mid-19th century map, neither on Phraya Boran Rachathanin's map drafted in 1926 and features only on a FAD 1974 map [1]. The old texts recount that inhabitants from Ang Thong, Lopburi, Inburi, Phromburi, Singburi, Sanburi (1) and Suphanburi brought in paddy by boats and moored in front of Wat Samo, Wat Khanun and Wat Khanan, where they sold their merchandise. The local villagers in the vicinity of these three temples set up rice mills. The milled rice was sold in the city and to the local Chinese liquor distillers at Pak Khao San Village. In the season when the junks set sail for China milled rice was sold as provisions for the junks. [2] The former location of Wat Khanan is situated in a build-up area and there are likely no traces visible of the monastery anymore above ground level. The site has not been excavated as yet. Footnotes: (1) At present Sankha Buri in Chainat province is an historical site located on the old Chao Phraya River, today the River Noi, and dates back to the Sukhothai period. Prior the Ayutthaya period (1351 - 1767), the town was known as Phraek Sri Racha (Mueang Phraek) and built by King Lerthai in 1317. The town was in the 15th century under Ayutthaya, as Chao Yi Phraya, second son of King Intharacha (r.1409-1424) of the Suphannaphum dynasty, was named ruler of this city by his father. Mueang San was as thus in fact a Mueang Luk in the Early Ayutthaya period. The town was likely already occupied in the Dvaravati Period (6 - 11th Century) and followed by Khmer rule (12th century) thereafter, before becoming a frontier city of Sukhothai. It was an important defensive post in both the Sukhothai and Ayutthaya Kingdoms. Wat Khanan was located approximately in Geo Coord: 14° 20' 54.56" N, 100° 35' 29.51" E. References: [1] FAD 1974 map - courtesy Dr. Surat Lertlum - Program Head of Computer Science Program - Chulochomklao Royal Military Academy. [2] Phanna phumisathan phrakhon si ayutthaya: ekkasan jak ho luang - Geographical description of Ayutthaya: Documents from the palace library - Dr. Vinai Pongsripian - Bangkok (2007) - page 89-90. |
| Text & maps by Tricky Vandenberg - June 2011 |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| (Detail of a 1974 Fine Arts Department map - Courtesy Dr. Surat Lertlum, Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy) |
