| WAT LONG THONG (วัดลงทอง) |
| Wat Long Thong is located off the main island in the North West. It can be seen on the southern side of Highway #3060 leading toward the West. This monastery appears only on a 1993 Fine Arts Department map but in a slightly inaccurate location. In situ is a large bell shaped chedi in the style of the Middle Ayutthaya period. This chedi has been partially repaired at one point, and a hole dug into the base by looters has been plugged up. Plaster still surrounds most of the relic chamber. The spire is still intact and contains at least 13 rings. The base also has a number of rings encircling it. South of this chedi is a small altar beside a large Bodhi tree. The tree is heavily wrapped in yellow and orange cloth. There is a large hole inside the tree that reveals the chamber of some structure. The tree has grown around the base of this; therefore, a large number of bricks can be seen in various limbs of the tree. A small Buddha image sits at the altar, which has been decorated with fresh flowers, candles, joss sticks, and water. The history of this monastery is unknown; however, its location is where many battles took place against the Burmese. It is likely that its construction was as a memorial to those killed in battle. |
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| Text by Ken May - April 2009 |
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| Addendum 1 Wat Long Thong was located off the city island in the northern area of Ayutthaya in Wat Tum sub-district, east of Highway # 347. Long Thong can be translated as "to apply gold leaf". The monastery features not only on a 1993, but also on a 2007 Fine Arts Department map. Some remains of the temple were excavated by the Fine Arts Department (FAD) in Geo Coord: +14° 23' 48.48" N, +100° 31' 48.00" E (based on 2007 map). In my opinion this data is incorrect as a ruin was found in Geo Coord +14° 23' 35.93" N, +100° 31' 47.05" E. Wat Long Thong stood south of Wat Sam Pratu and north of Wat Khwit (2). The temple was situated within a loop of the old Lopburi River of which the southern part is at present called Khlong Wat Tum and stood on its east bank adjacent of Wat Sam Pratu. At a certain moment the loop had been cut straight near Wat Tha Yak and the northern tax station towards Wat Klang Raman. The shortcut canal or khlong lat, was called Khlong Bang Khuat referring to the village Ban Bang Khuat in which vicinity the canal was dug. Its historical background and period of construction are unknown. Wat Long Thong had been excavated and completely restored after the great flood of 2011. A board in situ renames the temple as being Wat Rong Thong or the "Monastery of the Golden Building", an alternative name for the site as mentioned on the GIS Map FAD 2007. |
| Text, map & photographs by Tricky Vandenberg - August 2011 Updated April 2014 |
| (Detail of a 1993 Fine Arts Department map - Courtesy Khun Supot Prommanot, Director of the 3th Regional Office of Fine Arts) |
| (The chedi of Wat Long Thong along Highway # 347) |
| (Chedi close-up) |
| (Chedi and brick work in situ) |
| (Local veneration shrine) |
| (Base of chedi - looting activity) |
| (Detail of a 2007 Fine Arts Department GIS map - Courtesy of the Fine Arts Department - 3th Region / be aware Wat Long Thong is not positioned correctly here) |
