Forts of Ayutthaya

There are different figures for the total number of forts along the city wall, depending on the sources. The Grand Palace was protected by eight forts, of which two were part of the northern city wall. In the different old documents, the palace forts were sometimes counted as part of the city wall, sometimes not. The 'Khamhaikan Chao Krung Kao' (Testimony of the Inhabitants of the Old Capital) put the number of forts at 16. In contrast, the 'Khamhaikan Khun Luang Wat Pradu Songtham' (Testimony of the King from Wat Pradu Songtham) gave 22, probably including the forts of the Grand Palace. The 'Athibai Phaenthi Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya' (Description of Ayutthaya) states 12 forts but only mentions 11. The different numbers could also be attributed to whether double bastions were counted as a single fort or two forts.

Jeremias Van Vliet, a merchant of the Dutch East-India Company, wrote in his Description of the Kingdom of Siam 1639 that the city walls had no proper foundation, projections, or bastions like a real fortress. Projections and bastions must, thus, have been dated from later. [1] As we can see from the maps, forts were mainly set up opposite a vital waterway, giving access to the water ring around Ayutthaya or near the entry of important city canals.

The map drawn by Jacques Nicolas Bellin (1703-1772 CE) and published as plate no. 4 in volume 9 of the 1752 CE French edition of Abbé Antoine François Prévost's L'Histoire Générale des Voyages shows 13 forts being the two forts in front of the Chan Kasem Palace, Wat Fang (Khwang) Fort, Ho Ratcha Khrue Fort, the double bastions of the Hua Sarapha Fort, the Diamond Fort, Ok Kai Fort, Thep Mi Fort, Pak Tho Fort, Tha Khan Fort, Tha Sip Bia Fort, the double Bastions of Pratu Khao Plueak Fort and Maha Chai Fort.

The Description of Ayutthaya, a manuscript that was discovered in the legacy of Prince Naret Worarit to the Wachirayan Library in 1925 CE, cites 10 forts: Wat Fang Fort, Ho Ratcha Khrue Fort, Hua Sarapha Fort, Diamond Fort, Ok Kai Fort, Chakrai Noi Fort, Wang Chai Fort, Sattakop Fort, Supharat Fort, Jampaphon Fort and Maha Chai Fort.

In my opinion, the Description of Ayutthaya is wrong regarding the Jampaphon Fort, as the double bastions at Pratu Khao Plueak were not mentioned. I believe the author of this document wanted to indicate the Pratu Khao Plueak Fort but mistakenly called it the Jampaphon Fort, or maybe the Pratu Khao Plueak Fort was once called the Jampaphon Fort. If we look at the Jampaphon Fort on the 19th-century map, which I believe has been broadly drafted based on the Description of Ayutthaya (or was maybe an element thereof), we can see the fort's position was all but strategic. Thus, I have my doubts about the earlier existence of this fort since no other maps display it.

The Fine Arts Department drafted a historical map of Ayutthaya in 1974 CE in which 19 forts can be counted, including the two forts on the northern wall of the Grand Palace. These forts are summed up here under the List of Forts.

The three most important forts stood at the confluence of the main incoming and outgoing waters of Ayutthaya. These three prominent forts were Sattakop Fort at Hua Laem, overlooking the waters of the Maha Phram Canal (and the defunct Bang Kaeo River), Maha Chai Fort at Hua Ro overlooking the old Lopburi River and Phet Fort near Hua Sarapha overlooking the Bangkok River. Next to those three forts, there were two forts with double bastions: the Pratu Khao Plueak Fort and the Hua Sarapha Fort.

Phraya Boran Ratchathanin wrote that the foundations of the Ok Kai Fort, Chakrai Noi Fort and Wang Chai Fort were still visible in 1929 CE. Steve Van Beek in his book "Slithering South" - in which he describes his epic boat trip in 1988 CE from the source of the Ping River to the mouth of the Chao Phraya River in the Gulf of Thailand - mentions the Chakrai Noi Fort, when he passed west of Ayutthaya: "Near Phom Pratu Chakrai Noi, a watchtower on the old city wall, a plump, saronged woman called out: Hey farang Come have a glass of cold water." Apparently, the Chakrai Noi Fort was still visible at the end of the 80s. [2]

All the forts were dismantled in the reign of King Rama I, who had the bricks taken to be used in constructing the city walls for the new capital in Bangkok.

[3] Today, only two ruins of forts can be seen: the restored Diamond Fort opposite the Bang Kraja area and the restored Pratu Khao Pluk Fort near Wat Ratcha Pradit Sathan.

List of Forts

All these forts are mentioned on the Fine Arts Department map drafted in 1974 CE. Starting at the eastern city wall below Hua Ro in a clockwise direction:

(1) A small fort protecting the area of the Front Palace (source: Bellin 1752 CE map).

(2) A small fort protecting the area of the Front Palace (source: Bellin 1752 CE map).

(3) Wat Fang Fort, also called Wat Khwang Fort - The remnants of this fort still existed in 1912 CE but were gone in 1926 CE as Phraya Boran does not mention the fort on his map but says it stood before on the premises of the Jomsurang Upatham School. (sources: Bellin, 19th C map, Plan d'Ajuthia and Description of Ayutthaya).

(4) A small fort protecting the eastern area along the front moat (source: FAD 1974 CE map).

(5) A small fort overlooking the mouth of Khlong Ban Bat and protecting the eastern area along the front moat (source: FAD 1974 CE map).

(6) Ho Ratcha Khrue Fort (Rattanachai Fort) opposite Ko Kaeo (Crystal Island) in front of Wat Suwandararam. The fort overlooked the mouths of Khlong Khao San and Khlong Suan Phlu (sources: Bellin 1752 CE, 19th C map, Plan d'Ajuthia 1912 CE and Phraya Boran 1926 CE map).

(7) Hua Sarapha Fort with double bastions protecting the harbour area opposite Wat Phanan Choeng (sources: Bellin 1752 CE, 19th C map, Plan d'Ajuthia 1912 CE and Phraya Boran 1926 CE map).

(8) Diamond Fort (Pom Phet) opposite Bang Kraja protecting the river entry to Ayutthaya in the south (sources: Bellin 1752 CE, 19th C map, Description of Ayutthaya, Plan d'Ajuthia 1912 CE and Phraya Boran 1926 CE map).

(9) Ok Kai Fort east of Pratu Jin Canal and overlooking the mouth of Wat Phraya Phan Canal (sources: Bellin 1752 CE, 19th C map, Plan d'Ajuthia 1912 CE and Phraya Boran 1926 CE map).

(10) A small fort at the mouth of the Thep Mi Canal (source: Bellin 1752 CE map).

(11) A small fort at the mouth of the Chakrai Noi Canal overlooking the entry of Khlong Khu Cham (sources: 19th C map and Phraya Boran 1926 CE map).

(12) A small fort near Wat Wang Chai overlooking the entry of Khlong Takhian (sources: 19th C map, Description of Ayutthaya, Plan d'Ajuthia 1912 CE and Phraya Boran 1926 CE map).

(13) Sattakop Fort, also called Thai Kop Fort, protects the river entry to Ayutthaya from the north-west (sources: 19th C map, Description of Ayutthaya, Plan d'Ajuthia 1912 CE and Phraya Boran 1926 CE map).

(14) Supharat Fort (sources: 19th C map, Description of Ayutthaya, and Phraya Boran 1926 CE map).

(15) Pak Tho Fort at the northwest corner of the Grand Palace (sources: Bellin 1752 CE, Plan d'Ajuthia 1912 CE and Phraya Boran 1926 CE map).

(16) Tha Kan Fort at the northeast corner of the Grand Palace (sources: Bellin 1752 CE and Phraya Boran 1926 CE map).

(17) A small fort at the entry of the Lam Khu Pak Sra (source: Bellin 1752 CE map).

(18) Pratu Khao Plueak Fort with double bastions at the entry of Khlong Pratu Khao Plueak (sources: Bellin 1752 CE, Plan d'Ajuthia 1912 CE and Phraya Boran 1926 CE map).

(19) Maha Chai Fort overlooking the river entry of Ayutthaya from the northeast (sources: Bellin 1752 CE, 19th C map, Description of Ayutthaya, Plan d'Ajuthia 1912 CE and Phraya Boran 1926 CE map).

References:

[1] Baker, Chris Pombejra, Dhiravat na Van Der Kraan Alfons & Wyatt, David K. (2005). Van Vliet's Siam. Silkworm Books. p 110.
[2] Van Beeck, Steve (2002) Slithering South. Wind & Water, Hong Kong. p. 386.
[3] Rajanubhap, Damrong (Prince) (1917). Our Wars with the Burmese. White Lotus, Bangkok (2000). p 10.

AYUTTHAYA HISTORICAL RESEARCH

THE FORTS OF AYUTTHAYA

(Forts on Jacques Nicolas Bellin's map - Ca. 1750 CE)

(Forts on the 19th-century map - Ca. 1850 CE)

(Forts on the map of the Commission archéologique de l'Indochine - 1912 CE)

(Forts on Phraya Boran Ratchathanin's map - 1926 CE)

(Forts on the Fine Arts Department map - 1974 CE)

(Diamond Fort, or Pom Phet, opposite Bang Kraja area and Wat Phanan Choeng)

(Pratu Khao Plueak Fort along the northern city wall)

When the past no longer illuminates the future, the spirit walks in darkness.
(Alexis de Tocqueville)

HISTORY OF AYUTTHAYA

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