WAT BAILO

Wat Bailo was located in the northern area off Ayutthaya's city island in the Khlong Sra Bua Sub-district. The temple was situated on the west bank of Khlong Pha Lai (1) in an area earlier called Thung Kaeo (2).

Wat Klang Khlong Sra Bua stood in the north, Wat Sri Pho and Wat Phrom Kalayaram in the west and Wat Jao Ya on its southern side.

In situ is an unexcavated ruin of a monastic structure covered with vegetation. Some brickwork is still standing. Historical data about the monastery and its construction are unknown.

Wat Bailo on the maps

The site is mentioned on Phraya Boran Rachathanin's map drafted in 1926 CE but indicated north-east of Wat Klang Khlong Sra Bua. Phraya Boran (1871-1936 CE) was the Superintendent Commissioner of Monthon Ayutthaya from 1925 to 1929 CE but occupied important functions since 1896 CE in Monthon Ayutthaya.

Wat Bailo figures on the Fine Arts Department maps of 1974, 1993 and 2007 CE.

The site is in geographical coordinates: 14° 22' 11.87" N, 100° 33' 35.54" E.

Footnotes:

(1) Khlong Pha Lai, or the Canal of the Patterned Cloth, was a canal situated off the city island in the northern area running partly in present Tha Wasukri and Khlong Sra Bua sub-districts. The canal is defunct, but there are still some stretches existing from this canal. Most of the waterway, though, has been filled up. Khlong Pha Lai had its mouth west of Wat Mai and ran adjacent to Khlong Sra Bua into the old Lopburi River, a stretch of water called today Khlong Mueang.

(2) Thung Kaeo, or Crystal Field, is an area north of the city of Ayutthaya bordered on the west and north by Khlong Sra Bua, on the east by Khlong Hua Ro, and on the south by Khlong Mueang.