History
Wat Thale Ya was notorious as part of a battlefield in 1760 CE. The Burmese King Alaungpaya (reign 1752-1760 CE) was very ambitious to subjugate the territories formerly occupied by his predecessors. An excuse was quickly found to start a war with Siam, and the Burmese King was invading the country from the south. Little resistance was set up, and we found Alaungpaya soon encamped near the City of Ayutthaya.
The consternation was total at Ayutthaya: Prince Uthumphon, the King's younger brother, was recalled from the Pradu Songtham Monastery to prepare the city for a siege. The Burmese vanguard set up camp north of Ayutthaya, on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River.
The Chinese Luang Aphai Phiphat organised an army of 2000 Chinese men and moved forward to erect a stockade, north of the city in the area of Pho Sam Ton (Three Fig Trees) across Khlong Chang (3). Mun Thep Sena, with 1000 Siamese troops, had to reinforce and assist the Chinese Brigade. He encamped near Wat Thale Ya (later named Wat Borommawong) in the Thale Ya area.
The Burmese front brigade master Maeng La Maeng Khong, saw the Chinese preparations for an enclosure and acted swift. He crossed the Chao Phraya River and, with his troops, attacked the Chinese, still busy with their stockade preparations. The Chinese Brigade was routed, pushed into the old Lopburi River (actual Khlong Bang Khuat - Khlong Hua Ro - Khlong Ban Muang) and fled to the opposite side of the river. The Burmese Cavalry drove their horses over the river and killed the Chinese in the water and on the riverbanks. The remaining Chinese troops were chased right up to the Siamese troops of Mun Thep Sena. The latter failed to advance and reinforce the withdrawal of the Chinese forces. The Siamese troops at their turn were routed in the vicinity of the Thale Ya Monastery and were killed in great numbers. The remaining men fled back into the city.
The Burmese troops advanced to the Hua Ro area. They installed stockades at the Elephant Kraal, Wat Sam Wihan and Wat Chedi Daeng and prepared a siege of Ayutthaya. [1]
The city of Ayutthaya escaped destruction at that time. King Alaungpaya fired himself a cannon positioned in the vicinity of Wat Na Phra Men to shoot into the Royal Palace. Unfortunately for him, the cannon burst (they sometimes had the brilliant idea to load two cannonballs instead of a single), and he got seriously wounded. Shortly after, he decided to withdraw. Alaungpaya died from his wounds at Taikkala before reaching the Salween River (4). [2]
Footnotes:
(1) Somdet Phrachao Borommawong Malakrom Phraya Bamrap Ponpak Chaokrom Phra Kotban.
(2) Almost at the end of the reign of King Mongkut (reign 1804-1868 CE), the sima holy space was extended to cover all structures in the entire worship complex of the shrine, pagoda and ordination hall, exemplified in Wat Borommawong in 1867 CE. (3) Khlong Chang was a canal connecting the old Lopburi River (now called Khlong Hua Ro - Khlong Bang Khuat - Khlong Muang) at Wat Dao Khanong in Bang Pahan District with the new Lopburi River at Wat Ton Satu in the same district. Until the late 1940’s the area was sealed with "Sao Thalung", the same wooden poles used at the Elephant Kraal. Elephants were driven from Wat Dao Khanong past Khlong Chang to Wat Ton Satu and straight into the Elephant kraal.
(4) Burmese history does not recount this issue but alleges Alaungpaya died from a disease caused by a carbuncle.
