Talking with local people in early May 2009, I was shown the location of a former monastery called Wat Bua in an area just north of the confluence of Khlong Sra Bua (1) with Khlong Hua Ro (2). The site is in a hamlet of tile and brickmakers.
This village is remarkable as they use ancient techniques to make roof tiles. Orders are coming from all around the country, even from Phuket, as it seems the only place in Thailand that still does it in the ‘old fashion way’. The kiln site is off the city island at the Suan Phrik Sub-district.
A sub-district government worker confirmed the existence of the former temple. There were no remnants of the monastery left, but a commemorating shrine was built in situ. The site has never been excavated and was not found on any map.
I interviewed locals at the kiln in the vicinity of the site, and all confirmed the existence of a temple. In situ is a small commemoration shrine near a Khoi tree, with at its foot some broken parts of Buddha statues. The walls of this temple were still standing in the 1950s, and the bricks were later sold and loaded on a boat anchored at the old Lopburi River. One local stated some bricks were delivered to Wat Pom Raman (monastery in the vicinity), including a large Buddha image without arms and legs cut off the knees. [1]