WAT DOKMAI

Wat Dokmai, or the Monastery of the Flower, was located off the city island in the northern area of Ayutthaya in the Khlong Sra Bua District. The temple was situated on the west bank of Khlong Sra Bua (1) in an area called Thung Khwan (2).

Wat Dokmai stood east of Wat Phraya Maen and, in fact, between the latter and Wat Bua. Wat Si Liam stood in the north.

There are no traces anymore visible of the monastery above ground level, as the temple site was used as a parking lot for the Khlong Sra Bua floating market. This commercial "ersatz" water market altered the local geography largely.

Historical data about the monastery and its construction are unknown.

Wat Bua is shown on 1974, 1993 and 2007 CE Fine Arts Department maps.

Some remains of the temple were excavated by the Fine Arts Department (FAD) in geographical coordinates: 14° 22' 41.43" N, 100° 33' 19.77" E (based on a 2007 CE map).

Footnotes:

(1) Khlong Sra Bua, or the Lilly Pond Canal, is a canal situated in the northern area, off the city island, in the Khlong Sra Bua District. The waterway splits from Khlong Hua Ro between Wat Ngiu (defunct) and Wat Si Liam. The canal has its mouth at the City Canal (Khlong Mueang) between Wat Na Phra Men and Wat Mai in front of the northeastern corner of the Grand Palace. The canal was a shortcut in the old Lopburi River.

(2) Thung Khwan, or "Field of Fumes", is an area north of the city of Ayutthaya bordered on the north by Thung Lum Phli, on the east by Khlong Sra Bua and Thung Kaeo, in the south by the old Lopburi River and in the west by Thung Phukhao Thong. This area was likely related to crematory services.