Wat Khai Wua, or the Monastery of the Cattle Camp, was situated off the city island in the northern area of Ayutthaya, in the Khlong Sra Bua Sub-district.
The temple was located south of Wat Sri Pho and more or less opposite Wat Jao Ya and Wat Raeng. Wat Kamphaeng stood on its south. Wat Khai Wua stood on the west bank of Khlong Sra Bua (1) in an area called Thung Khwan (2).
In situ are the ruins of a monastic structure completely covered in vegetation. The site has been classified as a brick mound, although some minor brickwork still stands.
The site is only mentioned on a 1993 and 2007 CE Fine Arts Department map. On the first map, the temple is named Wat Khao Wua (วัดเขาวัว) on the second map, the site is named Wat Kha Wua (วัดขาวัว).
In the manuscript "Testimony of the king from Wat Pradu Songtham", a document likely compiled in the early Ratanakosin period, it is written that there was a land market beside Wat Khai Wua on Potters’ Village Road (3). [1]
Historical data about the monastery and its construction is unknown.
Some temple remains are in geographical coordinates: 14° 22' 5.52" N, 100° 33' 24.20" E.
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.
(3) The document reads Wat Khwai and Wat Wua on Potters’ Village Road but should be interpreted as Wat Khai Wua.
References:
[1] Markets and Production in the City of Ayutthaya before 1767: Translation and Analysis of Part of the Description of Ayutthaya - Chris Baker - Journal of the Siam Society, Vol. 99, 2011- page 52.
