Wat Kuti, or the Monastery of the Hermitage of the Monk, was located off Ayutthaya's city island in the southern area, in the Samphao Lom Sub-district. (1) It was located west of Wat Mai Bang Kraja in the Bang Kraja area (Thai Khu Bang Kraja) (2).
In situ, we find a brick mound. At the time of the visit (August 2009 CE), there were still traces of broken boundary stones (bai sema) and fragmented pieces of statues visible.
The monastery's historical background and period of construction are unknown.
The site is mentioned in the Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya. The King of Burma, Bhureng Noung, had hardly left Ayutthaya in 1564 CE when a serious rebellion broke out led by the Raja of Patani. The Raja had raised an army, supported by a fleet of two hundred boats, to fight the Burmese. On arrival, via the Chao Phraya River in front of Ayutthaya, the boats anchored in front of Wat Kuti at Bang Kraja. The Raja realised he arrived too late and finding Ayutthaya's resistance low, he attempted to seize the throne. The rebellion, however, was suppressed.
"At that moment the Phraya Sultan of Tani brought his naval force of two hundred yayap boats in to assist the government in the war. On arrival they anchored in front of the Kutbangkaca Monastery. On the next day they moved in to anchor at the Chai Gate.” [1]
The site is not indicated on a 19th-century map but is mentioned on Phraya Boran Ratchathanin's map drafted in 1926 CE. 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.
