Wat Langkha Dam is a restored temple ruin situated within the Ayutthaya Historical Park in the Bueng Phra Ram area in the Tha Wasukri Sub-district.
The ruin is south of Wat Langkha Khao, north of Wat Sangkha Pat, west of Wat Maha That and east of the defunct temple Wat Jan (3).
Wat Langkha Dam stood on the west bank of a small canal called Lam Khu Pak Sa (Lit. the ditch to the pond's mouth). This small watercourse diverted water from the old Lopburi River (a stretch called today Khlong Mueang) through the Maha Thera Mai Sae tunnel gate in the city wall and through the area presently called Bueng Phra Ram. The water ran through earthenware pipes under the Elephant Road, passed Wat Yan Sen and Wat Chum Saeng, then ran under the Palace Road to continue further south to join the Pratu Thep Mi Canal. [1]
A mid-1850 century map shows Wat Langkha Dam in line with Wat Suwan Chedi and Wat Ratcha Burana. Lam Khu Pak Sa separates Wat Langkha Dam from Wat Suwan Chedi, while Tha Kalahom Road separates Wat Suwan Chedi from Wat Ratcha Burana. Wat Langka Dam was as thus in the location of Wat Chum Saeng today. Whether Phraya Boran Ratchathanin had the mid-1850 century map or not is unknown. Still, he situated Wat Chum Saeng on Wat Langkha Dam's location instead and shifted Wat Langkha Dam in between Wat Langkha Khao and Wat Sangkha Pat on his 1926 CE map.
Wat Langkha Dam was built on an east-west axis, with a rectangular building on a raised foundation and a chedi to the west. The building was an ordination hall or ubosot because the foundations of the boundary stones or sema are visible.
On the premises are also some foundations of minor chedi and a small stupa on the northwestern side. The ubosot is set on a raised foundation and reached by a couple of stairs. The entrance is in the east. The walls are still standing, but the roof is missing. There is a window on each side, shedding some light on the main Buddha image in earlier times as the image lacks today. There are traces of an altar and the foundations of pillars supporting the roof.
The chedi stands on an octagonal brick base, merging into a high round drum and followed by a bell-shaped dome. The square harmika is damaged and lost its columns, which are so typical for the Ayutthaya architectural style. The tapering conical spire or umbrella is incomplete, missing some discs and the top knob. We can conclude that the chedi follows the style of the Middle Ayutthaya Period.
The stupa on the northwestern side stands on a square base, while the drum and the dome have three rabbets on each angle. The twelve-rabbeted-angled chedi style is typical of King Prasat Thong's reign (1629-1656 CE). Its architectural style dates back to the Late Ayutthaya Period (1629 - 1767 CE). In the dome or relic chamber sits what looks like an arched niche, but it can also be a hole made by looters.
A low outer wall likely surrounded the temple compound, but I found no traces at the time of visit.
Engelbert Kaempfer's original sketch of 1690 has no traces of this temple where the Fine Arts Department positions Wat Langkha Dam.
Wat Langkha Dam's historical data is unknown, but there could have been some connection with Langkha Khao, given the similarity in names.
Wat Langkha Dam is in geographical coordinates: 14° 21' 21.43" N, 100° 33' 53.18" E.
