WAT PA MO





Wat Pa Mo, or the Monastery of the Pot Quarter, is a defunct temple situated on the city island in the Ayutthaya Historical Park in the Pratu Chai Sub-district.

On the 19th-century map, we do not find Wat Pa Mo but two temples Wat Thong Pa Mo Noi and Wat Thong Pa Mo Yai.

Wat Thong Pa Mo Noi is situated south of Wat Pa Phai, southeast of Wat Som Noi (in my opinion, present Wat Som), and thus the temple must be south of Khlong Pa Mo (1).

Wat Thong Pa Mo Yai is situated south of Wat Thong Pa Mo Noi and southeast of Wat Hip (not the Wat Hip on the FAD2007 map, but indicated Wat Pa Fuk on the mid-19th C map - defunct).

On Phraya Boran Rachathanin's (PBR) map drafted in 1926 CE, we find no Wat Pa Mo again but a Wat Pa Mok. Wat Pa Mok is north of Wat Nong, east of Wat Chana Man (defunct) and southwest of Wat Pa Phai (defunct), all situated north of Khlong Pa Mo. Phraya Boran (1871-1936 CE) was the Superintendent Commissioner of Monthon Ayutthaya from 1925 till 1929 CE but occupied important functions since 1896 CE in Monthon Ayutthaya.

Confusion reigns, and we have to compromise and use some imagination.

Wat Pa Mok on PBR's map is likely a writing mistake and should be Wat Pa Mo. Wat Nong is likely also a writing error and should be interpreted as Wat Thong. If the names of two sites are joined, we read Wat Thong Pa Mo.

On the 19th-century map, we find two Wat Thong Pa Mo (a major and a minor). We can exclude Wat Thong Pa Mo Yai, as this site sits south of Wat Thong Pa Mo Noi. Although Wat Thong Pa Mo Noi shows south of Khlong Pa Mo, it is also south of Wat Pa Phai, which stands north of Khlong Pa Mo Wat Nong (Wat Thong) and Wat Pa Mo(k) are also situated south of Wat Pa Phai, there is a possibility that the joined Wat Thong Pa Mo on PBRs map is the same site as Wat Thong Pa Mo Noi on the 19th-century map.

There are no traces of foundations or brickwork at ground level from Wat Pa Mo, and I classified the temple as defunct. There remains a commemoration pavilion on the site of Wat Thong.

Historical data about the monastery and its construction is unknown.

Wat Pa Mo was in geographical coordinates: 14° 20' 57.15" N, 100° 33' 33.28" E.


Footnotes:


(1) Khlong Pa Mo, or the Pot Quarter Canal, is a defunct waterway. It was an eastward extension of Khlong Tha Phra and started at the latter's confluence with Khlong Chakrai Yai. Beyond this confluence, it continued in an eastern direction as Khlong Pa Mo and joined the Pratu Thep Mi Canal. There is evidence that this canal continued eastwards in a straight line to join Khlong Makham Riang.