WAT PA SAO





Wat Pa Sao (1) is a ruined remnant of a monastery located off the city island in the western area of Ayutthaya in the Ban Pom Sub-district. The small ruin is between Wat Kasattrathirat and Wat Thammaram but nearer to the first.


The site is surrounded by houses and concealed from the main road.


On the site are the remains of a medium-sized bell-shaped chedi, heavily eroded over the years. At the foot are two remnants of the broken spire and some pieces of broken Buddha images. Some stucco in the form of lotus petals are still visible.


The establishment or history of Wat Pa Sao is not known.


Wat Pa Sao appears on a 19th-century map but is not indicated on Phraya Boran Ratchathanin’s map of 1926 CE. Before 1993 CE, no Fine Arts Department maps were showing the site.


Wat Pa Sao is in geographical coordinates: 14° 21' 10.40" N, 100° 32' 41.45" E.


On a visit in June 2020 CE, the site looked even more deteriorated than in 2009 CE. Although the chedi of Wat Pa Sao is located between two major and restored temples, Wat Kasattrathirat and Wat Thammaram, to date, June 2020 CE, nothing has been done to restore the chedi since my visit in 2009 CE, maybe due to the reason of nearby habitation.





(View of Wat Pa Sao - Mai 2009 CE)



Footnotes:


(1) Possibly named after a market. The 'Description of Ayutthaya', a document probably compiled early in the Bangkok era from the memories of people who had lived in Ayutthaya before 1767 CE, mentioned that the village in front of Wat Thamma makes coffins from teak and ulok wood, along with various crematory articles for sale. [Pongsripian, Vinai, Dr. (2007). Phanna phumisathan Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya: Ekasan jak Ho Luang. Geographical description of Ayutthaya: Documents from the palace. Bangkok: Usakane.] Sao (เสา), meaning pole or shaft, could be related to the making of coffins. As coffins were made near Wat Thamma and Wat Ratcha Phli, a market was likely situated between the temples near Wat Pa Sao.