The monastery was likely named after the Calotropis Gigantea or Crown flower, a species of Calotropis native to Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India and China. It is a large shrub growing to 4 m tall. Its flowers are strung into garlands to be worn around the necks of criminals on their way to the place of execution. In Thailand, the rak tree grows wild in deserted dry areas. Its trunk and branches have milky sap, and its flowers are used for floral pieces, which are usually seen at cremations. Today it is the fashion for a bride and groom to wear a garland of these flowers, for the name "rak" means "love" in Thai. [1]
John Bowring, the 4th Governor of Hong Kong and on a trade visit to Siam in 1855 CE, had another explanation: "The tree called rak by the Siamese is a species of banana, and furnishes the beautiful varnish so much valued in the lacquer-ware of China. Incisions are made in the bark, from whence exudes a thick, viscid, dirty-white gum, which is passed through a cloth, and put into jars of water, in which it is preserved from drying by contact with the air. This varnish is so caustic that not only does it burn and ulcerate the skin, but its vapours produce inflammation of the eyes and pustules on the face. When exposed to the air, it becomes first brown and then intensely black. It is used for book covers, baskets, furniture, and especially for gilt idols. It is neither affected by sun nor rain. Pallegoix expresses surprise that it has not been employed in Europe as protection for gilded works, which so soon perish when exposed to the fluctuations of the seasons." [2]
Wat Rak must have been approximately located in geographical coordinates: 14° 20' 57.20" N, 100° 33' 24.96" E.
