History
Wat Sam Wihan shows several times in the Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya as the monastery was strategically positioned facing the northeastern point of Ayuttaya called Hua Ro. During the White Elephant War (1563-1564 CE), Burmese King Bayinnaung (reign 1550-1581 CE), with four divisions, led his forces across Kanchanaburi and on reaching Ayutthaya, he erected his royal stockade at Kum Dong (5). On the third day, he crossed the Pho Sam Ton Fields and advanced to the Phaniat Plain, where he set up his headquarters at Wat Sam Wihan.
“Three days later, the King of Hongsawadi took his seat on the royal mount, the elephant Kracom Thòng, led his royal forces forth from the stockade and, passing through Pho Sam Ton, advanced by way of the Phaniat Plain. He stationed his elephant at Sam Phihan Monastery and commanded the Maha Uparacha to drive his men in to attack the Capital ruthlessly. So, Phraya Ram had the Narai Sanghan Cannon loaded into the Mai Rak Mæ Nang Junk and taken up to fire at the stockade of the King of Hongsawadi. The cannon kicked and embedded itself in the stern of the junk. The cannonball rose to hit a great holy Banyan tree branch, over three kam thick, which broke and fell about three wa from the elephant of the King of Hongsawadi. At that moment, the men manning the Maha Chai Fort fired a salvo from their cannons and killed many Hongsawadi soldiers who were unable to capture the Capital. The King of Hongsawadi returned] to his pavilion." [1]
Wat Sam Wihan is also mentioned as a location where Cambodian troops were positioned in an attack on Ayutthaya in 1570 CE. The Cambodian incursions during the reign of King Chan Reachea (1516-1566 CE) into Siam started after the Siamese-Burmese war of 1548/9 CE. After the fall of Ayutthaya in 1569 CE to the Burmese, Siam became suzerain to Burma. The Cambodians under King Barom Reachea I (1521-1576 CE) saw new opportunities in the weakened Siamese and relaunched several offensives against Siam, recapturing the northwest provinces. Based on the Royal Chronicles of Ayutthaya, the Cambodians attempted an unsuccessful attack on Ayutthaya in 1570 CE. The Cambodians repeatedly took advantage of the weakened situation of the Siamese and invaded Siam six times in the next two decades (1570, 1575, 1578, 1582 twice, and 1587 CE), each time sweeping up war captives from the prosperous eastern and gulf provinces from Chanthaburi to Phetburi to populate their territory. [2]
"Meanwhile, the King of Lawæk advanced with his army to the Capital and Royal Metropolis of Ayutthaya and encamped his army in the vicinity of Kathum Village. At that moment, the King ordered Müang Nakhòn Phrom and the three thousand troops of the men of Hongsawadi to man the positions on the front wall, and all the high-ranking officials of the provincial cities to examine and post soldiers to the positions on the walls and at intervals around the Royal Metropolis. The King of Lawæk advanced with his army and halted his elephant in Sam Phihan Monastery. And the enemy troops were posted at intervals to Rong Khòng Monastery and Kuti Thòng Monastery. Then they brought about thirty elephants and halted them in Na Phra Meru Rachikaram Monastery with about four thousand men. The King of Lawæk had soldiers board five boats and cross the river to attack Prince Sanuk’s corner of the wall. The King proceeded there and, halting his palanquin, sent his soldiers up to fight. The enemy being vanquished, the King then ordered a carong cannon fired on the enemy elephants which were standing in Sam Phihan Monastery. Phra Campathirat, who was the [commander of the] vanguard of the King of Lawæk, was hit and killed on the neck of his elephant. The King of Lawæk withdrew and returned to his army at Kathum Village. Three times they advanced to attack in that way but were unsuccessful. So the King of Lawæk, ending the campaign and returning, swept up the families in the vicinity of the villages in the paddy fields and in Nakhòn Nayok and took them to Lawæk. At that time the King of Lawæk repeatedly organized troops to scout about, both by land and by boat, and the inhabitants of Canthabun, the inhabitants of Rayòng, the inhabitants of Chachoengsao and farmers were speedily lost to the Lawæk enemy in great numbers." [3]