Wat Sing, or the Monastery of the Lion, is a ruin of a monastery situated in Pho Sam Ton Sub-district of Bang Pahan in Ayutthaya Province.
The temple was located on the left bank of the old Lopburi River (1) in a straight line and north of Wat U Taphao.
The history of this monastery and its date of establishment is unknown.
In situ is a commemoration vihara with three Buddha images and a chedi.
In the reign of King Chulalongkorn (1868-1910 CE), the villagers of Ban Muang ordered the construction of an ordination hall at Wat Sop Sawan. Chinese workers built the hall, and instead of returning home, they settled down near Wat Sing. Hence, the place was called Ban Jek (2) after that.
Wat Sing is in geographical coordinates: 14° 25' 51.21" N, 100° 33' 1.07" E.
Footnotes:
(1) The old Lopburi River entered the Bangkok lowland in the Bang Pahan District. The waterway meandered in front of Wat Khao Din (Wat Wara Nayok Rangsan) in Pho Sam Ton Sub-district towards Wat Muang, passing Wat Pa Fai, likely located on its right bank. The area here was altered mainly by the construction of the Asian Highway in the second part of the 20th century, which cut through it. Near Wat Muang, we can find the remnants of the old river bed again. The waterway ran between Thung Ban Lao and Thung Pho Sam Ton towards Wat Tha Yak, near the northern royal tax station (both defunct). The stretch between Wat Muang and Wat Dao Khanong includes numerous old temple sites. Stretches of the old river can be seen left and right of the Wat Muang Canal, but much of the landscape has been altered due to landfilling. The old Lopburi River was, until the early years of the 20th century, an important and heavily used waterway. The river connected the northern area of Ayutthaya with the Hua Ro Market on the northeastern corner of Ayutthaya City Island. The waterway between Wat Muang and the Hua Ro Market, sometimes called the Pho Sam Ton River, consists of three connected canals: Khlong Wat Muang, Khlong Bang Khuat and Khlong Hua Ro.
(2) Jek (เจ๊ก) = an offensive term for referring to a Chinese.
