Wat Lokaya Sutha

Wat Lokaya Sutharam is a massive temple ruin designed in the late Ayutthaya period style. At the eastern entrance are the remnants of three viharas. Behind these sermon halls is a large 30-meter-high Khmer-style prang with a hollow entrance on its eastern side. However, the highlight of this former monastery is its enormous reclining Buddha image (42 meters long and 8 meters high), which has been named Phra Buddha Sai Yat. All the Buddha's toes are of equal lengths. The arm supporting the head is vertical instead of folded, as in the early Ayutthaya and U-Thong periods. This vertical arm is a characteristic of reclining images made in the Middle Ayutthaya period - after the 16th century. The reclining Buddha image is usually wrapped in brightly coloured orange cloth. Many people have covered parts of the reclining Buddha image in gold leaf.

Northwest of the reclining Buddha image, there is an interesting Lanna-style chedi. This chedi has an octagonal base, and many niches contain standing Buddha images. Near the spire, there are also several meditating Buddha images. This type of architecture is associated with the Haripunchai Kingdom in Lamphun.

The reclining Buddha image was restored by the Alcoholic Beverages Factory in 1954 CE. It was restored again in 1956 CE when Field Marshall Phibun Songkhram was developing the city park. In 1989 CE, the family of former Prime Minister Luang Thamrongwasawat (1946-1947 CE) contributed to renovations at this monastery. The Fine Arts department has continued to maintain it since then.

Ayutthaya Historical Research