Wat Phukhao Thong

Wat Phukhao Thong, or the Monastery of the Golden Mount, is located off the city island in Thung Phukhao Thong, nearly three kilometres northwest of the centre of the city of Ayutthaya in the Phukhao Thong Sub-district. Thung Phukhao Thong is bordered on the west by the present Chao Phraya River, which occupied the bed of the Bang Kaeo River in the mid-19th century. The northern limit ran in line with Khlong Maha Phram on the opposite side of the river. On the east ran Khlong Maha Nak, and the delimitation in the south was Thung Khwan. The name of the field is derived from the northern landmark Phukhao Thong.

An event possibly related to Phukhao Thong is the singlehanded elephant back fight between King Naresuan (reign 1590-1605 CE) and the crown prince of Burma in 1592 CE. The legend goes that the Siamese king established a victory monument to commemorate this war event. It is still a point of discussion where the battle exactly occurred and where a victory moment was erected. There are at least three locations that are contenders for the event. Ban Don Chedi in Phanom Thuan District of Kanchanaburi Province was a war elephant battleground, given the numerous elephant skulls and bones discovered at this site. The site has a large chedi, and several smaller chedis said to have contained the ashes of the Burmese crown prince and some of his commanders. Prince Damrong Rajanubhap discovered in 1913 CE the remains of a large chedi in the Don Chedi District of Suphan Buri Province and identified it as the one built by King Naresuan in 1593 CE after his victory against the Burmese crown prince. Chedi Phukhao Thong is a third possibility, as Burmese history states that the battle was fought just outside the walls of Ayutthaya.

Ayutthaya Historical Research