Wat Wong Khong วัดวงษ์ฆ้อง - Renovated Historic Temple - Ayutthaya Thailand 2023

Wat Wong Khong (วัดวงษ์ฆ้อง)

Wat Wong Khong is located off the main island - in the northern part of the city. This
active monastery can easily be reached by crossing the bridge on Chikun Road or by boat from Khlong Mueang (the old Lopburi River). The monastery’s location by the river makes it prone to flooding, so many of the older structures have suffered damage.

Wat Wong Khong is a single monastery, but a modern road cuts through the center of it.
On the side of the canal, there are several sermon halls and some kuti where monks live.
These have been built in the modern Rattanakosin style. A large Chinese shrine was built a few years ago featuring a god with multiple arms. There are two small chedis beside the road. Both are decorated with the lotus design and have several redented corners. This style is suggestive of the Late Ayutthaya period. Both chedi are full of holes from looting and covered with soot from car exhaust.

The opposite side of the road contains the more active preaching hall. Three large bell-
shaped chedi are located in a courtyard on the west side of this building. This area has been renovated with floor tiles and an improved foundation layer. A few smaller chedi are also located in the same area. The style of chedi suggests that this temple is connected to the Middle Ayutthaya period, and Royal Chronicles support this idea.

Wat Wong Khong is mentioned in relation to a war with Lawaek (Cambodia) in 1570. During the reign of King Maha Thammaracha, the Khmer king advanced with his armies to the Siamese capital and set up an elephant stockade at Wat Sam Wihan. The enemy
troops were posted at intervals from there to Wat Rong Khong Monastery and Kuti Thong monastery. Thirty elephants were also halted at Wat Phra Meru with 4-5 thousand men. Ayutthaya troops, however, were able to kill the Lawaek commander, Phra Campathirat, by firing cannons directly at enemy troops barricaded at Wat Sam Wihan. Phra Campathirat died while still sitting on the neck of his elephant, and Lawaek troops then retreated from the capital.

In the Ayutthaya period, Wat Wong Khong was an important ferry crossing point that connected to Wat Tha Sai on the other side. This monastery was set in a prime location because it provided vital access to Khlong Pratu Khao Pluak (approximately where Chikun Road is today).

The temple was originally known as Wat Rong Khong. The renaming of "Rong" by "Wong" seems to come from the following: "rong" which means building, sounds also as
coffin. The word "rong" was not felt as a very auspicious name for a temple, hence the name change. The same occurred to Wat Pradu Songtham, being before two temple sites Wat Pradu and Wat Rongtham. Here also Rongtham was changed into Songtham.

In the manuscript "Testimony of the king from Wat Pradu Songtham", a document likely
compiled in the Early Ratanakosin Period, is written that there was a land market at Wat
Rong Khong.

There was also a boat ferry between Wat Tha Sai (Sand Landing) to Wat Rong Khong.
In the Ayutthayan era there were twenty-two ferry routes between the main land and the
city island. The northern side had seven ferries, this site being one of them.

There was a village beside Wat Rong Khong along the road in front of Chaophraya Jakri’s house. In the village women traders bought raw bananas to ripen and boil for sale.

The temple is small but has some interesting buildings and Buddha images. It is not a normal place for toursits to visit but that just means you will be there with the local Thais. The recent renovation was well done. There are also a few other sites in the area if you travel north off the island to explore.

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