Alert Info
Wat Khian
Archaeological Site Ang Thong Other factor(s)
Address
, San Chao Rong Thong, Wiset Chai Chan, Ang Thong, 14110
Coordinates
Latitude : 14.602777213498317
Longitude : 100.35028927183909
General environment and accessibility
The site is accessible through the main road
Historical and local significance
Wat Khian is Buddhist temple under the Mahanikaya sect. It is located along the Noi River in San Chao Rong Thong Subdistrict, Wiset Chai Chan District, Ang Thong Province.
The exact date of the temple’s establishment is unknown, but records indicate that it was granted Wisungkhamsima (monastic boundary) in 1727 CE (B.E. 2270), during the reign of King Narai the Great.
It is believed that the temple was long abandoned before being restored. Based on archaeological evidence such as the ordination hall (ubosot), boundary stones (bai sema), and the twelve-indented-corner chedi, it can be inferred that the temple was originally built in the late Ayutthaya period. The mural paintings inside the ubosot also reflect the artistic style of the late Ayutthaya era.
The original ubosot was a modest structure made of brick and mortar, with a single entrance at the front of the principal Buddha image. Each side wall has three windows. The interior pillars are square and attached to the walls, with lotus-bud-style capitals. The wooden gable is small and intricately carved with motifs of Thepphanom (worshipping deities) and traditional kranjan ruan patterns.
The building was later renovated by constructing a reinforced concrete structure to enclose the original ubosot. However, the layout with a single entrance was retained. The entire roof structure was replaced with a new design: a single roof tier with a stepped second level. The roof is now tiled with modern flat ceramic tiles.
The mural paintings are presumed to have been created by artists of the Wiset Chai Chan school in the late Ayutthaya period. They depict the Ten Jataka (past lives of the Buddha). Above the windows are images of deities in assembly, and above the sinthao (horizontal border) line are hermits (ruesi), various vithayathorn (mythical sages), and nang makkali phon (the mythical fruit-bearing woman).
The south wall depicts the Manora or Sudhana Jataka from the Pannasa Jataka collection. The wall behind the principal Buddha image is adorned with floral designs and hanging festoon patterns (fuang uba), mostly set against a vivid red background.
In front of the ubosot to the east stands a twelve-indented-corner chedi. The bai sema boundary stones are arranged in all eight cardinal directions around the ubosot. All are made of white sandstone and are of the nang than type (enthroned sema stones) set on lion and lotus-petal bases.
The center of each sema often features a raised central strip called nom sema, decorated with the prajam yam pattern resembling a chest pendant. The middle of the sema (called ok sema) features round floral designs on either side, known as ta sema. The top of the sema is crowned with a tiered crown (mongkut) covering the body of the stone, with flame motifs (kranok tua ngao) at the waist.
Threats type
Other factor(s)
Threats details
Currently, Wat Khian has only one resident monk, rendering it difficult to ensure proper care and maintenance of the temple grounds. Within the old ubosot are exquisite mural paintings dating from the late Ayutthaya period. Although the building itself was restored by the Fine Arts Department, the lack of ongoing custodianship has led to deteriorating conditions inside the structure. This neglect poses a serious risk of damage to the historically significant mural paintings.
The gradual decline of the temple, verging on abandonment, can be attributed in part to the prioritization of constructing large-scale buildings without the allocation of adequate resources for their long-term care and preservation. Consequently, much of the temple infrastructure has fallen into disrepair and remains unused.
Responsible or associated agencies
กรมศิลปากร และองค์กรปกครองส่วนท้องถิ่น
