Research & Article

In 2012, the Myanmar authorities planned to demolish an ancient cemetery in Amarapura for a new urban development project. It was speculated that the cemetery contained the tomb of King Uthumphon, the penultimate monarch of Ayutthaya, who was among those taken by the Burmese after Ayutthaya fell (in 1767). The former king later resettled in Amarapura, where he passed away (in 1796). A funerary monument believed to hold his royal ashes was later discovered. However, due to the absence of inscriptions, the Burmese denied evidence that King Uthumphon's remains were entombed at this site. A Thai delegation thus conducted an on-site investigation and concluded there was a likelihood that the monument was indeed the king's stupa. Consequently, in 2013, the Association of Siamese Architects undertook excavations to restore the area housing the cremated remains.