King Prasat Thong (r.1629-1656) built this royal monastery on the bank of the Chao
Phraya River in 1630 in order to make merit for his foster-mother, as well to show
himself as a man of great Buddhist merit; in fact a political goal [4]. The temple was built
on the site where his foster-mother, the wife of Okya Sri Thammathirat, resided in
Ayutthaya. [5]
Wat Chai Watthanaram was one of the grandest and most monumental ruins of
Ayutthaya. [6] The construction of the monastery may have taken 20 years to complete
as a gold tablet buried behind a Buddha image in one of the spired roof halls was
inscribed: Auspicious occasion in Maha Sakarat 572 (1649 AD), Wednesday of the
4th month, 15th day of the waxing moon, year of the dog with number two ending,
firstly established. [7] In the Historical Account written by Van Vliet, in the passage
referring to 1637-8, he mentions the King’s temple . . . under construction [8],
indicating that at that time the construction work was still ongoing.
Since the reign of King Prasat Thong all Ayutthayan Kings would regularly make
pilgrimages to this sanctuary and attend royal funerals. In the last Burmese war with
Ayutthaya (1764-1767), the site may have been used as a stronghold as witnessed by
the reinforcement of the walls and the surviving remains of cannons and cannon balls. [2]
After the destruction of Ayutthaya by the Burmese, the temple was deserted, prey for
the jungle and looters for 220 years.