Wat Yai Chai Mongkon

　　The tour guide was a Thai woman, whose Japanese skills were so-so. Being briefed about Thai history, cultural background, and current topics on the way, our minivan headed to the north, i.e. the historic City of Ayutthaya, one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The first place we visited was Wat Yai Chai Mongkon, which had been built in 1351. Then adjacent facilities had been built one after another for the following couple of centuries. I was really sorry that I was not able to fully understand the words of the tour guide for the lack of knowledge of Thai history. The walls of the buildings were partly heavily damaged. I thought that it was a matter of time before the buildings would collapse. There were even few pamphlets for historic items. I wanted to tell the authorities to prepare English leaflets, or if possible, Japanese leaflets about them. I wished that I had more information on their historic buildings.
　　The first picture was shot by my friend, when I viewed the scenery from the walkway on the main tower of the temple. As I heard before, there was no mountain around. Wat Yai Chai Mongkon was located on the small flat island in the river, and the altitude difference from Bangkok was apparently only a few meters. It seemed natural to me that the area had been easily flooded.

ワット・ヤイ・チャイ・モンコン

ツアーの案内はタイ人女性。タイの歴史、文化、時事問題などの説明を聞きながら車で北上。まず訪問したのはワット・ヤイ・チャイ・モンコン。寺院は１３５１年に建立され、周囲に次々と塔が建てられたらしい。ガイドの説明を全て理解するだけのタイの歴史についての基礎知識に欠けていたことが残念。建築物の壁などの損壊が激しく修復しなければいけないと思う。このまま朽ちていくのはなんとも惜しい。それと観光客向けの英語の説明があまりに少ない。日本語を用意しろとまでは言わないが、英語での説明がもう少しあればなと思った。

１枚目の写真は塔の上から周囲を眺めているところを友人が撮ったもの。話には聞いていたが周りに山は無く、簡単に洪水に襲われる地形が理解できた。海岸からここまで高度差はほんの数メートルらしい。