Page:Golden pavilion at Wat Sai - Damrong - 1921.pdf/5

 the larger plot to the south are built the temple proper and the Preaching Hall which are somewhat damaged, but have been greatly repaired by the chief priest, but there is a prachedi in front of the temple and a pulpit in the Hall which are the work of the Ayuthia period or prior to that shown in the gold pavilion, and this is a proof that Wat Sai is a very old Wat and that Wat Sai was built before the golden pavilion. To the North is the smaller plot on which the golden pavilion is built, it is divided from the larger plot on which the temple proper is built, by a canal. It might be that the smaller plot was outside the temple boundaries when the golden pavilion was built, but was presented to the temple at some later date, but on inspection, the golden pavilion is very close up to the temple. If that plot of land had been outside the temple boundaries at the time of the building of the golden pavilion, the pavilion would have been built in the middle of the plot and would have been further to the north from the canal, and would not have been built up so close to the temple boundary.

Therefore it is clear that this golden pavilion was originally built somewhere else, but must have been near this spot along the Klong Sanamchai, The approximate position of the pavilion for night use must have been at Thonburi. The Royal boats left Thonburi in the morning and travelled along this canal till midday, and the golden pavilion for the midday rest must have been built at the spot which would be reached by the boats at midday. In the afternoon the boats would have started from that spot to reach the night resting place at Tha Chin. This consideration fits in with the nature of the pavilion at this time its shape being changed, the walls and gables being the only parts of the original left due to the fact of the pavilion having been allowed to go to ruin for a period, until it was nearly in a state of complete decay. There must have been some person who regretted this and so he pulled it down, removed it and rebuilt it at Wat Sai, retaining the walls and gables and gave it to be temple property, and thus the present shape of the pavilion is unlike its original shape. There are signs of its having been repaired in the Ratanakosindr Era, for example the figures of the Devas on the door in the partition wall, and the