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One day in Ayutthaya in King Taksin's footsteps
This trip tells King Taksin's life in Ayutthaya in a single day. It starts at Hua Ro, the corner of the wall the Burmese burned down on the night the city fell, then crosses to the north bank to see the area where the Burmese camped, the temple where the boy Sin went to school and the plain where Phraya Tak fought some of his first battles. In the afternoon it returns to the city island for the palace where the young Sin was presented as a page, then crosses the Pa Sak River to Wat Phichai Songkhram, his last camp before the breakout. The route runs clockwise from the north-east corner, so there is no doubling back.
Itinerary
- 07.30Je Ni's Rice Porridge (โจ๊กเจ๊นิ), Hua Ro Market
Start the day with rice porridge at Je Ni's in Hua Ro Market, at the north-east corner of the city island, or choose Buk's Red Pork Rice in the same market. The stalls in the market open in the morning and close when they sell out.
- 08.151Maha Chai Fortress, Hua Ro Map
Walk to the riverside at Hua Ro, where the line of Maha Chai Fortress ran. On the afternoon of 7 April 1767 the Burmese lit fires in the tunnels under the wall; by nightfall the wall had collapsed, and the Burmese were inside the city by about midnight.
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Wat Mae Nang Pluem MapCross the bridge to the north bank. Wat Mae Nang Pluem is opposite Maha Chai Fortress, in the area where the Burmese camped and bridged the river in the last phase of the siege.
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Wat Na Phra Men MapWat Na Phra Men, on the north bank of Khlong Mueang. The Burmese used it as a position for firing on the palace, so the ubosot escaped the fire and still preserves the building style of late Ayutthaya well.
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Wat Choeng Tha MapA few minutes' drive west across the river is Wat Choeng Tha, or Wat Kosawat, where the boy Sin is said to have studied under Phra Achan Thongdi.
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Wat Phu Khao Thong MapGo north to the Phu Khao Thong plain. Early in 1766 Phraya Tak and Phraya Phetchaburi went out to fight the Burmese on this plain, and later the Burmese commander set up camp near the temple.
- 12.00Pranom Shredded Chicken Noodles, Tha Wasukri Branch (ก๋วยเตี๋ยวไก่ฉีก คุณประนอม สาขาท่าวาสุกรี)
Lunch: shredded-chicken noodles in tom yum broth. The shop is north of the city island, on the way back to the island. Closed on Mondays.
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Ancient Royal Palace MapBack on the city island, visit the Royal Palace grounds, where the young Sin was presented as a royal page in the reign of King Borommakot, and which were burned with the city on the night it fell.
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Wat Phra Si Sanphet MapWalk on to Wat Phra Si Sanphet next door. In front of Wihan Phra Mongkhon Bophit is the area of Khok Phra Men, where Thai sources say the Burmese buried King Ekkathat's body, before King Taksin had it exhumed and cremated.
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Wat Mahathat MapWat Mahathat, in the centre of the city island, was burned and its Buddha images beheaded when the city fell. The Buddha head in the tree roots that people come to photograph is here.
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Wat Phichai Songkhram MapDrive across the Pa Sak River to the east bank. Wat Phichai Songkhram was Phraya Tak's last camp at the capital and the starting point of the breakout on 3 January 1767. In front of the temple is a royal monument.
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Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon MapAbout 10 minutes to the south, Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon was where Phraya Tak and Phraya Phetchaburi stationed their flotilla in the floods at the end of 1766. The temple closes at about 5:00 pm.
- 17.30Baan Ta Ko Rai (บ้านตะโกราย)
Dinner at Baan Ta Ko Rai, not far east of Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon: local cooking based on river fish. Open until 8:00 pm.
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Back to the hotel: Ayothaya HotelReturn to the Ayothaya Hotel in the centre of the city island, about 10–15 minutes' drive from the restaurant. Tomorrow it is easy to set out along the breakout route to the east.
Why start at Hua Ro
Hua Ro is where the story of Ayutthaya ends and the story of King Taksin begins in earnest. At Maha Chai Fortress, at the north-east corner, the Burmese dug tunnels and lit fires until the wall came down. By then Phraya Tak had been gone from the capital for three months and was gathering forces at Rayong. Starting the day here helps you picture the country he came back to recover seven months later.
Hua Ro Market is still a living neighbourhood, and the breakfast stalls in the market make a good first meal before a walk along the line of the wall by the river.
From boyhood to the battlefield
The late morning of the trip follows the early part of King Taksin's life. Wat Choeng Tha is where, according to tradition, he went to school, and the Phu Khao Thong plain is where Phraya Tak went out to fight the Burmese at the start of the war. The chronicles record that the Siamese lost that battle, but it is also the time when Phraya Tak's name first appears in the chronicles.
On the way, Wat Na Phra Men helps you picture a temple of late Ayutthaya still intact, because it is one of the few temples that escaped the fire on the night the city fell.
The afternoon on the city island and the east bank
The Royal Palace and Wat Phra Si Sanphet tell the story of the court where the young Sin served, and of the end of the Ban Phlu Luang dynasty. Then you cross to Wat Phichai Songkhram, the point where King Taksin's story parts from that of Ayutthaya: a force of some 500 to 1,000 men left this camp for the east on 3 January 1767. The day ends at Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon, another place where Phraya Tak once stationed his flotilla to meet the enemy.
Tips
- The combined ticket for 7 sites in the Historical Park is better value than buying temple by temple, if you are going into both Wat Phra Si Sanphet and Wat Mahathat.
- The stops on the north bank and Wat Choeng Tha are off the island; you need a car, or a tuk-tuk hired for half a day.
- The sun is strong from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm; bring a hat and water.
- Some restaurants close on certain days; check before you set out.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to follow King Taksin's footsteps in Ayutthaya?
About one full day, from around 7:30 am to 6:00 pm. If you are short of time, concentrate on Maha Chai Fortress at Hua Ro, Wat Choeng Tha, the Royal Palace and Wat Phichai Songkhram.
Which places are most closely connected with King Taksin?
Wat Phichai Songkhram, the starting point of the breakout, and Wat Choeng Tha, where he is said to have gone to school.
Last updated 13 November 2026