Pom Phet ( Thai: ป้อมเพชร, pronounced [pɔ̂m pʰét]) is a historic fort along the city walls of Ayutthaya, in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Thailand. It is one of only two surviving fortresses of Ayutthaya's 29 forts.
The fort was built during the reign of King Maha Chakkraphat in the middle Ayutthaya period, after the first great war between Ayutthaya and Burma ( Burmese–Siamese War; 1547–1549). Pom Phet is considered the strongest and most important fort, hence the name "Pom Phet" (literally: "diamond fort"). [1] It is located at the point where the Pa Sak River confluence the Chao Phraya and the Lop Buri Rivers (now the Chao Phraya River) known as Bang Kaja (บางกะจะ, pronounced [bāːŋ kā.t͡ɕā]). [2]
It was made of brick and laterite, built 14 m (45.9 ft) thick, with a boundary marker 6.50 m (21.3 ft) high, and 8 openings for cannons. [1]
In the Ayutthaya period, the area around the fort included a significant trading centre where people of different nationalities resided. One person who used to live in this quarter was Thongdi, a Mon nobleman who was the father of King Rama I, the founder of Rattanakosin Kingdom and the first monarch of Chakri dynasty. [1]
The fort's location has now been renovated into a waterfront public park. It is located in the southeast part of Ayutthaya island close to Wat Phanan Choeng on the opposite bank of the Chao Phraya River; and is considered one of the important archaeological sites and another historical attraction. [3] [2] [1]
Moreover, its name was also given as the surname "Na Pombejra" by King Rama VI to a nobleman whose ancestors settled at Pom Phet. He was the origin of Na Pombejra family. Family members who are public figures include Poonsuk Banomyong (née Na Pombejra), the wife of late Senior Statesman and Thai Prime Minister Pridi Banomyong, and Potjaman Na Pombejra, the ex-wife of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. [4]
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References
- ^ a b c d "ออกแบบสุดอลัง! 'ป้อมเพชร' บุพเพสันนิวาส บ้านเดิม ร.1 ต้นกำเนิดสกุลดัง" [Splendid design! 'Phet Fortress' Love Destiny native of Rama I origin of celebrated houses]. Thai Rath (in Thai). 2018-03-29. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
- ^ a b "ป้อมเพชร" [Fort Phet]. MUSEUM THAILAND (in Thai).
- ^ "Pom Phet (Phet Fort)". Go Ayutthaya. 2021-05-20. Retrieved 2022-04-14.
- ^ Ananthanathorn, Kasidit (2019-08-07). "ปรีดี ทักษิณ อภิสิทธิ์ ใครเป็นใครในตระกูล ณ ป้อมเพชร์" [Pridi, Thaksin, Abhisit, who is a member of the Na Pombejra family]. The 101. Word (in Thai). Retrieved 2022-04-14.
External links
- Tourist attractions in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province
- Buildings and structures on the Chao Phraya River
- Buildings and structures in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province
- Archaeological sites in Thailand
- Buildings and structures completed in 1580
- Fortifications in Thailand
- Registered ancient monuments in Thailand