Once upon a time, this is where the Portuguese lived peacefully with the Thai.
One of our last stops in Ayutthaya is the old Portuguese settlement, complete with a mix of original artifacts and new construction. It’s a small site, however, and it’s a bit remote. It was originally opposite a Japanese trading post, and encompassed perhaps a half of a square kilometer. Portugal was one of the first Western players in Thailand, having made peace with King Rama Thibodi II (r. 1491–1529) and set up shop in 1511. They enjoyed religious freedom, including planting a crucifix and setting up shop for a couple of Roman Catholic chaplains for the Portuguese soldiers. In exchange, they brought their knowledge of weapons and ammunition.
It was in the 17th century when the Dutch came, and in 1624 the Spanish ship attacked the Dutch. The Siamese King Songtham (r. 1610 or 1611–1628) ordered the Spanish attacked, and the Portuguese got lumped in with the Spanish over time, losing their favored status with the crown. Relations worsened to the power where in 1630 a Portuguese ship full of Chinese goods was confiscated, and the Portuguese were kept in captivity for years. In 1633, a Portuguese was appointed as ambassador to request the release of the prisoners, which was eventually granted. Fast forward a few decades — by the late 17th century, there were 700 to 800 households, or about 4,000 people living in the settlement.
What makes the area worth seeing is the church. When Burma invaded Ayutthaya in April 1760, this settlement was the first to be attacked, and was eventually plundered and burned to the ground. It was deserted afterwards, and it was only in 1984 that the church began to be excavated. In 1989, the building seen below was constructed for the hundreds of skeletons found there. Today, that building — and those skeletons — remain.
Not much of this history is visible on-site, however.
Although much of the church was burned down, some work has been done to provide context. The dozen or so signs like the one above give some of the basic ideas, and in April 1995, Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vathana presided over an opening ceremony of the archaeological site.
Some of the signs, unfortunately, look like they haven’t been updated since 1995. Inside the building covering the skeletons are some newer signs, albeit ones that are rather difficult to read.
It’s clear this tourist attraction hasn’t received all the attention it needs to reach visitors. While some work was in progress on the building covering skeletons was underway, there’s still more to go. If you enjoy seeing places before they’re pretty and shiny for the typical tourist, this would be a good place to check out. That there’s plenty of other stuff around the city to make it a weekend is wonderful as well. See the official tourism organization’s pages on Ayutthaya, and of course, my blog posts about other destinations in the city coming soon.
Getting to Ayutthaya
As for getting to Ayutthaya, the ancient capital of Thailand remains one of the most accessible destinations from the present capital — and getting there need not cost more than a couple of US dollars. Starting from Bangkok, take the BTS to the Victory Monument station, then begin looking for the minibuses. For the tourists that don’t suffer from claustrophobia, a series of white, 15-passenger minivans that chiefly serve Thais leave on a frequent basis to plenty of places around the country.
The two-hour trip there cost a whopping 60 baht (about 2 USD), but be warned: tall folks may find little room to avoid putting knees to chest. Aim for an aisle seat — assuming there’s none left, the off-center seat in the back row also works nicely. Be aware there’s precious little room for luggage — these are minivans, not buses. Even the medium-sized weekend-trip backpack ended up uncomfortably resting on the floor between my feet, or worse on my lap.
In any case, you’ll arrive at the beginning of a road called ’Tourist Road’ — a block full of guest houses, laid-back bars, and a few restaurants. While it’s far from the happening nightlife of Bangkok, you didn’t come to Ayutthaya for that (and if you did, you’ve been horribly misled). That a number of minivans leave from this area for other parts of the county make this a perfect place to crash.
Name: Portuguese Settlement
Address: Samphao Lom, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, 13000 (GPS, 14.333208,100.574545)
Directions: Tuk-tuk here from Ayutthaya — that’s the simplest way.
Hours: No gates or nothing preventing you from visiting anytime.
Admission: free
Phone: 1672 (official tourism hotline)
Website: tourismthailand.org
