Si Satchanalai Historic Park - outer temples...... A substantial number of temples lie outside the city wall in various locations that seem to be linked to a chronology of development of the Sukhothai civilisation. But there is another important site that needs attention and that is reserved for the universally famed production of pottery known a Sangkhalok Ware. Again a visit to the research centre and some of the actual kilns takes up more time. At 3.00 pm there is still the vast majority of outer temples remaining to visit. It's not looking good for completion today as I head for the group along the banks of the Yom River that is in the vicinity of the old town of Chaliang that pre-dates Si Satchanalai. There are some important temples here and the workings of an archaeological dig site. This area absorbs another hour but there's still another loop to complete requiring a return back past the visitor centre. By this time it just like winning a trolley dash in a supermarket as I speed around firing off shots with my camera at anything I can use. Miraculously I'm satisfied with my day's work at about 4.30 pm having amassed 276 photos in the day's session. Finally, I get my thoughts back together and consider what to do next now I can leave this area while reflecting on an incredible day in the field. The full list of sites visited follows.

Sites in or near the old city wall
Yom River...... The Yom River is the main tributary of the Nan River (which itself is a tributary of the Chao Phraya River). The Yom River has its source in the Phi Pan Nam Range in Pong district, Phayao Province, Thailand. Leaving Phayao, it flows through Phrae and Sukhothai as the main water resource of both provinces before it joins the Nan River at Chum Saeng district, Nakhon Sawan Province.
Wat Pa Krasa...... Wat Pa Krasa lies opposite to Wat Thung Setthi located near the park entrance. It consists of a base for a bell-shaped chedi and a viharn with glassless windows similar to those found at Wat Nang Phraya. The boundary wall in laterite has four entrances. It is assumed that the roof was repaired as baked clay tiles were found stacked near the wall.
Wat Thung Setthi...... Situated outside the southwest city wall near the Ramnarong Gate (the main entrance to the park), Wat Thung Setthi faces northeast. This important ruin consists of a viharn which had six rooms and a terrace in front, a principle chedi on a square base and several smaller chedis in alignment to the rear and left of the main chedi.
Ramnarong Gate...... The Ramnarong Gate is the main gate and park entrance. It is mainly intact, built of laterite some 3.5 metres wide by 4 metres high. It lies in line with the southeast town wall. The piers are recessed to accept a substantial wooden door. Outside the city wall there is moat with a walkway built in laterite blocks leading to the gate. The gate and the fortifications date back to before 1474.
Wat Nang Phaya...... Wat Nang Phaya was built in the early Ayutthaya Period, 16th Century. This is a large monastery located on the main axis of the town. This shows its importance, yet it doesn't appear in the chronicles. The temple consists of the main chedi with a round spire with an arch on each side. This chedi resembles Wat Phra Si Sanphet in Ayutthaya. The viharn has seven rooms built in laterite with limestone plaster. Stucco reliefs indicate Chinese and Lanna influence.
Wat Lak Muang...... Wat Lak Muang lies inside the town near the Royal Palace, facing southeast. In the temple grounds lies a viharn which is connected to a small mondrop. Behind the mondrop is a chedi with 20 indented corners, indicative of Khmer art. The name Lak Muang means 'town post', more often referred to as city pillar.
Wat Suan Kaeo Utthayan Yai...... Wat Suan Kaeo Utthayan Yai lies inside the city located along the main axis of Si Satchanalai town. It is a large monastery appearing in two parts of the Northern Historic Chronicles. The temple is rectangular facing southeast. The ruin of the circular chedi has just a set of pedestals. The viharn has six rooms without partitions and the pedestal for the Buddha image and remains of the monk's seat.
Wat Chedi Ched Thaeo...... Wat Chedi Ched Thaeo is an important temple located inside the town wall. There are situated, 33 chedis in various styles representing cosmology. It has been suggested that this is a graveyard for the Sukhothai dynasty. The chedis are of three types: lotus bud shaped, prasat style and round style.
Wat Chang Lom...... Wat Chang Lom was built in the Sukhothai Period, 14th Century. It is a large Buddhist temple located in the centre of the city. One possible date for its construction is 1285. Stone inscription No. 1 states that King Ramkhamheang dug up the Buddha's relics in order to pay homage then consecrated them under the new temple. The chedi shows Sri Lankan influence with a tall square base around which are 39 elephant sculptures.
Wat Suan Kaeo Utthayan Noi...... Wat Suan Kaeo Utthayan Noi is located close to the area suggested being the palace of Si Satchanalai and could have been the royal temple. The temple faces southeast and has two gates on opposite sides. The monuments display a distinctive Sukhothai style with a combination of Khmer and Sri Lankan art such as chedis of lotus-bud or Sukhothai prasat styles. In the ubosot there is a mondrop containing the remains of seated Buddha. The wooden core construction is indicative of early Sukhothai design.
Wat Khao Phanom Phloeng...... Wat Khao Phanom Phloeng is located on top of Phanom Phloeng Hill overlooking the city. It is mentioned in the Northern Historical Chronicle that a hermit named Satchanalai advised the local leader, Ba Thammatat that he must choose a location of his town near the temple a place for fire ceremonies.
To reach the temple there is a staircase build in laterite with 144 steps (I counted about 120). The important buildings are the main rounded chedi, an ubosot and a mondrop which is a shrine to a goddess revered by local people.
Wat Khao Suwankhiri...... Wat Khao Suwankhiri is located lies on a hill near the center of the town and is adjacent to Wat Khao Phanom Phloem. The important structure here is the main chedi which has its base five levels high. Some parts of the chedi are decorated with bas-relief stuccoes of the walking Buddha. The chedi is built in the same style as the one at Wat Chang Lom which is of the same period, 14th Century. To the east of the main chedi is the ubosot surrounded by other buildings and subordinate chedis lying to the west of the main stupa.
Wat Som Siao - Monument 17...... Wat Som Siao is a minor temple in the old city facing northeast. It consists of a base for a viharn with balconies in the front and back built in laterite. The principal chedi lies behind consisting of a square base with a rectangular altar also made of laterite. The temple dates from 14th-15th Century.
Wat Pa Makham - Monument 14...... Wat Pa Makham faces east consisting of a main chedi, a viharn and subordinate chedis all built in laterite. The main chedi is thought to have been bell-shaped situated on top of a square base. The lowest remaining base is at the third level. The base is a chamfer-angle design with upturned and overturned lotus style. The viharn had five rooms with a base of overturned lotus design. The subordinate chedi seems to have had multiple spires.
Wat Na Phaeng - Monument 18...... Wat Na Phaeng, facing east consists of a viharn with five rooms. The laterite base also supports a mondrop with arched entrance likely to be of rose petal design. A similar arched entrance is at Wat Phaya Dam. The chedi was supported on a square base made of laterite. The design is 14th-15th Century Sukhothai Period.
Saphan Chan Gate - Monument 32...... The Saphan Chan Gate is at the base of Suwankhiri Mountain to the south. The gate is 2.5 metres wide by 2.7 metres high. The fortification follows the line of natural stone with a rectangular base 12 x 25 metres. Outside the wall are two sets of earthworks divided by a moat. Historically, according to the Ayutthaya Chronicle, King Naresuan moved his troops here during a war with the Burmese and it is referred to in a literary by King Rama VI. The gate was built sometime before 1474.
Wat Sa Yakha - Monument 22...... Wat Sa Yakha faces east and is located inside the city near the junction with the south and west corner of the city wall where there is a pond. The viharn in laterite had five rooms with a monk's shrine to the right of the Buddha Image. The principal chedi is located behind the viharn on a square base of budding lotus design while a balcony stretched out in front. Two subordinate chedis to left and right are made from laterite.
Wat Vihan Noi - Monument 23...... Wat Vihan Noi faces northeast and it constructed of laterite. It consists of a viharn which had three rooms built on a base of upturned lotus. Behind the viharn is a mondrop. It is presumed that this had an arched roof similar to other structures found inside the city. To the rear of the mondrop is a square base for a subordinate chedi. This temple is of Sukhothai Period, 14th-15th Century.

Sites outside the old city wall, north
Wat Kudi Rai...... Wat Kudi Rai is located alongside the Yom River to the north, outside Si Satchanalai town wall, facing south to the Tao Mor Gate. The viharn has a mondrop to the rear enshrining a Buddha image while at the rear of the ubosot, is a similar mondrop and image. There are also three lotus-shaped chedis and one round one behind the mondrop.
Sangkhalok Kiln Preservation Centre...... The Sangkhalok Kiln Preservation Centre is located a few kilometres north from the Tao Mor Gate following the Yom River to the north. The centre has a useful collection of Sangkhalok wares as well as a preserved excavation pit. The exhibits represent the high quality ceramics that were produced in the area from the 13th Century right through to the end of the Ayutthaya Period in 1767.
Museum for kilns 42 and 123...... The Museum for kilns 42 and 123 is situated in Ban Ko Noi some 5 kilometres north from the Tao Mor Gate. The museum concentrates on the work of excavating the numerous Thuriang kiln sites in the area. The group of kilns No. 42 has received particular attention and much has been learnt about the development of ancient ceramics technology of Si Satchanalai. 19 kilns have been studied falling into 2 groups, the earlier updraft type and the later higher quality cross draft type producing temperatures in excess of the 1,000 degrees necessary to produce high quality ceramics. Examples of production sites include in earlier underground kilns on top of which the later cross draft kilns were built.
Tao Mor Gate...... The Tao Mor Gate is the northern city gate of the old city of Si Satchanalai. It is a well constructed with fortifications built in laterite of similar proportions to the other gates.