11 th historical park named in Sa Kaeo
A millennium-old Khmer temple in Sa Kaeo has been named Thailand’s 11th historical park
Almost 1,000 years ago, this grand Khmer architecture was dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva and called Pattharatekla, according to an inscription. After 20 years of restoration, Sdokkokthom Sanctuary, 34km from the Thai-Cambodian border in Khok Sung district, Sa Kaeo province, has become a popular attraction since 2014. Beginning in April next year, it will officially open as Thailand’s 11th historical park.
The temple was established in 1052 by King Udayadityavarman II (1050-1066) as a present to his Brahmin teacher Srijayentravarman, or Sat hash iva,w hoperformed the coronation ceremony for him. The teacher later left the priesthood and married a daughter of King Suryavarman I. King Udayadityavarman II ruled the Khmer kingdom from 1050 to 1066 and was the successor of King Suryavarman I.
Over a century ago, locals called it Prasat Muang Phrao (the temple of a town of coconuts) due to the existence of many coconut trees in the area. Since 1935, it has been called Sdokkokthom — Khmer for “full of big reed plants”, according to the Fine Arts Department.
This Khmer architecture faces east — the direction of power, light and luck. It is made of sandstone and laterite carved with the images of Hindu religious icons and foliage motifs. The art is similar to Khleang and Baphoun art dating to the late 11th century. The purpose was to serve the Shaivism (worshippers of Shiva).
Only two eastern and western sandstone arches, or gopura, remain. Two sandstone libraries (bannalai) for keeping religious manuscripts, encircled by galleries and walls, stand in front of the principal corncob-shaped building (prang) comparable to Mount Meru, the centre of the universe. The main prang is surrounded by columns forming the boundary of the most sacred zone. Inside the prang is the base of a missing Shiva linga, symbolising the god Shiva. A stone path from the temple leads eastward to a large rectangular pond. The plan reflects Hindu beliefs about the universe. Walking into the eastern gopura past the pond and galleries means entering the heart of the universe.
Highlights there include the lintel depicting the dancing god Shiva on an arch, a lintel depicting Krishna, an avatar of god Vishnu, conquering an elephant named Kuvalpitha, a lintel depicting Krishna conquering a horse named Kesi, and a lintel depicting the reclining god Vishnu in the ocean.
The Fine Arts Department registered the Sdokkokthom Khmer Sanctuary as a historic site in 1935 and extended protection to its precinct covering about 641 rai of land in 1997.
“The restoration was done during 19932014 with the anastylosis reconstruction technique for restoring rock buildings. It is like solving a jigsaw puzzle. When the temple was built, rocks were piled up, assembled and then carved. Archaeologists would study and put back the fallen rocks to where they were originally. Any missing rocks would be replaced by new ones clearly marked as new. For Sdokkokthom, the process took a very long time,” Pratheep Pengtako, Fine Arts Department deputy director-general, said.
The initial landscape improvement was later carried out to accommodate tourists. Car parks, toilets, souvenir outlets, tap water and electric systems were established. This site became better known among tourists and attracted approximately 3,000 visitors, mostly Thais, each day during 2014-2015, according to the department.
Last year, the joint panel of the Fifth Regional Office of Fine Arts and Sa Kaeo province came up with a master plan and operational plans to make the old temple a historical park.
So far, budgets totalling 200 million baht have been spent. Apart from an information centre and a reception hall, the new historical park will have box offices, a theatre, stores, toilets and car parks that can accommodate hundreds of buses. The construction of all buildings is expected to be completed by December. By February next year, the exhibition hall should be ready for use.
“An outstanding thing found at Sdokkokthom is an inscription stone dating to the 11th century mentioning a king who ruled 200-300 years earlier. It says King Udayadityavarman II established a place called Pattharatekla believed to be this place. We may nominate this inscription to Unesco’s Memory of the World programme,” Methadol Wichakhana, regional office director in Prachin Buri which oversees Sdokkokthom, noted.
According to him, the stone’s four sides were inscribed with Khmer and Sanskrit words. The inscription was already translated to the Thai language and the content will be adapted into a script for light and sound shows.
Culture Minister Veera Rojpojanarat has been seeking co-operation from several countries to help promote a tourism link between Sdokkokthom Temple in Thailand and Banteay Chhmar and Banteay Toap temples, which are about 60km away, in Cambodia.
A five-year plan will be drafted and implemented to develop travel links between Sdokkokthom, Khao Lon Khmer Temple in Ta Phraya district, Sa Kaeo, and other old temples in nearby areas, and Cambodia’s Siem Reap, which is about 150km from Sdokkokthom.
“The new historical park is hoped to attract 10% of about 1 million Chinese tourists who visit Siem Reap each year,” the director noted.