Saritphong Dam

The Saritphong Dam (Thai: สรีดภงค์), also known as Phra Ruang Dam, (Thai: ทำนบพระร่วง), is a dam of sukhothai-temporal origin in the southwest of the UNESCO World Heritage Sukhothai Historical Park in the Tambon (municipality) Mueang Kao of the Amphoe (district) Mueang Sukhothai of Sukhothai Province in Northern Thailand. The Saritphong Dam was built in the 14th century and had the function of restoring the main water reservoir to the drinking water supply of the capital of the ancient kingdom Sukhothai.[1]

Saritphong Dam, water supply and cleansing of historic Sukhothai
Saritphong Dam
(Condition in January 2019

Since the ancient capital had no direct connection to sufficient quantities of running clean waters during the dry season, the drinking water supply of the historic metropolis had to be done artificially. For this purpose, a dam was constructed between the mountains of Khao Kieo Ai Ma and Khao Phra Bat Yai in some three kilometers east of the city. The construction consisted of a ground-coated laterite core. Through this construction measure, the water of the streams of the mountains and the precipitation of the rainy season were intercepted. The water was then led to the city by the Sao-Ho Canal, using a natural terrain slope, where it was divided into four reservoirs (Ngoen (silver), Thong (gold), So (lemon pond) and Tra Kua (water spinach) that were distributed in the interior of the city walls. The water was disposed of by another canal called Mae-Ramphan to the east into the Mae Nam Yom.[2]

In the middle of the twentieth century, the dam was renewed and expanded in a cooperation between the Royal Irrigation Department and the Fine Arts Department, while preserving the monumental aspects. After this measure it had a length of 487 meters and a thickness of eight meters with a height above ground of 10.5 meters. Its storage capacity is currently around 400,000 cubic meters.[2]

Further reading
  • Dawn F. Rooney: Ancient Sukhothai. Thailand's Cultural Heritage. River Books, Bangkok 2008, ISBN 978-974-9863-42-8, p 71 and 148.

References
  1. Dawn F. Rooney: Ancient Sukhothai. Thailand's Cultural Heritage. River Books, Bangkok 2008, ISBN 978-974-9863-42-8, p 148.
  2. Dawn F. Rooney: Ancient Sukhothai. Thailand's Cultural Heritage. River Books, Bangkok 2008, ISBN 978-974-9863-42-8, p 71.

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