Rating: 3.6/5 (5 votes)

Open Days: Open Daily

Opening Hours: 09.00 – 17.00

 

Queen Suriyothai Monument (Thung Makham Yong) If you want to experience Ayutthaya with both a strong sense of history and a wide, open atmosphere—without starting your day in the most crowded parts of the island city—Queen Suriyothai Monument (Thung Makham Yong) is an excellent place to begin. This is not just a monument you stop at for a quick tribute and move on. It is a memorial park designed for people to genuinely spend time: walking, resting your eyes, taking photos, and gradually absorbing the historical narrative through a broad landscape of open fields and a large public park. The first impression is usually how airy and comfortable it feels. The area is flat and spacious, with a large reservoir and lines of trees, creating a very different mood from walking inside heritage temples where paths are often narrow or enclosed by walls.

 

Thung Makham Yong is located in Ban Mai Subdistrict, to the northwest of Ayutthaya’s island city, and it is often described as a historically important battlefield area connected to several phases of Thai–Burmese conflicts. Visiting here has a special charm because you are not only reading history—you are standing within the landscape that shaped it. The openness of the field, the long sightlines, and the broad horizon help you understand why places like this are frequently mentioned in stories of troop movements, camps, and major clashes in Ayutthaya’s memory. When you connect this setting with well-known narratives, especially the heroic legacy of Queen Suriyothai, historical events that once felt like distant stories become something you can sense more directly.

 

The centerpiece of the site is the bronze statue of Queen Suriyothai, seated on a royal war elephant at a scale larger than life, giving the entire scene a dignified and powerful presence even from a distance. What makes this place different from a typical monument visit is the presence of a large number of accompanying sculptures arranged like staged scenes, allowing visitors to walk through the setting as if following important historical moments. The story here is not delivered only through long written explanations. It is told through the surrounding sculptures, the way the space guides your movement, and the calm lakeside atmosphere that keeps the visit from feeling rushed.

 

Historically, Queen Suriyothai is remembered for her heroic role in an elephant-back battle during the Thai–Burmese wars, when she entered the conflict to protect the situation and was killed after being struck by a polearm while on the elephant. This is why Thung Makham Yong is often viewed as a symbol of sacrifice for the nation. Beyond Queen Suriyothai’s story, the wider battlefield narratives of this area also connect to the era of King Naresuan the Great. One famous episode describes raids on enemy camps, including a legendary scene in which King Naresuan is said to have climbed into a camp while holding a sword in his mouth, leading to the name “the Camp-Raid Sword.” When these stories are read alongside the real landscape, a one-day Ayutthaya trip can feel more layered than a simple checklist of landmarks, because you begin to notice the meaning behind the places, not only their names.

 

Another reason many visitors end up staying longer than planned is that the overall area was developed as a public park and a relaxation space for local residents as well. You may see people walking, exercising, sitting by the reservoir, or bringing family members in the late afternoon. That creates a unique blend of moods: the solemn feeling of a memorial site and the lively rhythm of a modern public space. If you want to travel Ayutthaya without tiring too quickly, having a comfortable, open place like this as a pause point can balance your day beautifully, especially if you plan to enter the busier temple zones on the island city later in the afternoon.

 

Photography here is flexible, and if you want your images to “tell a story” rather than simply show a monument, it helps to capture three layers: (1) a wide shot showing the statue with the open field and reservoir to communicate the scale of the landscape, (2) a mid-range shot highlighting the main statue with its surrounding mood, and (3) close-up details of the accompanying sculpture groups so your post carries historical texture that feels tangible. The best times are usually morning or late afternoon, when the light is softer and the overall scene looks calmer. If you visit at midday, bring a hat, water, and sunscreen because the area is quite open.

 

To make the visit feel worthwhile, plan at least 45–90 minutes to walk through the key elements: the main monument, the sculpture groups, and the park area by the reservoir. If you enjoy photography or slow, relaxed walks, it is easy to spend 1–2 hours without noticing. The space is designed with natural pauses and changing scenery, shifting your mood from history to leisure and back again. Afterward, you can continue smoothly to major heritage sites outside the island city or flow back into the island city to visit the famous temples, without feeling like you started the day already exhausted.

 

Getting There If you are coming from Bangkok by private car, drive into Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya and head toward the Thung Makham Yong area (Ban Mai Subdistrict), which sits slightly outside the island city. The route is generally straightforward and works well if you want to begin your trip on this side first, then flow into the island city later in the morning or afternoon for the major temples. If you do not have a private car, travel to central Ayutthaya by train, minivan, or bus, then continue by taxi, local hired transport, tuk-tuk, or a rented motorbike. It is best to agree on the price and intended stops clearly at the start to keep the trip smooth.

 

To preserve the shared atmosphere of a memorial site and a public park, visitors should dress respectfully, keep the area clean, avoid climbing or touching sculptures unnecessarily, and be mindful when taking photos in ways that could disturb people exercising or relaxing nearby. The beauty of this place is the overall experience. When the environment stays calm and clean, the dignity of the site becomes even stronger, and future visitors can continue to use it as both a living public park and a meaningful place to learn history.

 

 

A: It is located in Thung Makham Yong, Ban Mai Subdistrict, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, slightly outside the island city, and it is convenient for continuing to major attractions afterward.

 

A: It is open daily from 09.00 to 17.00, and admission is generally free.

 

A: Plan about 45–90 minutes to see the monument, sculpture groups, and the reservoir-side park. If you enjoy photography or slow walks, 1–2 hours can feel very natural.

 

A: Morning or late afternoon is best for softer light and more comfortable weather. At midday, bring a hat, water, and sunscreen because the area is quite open.

 

A: Travel to central Ayutthaya by train, minivan, or bus, then continue by taxi, local hired transport, tuk-tuk, or rent a motorbike. Agree on pricing and intended stops clearly before you go.

 

A: Dress respectfully, keep the area clean, avoid climbing or touching sculptures unnecessarily, and be mindful not to disturb people exercising or relaxing, since the site is both a memorial space and a public park.