Thnal Svay Temple (Kok Chrolong Village)

Also recorded as Prasat Trapeang Thnal Svay, it is a remote site in Preah Vihear Province featuring the remains of a temple complex featuring a brick central shrine with a laterite forebody with two small satellite shrines, a “library”, two large gopura/entrance pavilions, an elongated peristyle structure (on an east-west axis), and an enclosure wall containing a structure the French would label as “palais”. These “palais” were common to several temple sites of the era (more on that here).

I visited the site in April of 2022 but it’s not prepared for visitors at this time, heavily overgrown, and as a solo traveler, not so safe to explore completely and perhaps not safe for the temple too, who knows what remains may be underfoot. Moreover, it’s hard to see much through the density of the shrub. Regardless, in some clear areas around the “palais” and toward the central shrine, I managed to get some images and experience the nature of the site first-hand at least, and very much enjoyed such.

The “Palais” shots are all from within the enclosure wall as seen on the layout map below. It’s interesting how different the layout is between this and the other sites with similar structures which may have something to reveal about the function of the whole genre of so-called “palais”.

The remains of the “library” – it doesn’t quite match up with the layout map but that’s a mystery to solve when the site is cleared one day.

Pavilion and remnants

Layout plan – adapted from L’art khmèr classique : monuments du quadrant Nord-Est, Henri Parmentier, 1939

Inscription

• K. 347 – Pr. Thnal Svay – recorded as being on the doorframe of the north pavilion – 50 + 20 + 4 + 17 lines of Khmer and 3 lines of Sanskrit – Coedes notes as featuring a date of 979 AD with much of the remaining text illegible – IC VI, p. 181

Getting to the site – About 3km west of Choam Khsant city there is a dirt road in reasonable condition leading north yet deteriorating as it goes. Challenging in the wet season for sure. The trail I took came from the western side of the side, where there is a barely used trail at the edge of a farmer’s field leading to the site. At that time, I could not find a way out heading east from the site as it appears on Google maps.

Rodney Charles LHuillier

Living in Asia for over a decade and now residing in beautiful Siem Reap - Contact via [email protected] - more..