Prasat Ban Prasat: Jayavarman VII’s Khmer Arokayasala in Isan - Nakhon Ratchasima Thailand 2025

Prasat Ban Prasat, an 11th-century Khmer hospital temple (arokayasala) in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand, stands as a rare surviving example of King Jayavarman VII’s compassionate infrastructure.

Built around 1186–1200 in classic Bayon style, the laterite complex features a single eastward-facing tower of pink sandstone on a raised platform, accompanied by a rectangular library to the southeast and enclosed by a moat, standard layout for the 102 chapels of healing the king established across his empire.

Dedicated to the Bodhisattva Lokesvara, the sanctuary originally housed a radiant Buddha image sheltered by the naga Mucalinda, symbolizing enlightenment and protection. A nearby reservoir (baray) supplied water for medicinal use, while the site served as both clinic and rest house for pilgrims traveling the ancient road from Angkor to Phimai. Inscriptions, though lost, likely mirrored those at other arokayasalas, invoking healing and royal merit.

Abandoned after the Khmer Empire’s 13th-century decline, the temple was swallowed by forest until its rediscovery in the 20th century. Partial restoration by Thailand’s Fine Arts Department while leaving the surrounding structures in evocative ruin.

Today, Prasat Ban Prasat remains a quiet monument to Jayavarman VII’s vision of sacred medicine, where architecture, faith, and humanitarian care converged in the heart of ancient Isan.

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