Thailand eligible to seek help for Ayutthaya
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The Unesco office in Bangkok has alerted the authorities of the possibility of seeking emergency assistance for Ayutthaya, which is heavily flooded at present.
As water levels continue to rise, the World Heritage Site in Ayutthaya, which occupies the western half of the inner island of the ancient city, now faces the threat of inundation. Monuments and temples on the outside perimeter of the site (technically not part of the World Heritage property) have already been flooded for days.
Local authorities say that if the inner city cannot be protected, the situation may be even worse than the big flood of 1995 and it could affect the entire city, including the World Heritage Site.
Site managers have indicated that after the water subsides, they might ask Unesco to survey the damage and help with safeguarding the property.
