Unesco model to protect historic sites

The province has sought allocation of Bt550 million from the Yingluck Shinawatra government to support the project, which involves building dykes over 12.5 kilometres surrounding Ayutthaya Island.

The new model is a result of last year’s research on the severe flood that hit Ayutthaya in 2011. On Tuesday, the model created by Unesco Bangkok, in cooperation with the Fine Arts Department, Bangkok Office, the Unesco Institute for Water Education, the Asian Institute of Technology, the Hydro and Agro Informatics Institute and the Asian Development Bank was unveiled in Ayutthaya.

“The temporary wall around the heritage sites can protect the monuments if the height is higher than 1.6 metres,” said Assoc Prof Zoran Vojinovic, a Unesco hydro-informatics expert. Vojinovic noted that the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) had suggested that in addition to the dykes and temporary flood wall, a flood diversion channel from Muang Ayutthaya to Ban Sai districts is also needed to reduce the risk of flooding. In 2011, inundation reached 2 metres within Ayutthaya Island.

According to Vojinovic, the increase in flooding in Ayutthaya is due to inadequate drainage capacity, the poor condition of natural flood-ways and retention, and the deterioration of many natural flood-ways and retentions. 

Chaiyanand Boonyarat, a director of the Historic Park at the Ayutthaya World Heritage Site, said at present, only three important ancient monuments – Wat Chaiwatthanaram, Wat Dhamma-ram, and Pom Phet Fortress – are being protected by the foldable flood barriers built by the Public Works and Town & Country Planning Department.

Pra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya’s deputy mayor, Pricha Khunthapraisri, said his agency is now seeking Bt550 million from the government to support the project. Under this budget, the dykes will be elevated up to 1.65 metres above the road surface.