Ayutthaya residents appeal to Anutin as floodwaters rise again
Residents in Bang Ban, Ayutthaya, are urging Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to act after floodwaters rose above one metre following four consecutive days of rising water levels.
- Residents in Ayutthaya's Bang Ban district are facing severe flooding, with water levels rising above a metre due to water releases from the Chao Phraya Dam and heavy rain.
- Locals are appealing to Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to take action against the recurring problem, which has forced them to travel by boat and has damaged homes.
- The appeal was prompted by a promise Anutin made during a visit last year, where he assured residents they would no longer have to face repeated flooding.
- Residents have asked for dam water releases to be managed more gradually, as the rapid rise in water left them with insufficient time to move their belongings to higher ground.
Flooding intensified in Bang Ban district of Ayutthaya on Friday (September 25), with water rising above one metre in parts of the Wat Chulamani community after levels along the Chao Phraya River rose for the fourth consecutive day.
Water levels across Ayutthaya have continued to rise following releases from the Chao Phraya Dam into downstream areas. The higher flow has also raised water levels in tributary canals connected to the Chao Phraya.
In response, residents have appealed to Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul for action to tackle recurring floods.
Residents caught off guard by rapid rise in water
At the Wat Chulamani community in Ban Kum subdistrict, beside the Chao Phraya River, water levels have risen rapidly over the past four days. Heavy rain in the area has added to the problem, with water overflowing the riverbank and flooding homes and community roads.
Floodwater exceeded one metre in some locations, forcing residents to travel by boat. Several households were unable to move their belongings to higher ground before water entered their homes.
Residents acknowledged that warnings had been issued but said the rapid rise in water left them with too little time to prepare. They called for water releases to be managed more gradually where possible, giving communities more time to prepare and move their possessions to higher ground.
Resident recalls Anutin’s earlier flood assurance
Prakhong Suknithi, 87, appealed directly to Anutin, recalling his visit to Wat Khok Hiran in Bang Ban last year to inspect the flood situation and meet local residents.
Prakhong recalled hearing Anutin tell residents that Ayutthaya should no longer have to face repeated flooding, that vehicles would not need to be moved onto roads to avoid floodwater, and that people should not have to worry about their homes flooding again.
She urged the prime minister to address Ayutthaya’s flood problems, noting that water levels were continuing to rise this year and had once again flooded residents’ homes.
Annual flooding leaves residents struggling to cope
Another resident, Nanthana Disri, 65, described her home as being affected by both heavy rain and water overflowing the riverbank. Although flooding occurs in the area every year, she explained that residents still struggle to cope when water levels rise suddenly.
Nanthana noted that flooding had arrived later than it did in 2025, when her area was affected from August. She had initially been relieved that flooding had not occurred earlier this year, but water rose rapidly on Thursday evening and entered her home before she had been able to prepare a boat. She had to wait for her child to bring one to the house.
Asked what she wanted authorities to do about the recurring floods, Nanthana responded:
“Flooding cannot be fixed because they will not fix it. If they fixed it, there would be no flooding. They are the people in authority and already know the problem. We are ordinary villagers, so we just have to put up with it. There is nothing we can say.”
Residents continue to monitor water levels closely, moving belongings to higher ground and preparing boats for transport in case water levels continue to rise.
