Upstream runoffs, dams discharge keep Ayutthaya and its historical ruins swamped
Ayutthaya’s Bang Ban district has been submerged for nearly a week now that upstream Chao Phraya and Pasak Jolasid increased their discharge rates to prepare for heavy rain.
Most of Thailand has been hit by heavy downpours brought by tropical storms since August.
The historical city of Ayutthaya and its ancient ruins are most at risk because both Chao Phraya and Pasak rivers run through it and often overflow.
Though Pasak Jolasid Dam has reduced its discharge rate, many areas of Ayutthaya are still inundated. All 16 subdistricts of Bang Ban are flooded with more than 8,000 households in 110 villages badly affected.
Overall, 14 of Ayutthaya’s 16 districts have reported flooding, with more than 66,000 households in 963 villages badly affected. The flooding has reportedly damaged more than 13,000 rai of farmland.
