AYUTTHAYA'S FLOOD CRISIS (TIMELINE)

A Buddha head in the roots of a Bodhi tree is partially submerged by floodwaters in the ruins of Wat Mahathat temple in Thailand's ancient capital, Ayutthaya, on November 6, 2011. 

Introduction

Ayutthaya, located in the rich agricultural flatlands in central Thailand, was the capital of Siam from 1350 to 1761. Its location between the Chao Praya and Pa Sak rivers made it an attractive and fertile area for settlement and prosperity. The historic city of Ayutthaya, being an island city on Chao Praya River, the major threat to its preservation and management is the risk of flooding. 

1350

Back in the 1350s, Ayutthaya was the capital city of Thailand and truly called the water city. Since the beginning of the era, Ayutthaya always floods during the rainy season. People learn to live and adapt to the water. The benefits of the water cause people to change the way they live including their economic and cultural activities to connect with the water.

Ville de Siam ou Juthia by Jacques-Nicolas Bellin (Paris, 1750)

1967

The evolution of the city causes Ayutthaya to developed in the wrong direction. The influence of green revolution in 1967 (which allow farmers to use irrigation instead of natural water source) and economic development direction caused the development that set Ayutthaya’s fluid and solid territories apart.

1995

Three sites on the Chao Praya River were included in the 1996 World Monuments Watch due to the major flood of 1995 and the threat of future inundations and consequent conservation issues: Sala Tha Vasugree, a royal pavilion close to the ancient Ayutthaya Grand Palace; Wat Mai Chaivichit; and Wat Plubplachai. All of these sites are within the Ayutthaya Historical Park. While the region suffers annual floods during the rainy season from July to October, the floods of 1995 were especially acute as a result of deforestation and rising tides, bringing the Chao Praya River to an unprecedented two meters above its banks. The city of Ayutthaya was underwater for nearly two months. Many of its historic sites were destroyed, infested by bugs, and subject to mold and rot. While the previously listed sites survived, they represent some of the most seriously affected structures that were in need of immediate preservation efforts.

Prang (reliquary towers), 1996

1996 World Monuments Watch

American Express provided support to Ayutthaya Historical Park in 1992 for the creation of eight tourist information signs in the park and around the city. After the 1995 flood and subsequent inclusion on the 1996 Watch, American Express continued its support through WMF to undertake condition surveys and assist with the stabilization of some of the most affected historical sites in Ayutthaya. Most notably, the wooden roofs, posts, and beams and tiles of Sala Tha Vasugree were replaced with historically sensitive materials; Wat Mai Chaivichit had several parts restored including the verandah and parapet. Both the temple and pavilion had mold removed and were whitewashed in plaster.

Wat Mai Chaivichit after conservation, 1998

2011

Severe flooding in Thailand since mid-July has inundated the Historic City of Ayutthaya, the second capital of the Kingdom of Siam after Sukhothai. The protective embankments could no longer withstand the increasing height of the floods. The floods actually began in northern Thailand in May and continued through mid-January, ultimately submerging 65 of Thailand’s 77 provinces, including seven major industrial estates north of Bangkok, leaving 815 dead and 13.6 million affected. The World Bank ranked the flood emergency as the world’s fourth most severe natural disaster in terms of economic consequences. While Thais are accustomed and well adapted to the annual flood season, the 2011 flooding crisis was the worst in five decades and caught the entire nation off guard. 

Flooding in Ayutthaya and Pathum Thani Provinces in October (right), compared to before the flooding in July (left)

Flooded Chaiwattanaram Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site, in the ancient Thai capital of Ayutthaya, north of Bangkok on October 11, 2011.

Conservation Efforts

UNESCO has launched a project to develop a flood risk mitigation plan for the World Heritage Site of Ayutthaya. The launch event at UNESCO Bangkok on 22 March 2013 was attended by key players of Thailand’s national flood risk reduction efforts and representatives from the embassies of Germany, Japan, Portugal and the United States that have been actively involved in Ayutthaya’s post-flood recovery in 2011 and 2012.

The project was developed following the floods of 2011 that heavily affected the Ayutthaya Historic City World Heritage site. The project is funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) under its water financing program.

Since October 2011, the Thai authorities have undertaken extensive repair work at the World Heritage site and have invested in water management systems for the Chao Phraya River basin. However, up to now, there has not been any long-term effort to protect Ayutthaya’s heritage assets from future flooding.

This two-year project will assess the flood risks at the Ayutthaya World Heritage site and then develop a flood risk mitigation plan.

Wall built to protect Ayutthaya historical sites from flooding

Ayutthaya Today
Today, the city attracts tourists from around the world who come to admire the ruins and stone Buddha statues at Ayutthaya, once the ancient capital of Thailand, then known as Siam. Sprawling urban growth and water management problems are threatening conservation efforts at Thailand's ancient city of Ayutthaya, experts say. Poor urban planning and its impact on water management in the low-lying area pose a threat to the historic park, said Montira Horayangura Unakul, National Professional Officer with Unesco's Culture Unit.

Rapid development has fuelled concern over the area's capacity to defend against floods. Devastating floods in Thailand in 2011, which killed more than 900 people and cost billions of dollars, hit Ayutthaya. Dozens of temples were inundated for weeks, although most suffered little damage.

A lack of knowledge about traditional materials used at some sites is another problem that besets Ayutthaya and other heritage sites, including the awe-inspiring Angkor Wat temple complex in neighboring Cambodia.

More Images

An aerial view of a flooded area in Ayutthaya province, on October 12, 2011.

Flooded Chaiwattanaram Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site, in the ancient Thai capital of Ayutthaya, north of Bangkok on October 11, 2011.

Part of a flooded ancient temple in Ayutthaya province, on October 10, 2011.

A "reclining Buddha" inundated with floodwaters on October 10, 2011, at an ancient temple - one of a number of UNESCO World Heritage sites in Ayutthaya province.

References
https://www.wmf.org/project/ayutthaya-and-other-flooded-sites
https://www.raremaps.com/gallery/detail/41412/ville-de-siam-ou-juthia-bellin
https://whc.unesco.org/archive/periodicreporting/apa/cycle01/section2/576-summary.pdf
https://worldlandscapearchitect.com/2050-ultra-flood-plain-ayutthaya-thailand-shma/#.XVKtyegzbIU
http://asiafoundation.org/2012/06/27/thailands-2011-flood-crisis-reveals-potential-of-technology-and-social-media-in-disaster-response/
https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2011/10/worst-flooding-in-decades-swamps-thailand/100168/
https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/797/
https://www.asiaone.com/travel/ancient-thai-city-ayutthaya-risk-disappearing
https://www.southeastasianarchaeology.com/2017/10/16/wall-built-to-protect-ayutthaya-historical-sites-from-flooding/