Ayutthaya’s World Heritage dry

Ayutthaya governor, Wittaya Pewpong, has reassured tourists that they can travel to the province’s historic attractions without fear of  floods  disrupting their tours  of  the town’s World Heritage sites. He confirmed the water level in the Chao Phraya River remained stable in part due to a reduction water flowing from the Chao Phraya Dam  and that World Heritage sites were dry. “Flooding in Ayutthaya can be controlled as long as the discharge from the Chao Phraya dam remains stable.” Water is being released at 1,625 cubic metres per second and the flooded areas in Ayutthaya have been limited to six districts on river banks — Bangban, Phranakhon Si Ayutthaya, Sena, Pakhai, Bang Pa-in, and Bang Sai — all outside city limits where  famous historical sites are located. After conducting a survey by boat yesterday, he commented: “Historical sites remain dry and accessible to visitors…the flooded areas are mainly communities on the banks of the Chao Phraya and Noi rivers.” The historical town of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya district was still unaffected because the water level in the Chao Phraya River  was below the embankment on U-Thong Road, which serves as its flood wall. The water level in the Chao Phraya River is nearly 2 metres lower than the embankments protecting Uthong Road, the town’s main road. Highway 347 for a distance of 15 km, near Ayutthaya, as well as Asia Highway 32 (Bang Pa-in-Motorway 9) are open and floods are well below road level In addition, train and bus tours are operating normally to the province and routes north. In Lampang, overflow from the Wang River has submerged communities in Thoen Buri sub-district in Thoen district. The flood level was 1 metre high on local roads in Ban Tha Mai Moo 10 and Ban Tha Luang Moo 4 and more than 100 rais of paddy fields were under water. A section of Phahon Yothin Road (Highway 1), linking Lampang and Tak, was also flooded at km marker 612. The water level at a U-turn bridge near Mae Yon creek was measured at nearly 1.5 metres. In the northeast, all roads to Thai-Cambodian border town in Aranyaprathet are flooded affecting thousands of families. Aranyaprathet, is a busy border town and its main road leading to the border is flooded. The road leads to Rong Klua market, the trading hub for Thais and Cambodians. Traders at Rong Klua market moved their merchandise to higher ground early Tuesday morning. Sa Kaeo governor, Sanit Narksuksri, said Aranyaprathet district particularly the municipality market was hardest hit. National Disaster Warning Centre director, Somsak Khaosuwan, said heavy rain in various parts of Thailand will likely cause flash floods and mudslides, especially in Uttaradit, Phrae, Sa Kaeo, Chanthaburi, Trat, Ranong and Phang Nga provinces. Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department general director, Wiboon Sanguanpong, said 15 provinces have been declared flood-disaster zones. They are: Tak; Sukhothai; Phitsanulok; Phichit; Nakhon Sawan; Chainat; Suphan Buri; Angthong; Ayutthaya; Prachinburi; Sa Kaeo; Nakhon Pathom; Chonburi; Chachoengsao; and Chaiyaphum. Floods have impacted on 214,550 residents in 79,818 households in 48 districts according to official statistics. Mr Wiboon added that the latest report on the country’s major dams confirm dams are holding 47,589 million cubic metres of water, about 68% of capacity. At this time, last year, they held 59,549 million cubic metres of water. Bhumibol and Sirikit dams are now holding 7,532 and 6,081 million cubic metres of water, or 56% and 64% of their capacity respectively. On Wednesday, the two dams  released 2.42 million cubic metres of water. Water in the Chao Phraya River is flowing at 1,748 cubic metres per second through Nakhon Sawan, 1,646 cubic metres per second through the Chao Phraya dam in Chai Nat, and 233 cubic metres per second through Phra Ram VI dam in Ayutthaya. “If the volume of water running through Chao Phraya dam exceeds 2,500 cubic metres per second, Sapphaya district of Chainat and areas on both sides of the Chao Phraya River banks in Sing Buri, Angthong, Ayutthaya, as well as Bangkok and surrounding provinces will flood,” he said. From ttrweekly