Floods expose shoddy restoration at Ayutthaya temples

Culture Minister Sukumol Kunplome led Fine Arts officials yesterday to inspect the 10metrelong collapsed wall section of Wat Mahathat, located within the World Heritagelisted Ayutthaya Historical Park.

Sukumol said the wall damage was similar to that in several other ancient sites that had been restored 30 years ago. The restoration project then was under budget constraints, leaving the wall hollow and weak. She said the restoration this time would strengthen the wall with gapless brickwork.

Sukumol also instructed the Fine Arts Office 3 in Ayutthaya to inspect other sites restored 30 years ago in case they too could be prone to collapse. The officials would discuss with the Ayutthaya governor if the annual Red Cross Fair 2012, featuring a light and sound show, could affect the World Heritage Site. If so, the risky parts of the show would be cancelled, she said.

As Bt600 million was already allocated for the restoration of ancient sites on Ayutthaya City Island, Sukumol said the Fine Arts Department would rehabilitate the sites and strengthen structures, as well as work on floodprevention measures including canal dredging. She said they would propose an additional budget for the Wat Mahathat wall restoration later.

Fine Arts Department chief Somsuda Leeyawanich said her office would urgently report the Wat Mahathat wall damage to Unesco as well as the 2012 flood damage at the Ayutthaya Historical Park and the Si Satchanalai Historical Park. Special attention would be given to Ayutthaya, which suffered severe damage due to the prolonged flooding.

The department's public works engineering expert, Kittipan Phansuwan, said the wall had several other cracks and subsidence because the previous restoration hadn't strengthened the structure. As a result, a greater risk of watererosion collapse might be found at other ancient sites that underwent the same restoration such as Wat Phra Ram, Wat Mahathat and Wat Ratburana. Wall restoration should involve strengthening the foundations and use of gapless bricks, he said. The Mahathat wall repair will take 20 days.