Wat Chaiwatthanaram suffers flooding

Water from the Chao Phraya River overflowed into an historic temple in Ayutthaya province at about 6am on Tuesday after destroying a makeshift sandbag dyke. It flooded the temple and the adjacent areas and forced an urgent evacuation of villagers living nearby.

Ayutthaya Governor Witthaya Pewpong and Fine Arts Office 3 Director Supoj Phrommanote inspected the scene but have been able to reclaim the historic site, as the water is still high and the current is strong.

The governor said the authorities planned to build a temporary dyke along the Ban PomKlong Takiean Road and then pump water out of the temple and its grounds. It was expected that by 6pm, Wat Chaiwatthanaram, one of the most imposing of Thailand’s historic Buddhist monasteries, would return to normal.

However, he expressed worry over the continued rise of the Chao Phraya River, which threatens the country's historic heartland.

Some 400 households reportedly evacuated to higher ground after floodwater poured into Wat Chaiwatthanaram this morning.

Meanwhile, in Chiang Mai’s Hot district, flooding remains critical, with some areas under almost two metres of water. Road linking districts are also flooded and inaccessible to vehicles.

Hundreds of vehicles have been stranded by the floods,

Even though the water level in the Mae Chaem River has receded to almost one metre above normal, the flood has extended to a wider area and has now reached Hang Dong district.

The water level in some areas has reached a depth of almost two metres, severely affecting local residents in need of water and food.

The Chiang MaiHot Road was submerged under one metre of water and hundreds of vehicles were stranded in Omkoi and Doi Tao districts.

The HotDoi Tao and HotMae Sariang (Mae Hong Son) routes were also impassable.