Disastrous floods in Thailand threaten the ‘Venice of the East’
by Weena Kowitwanij
Surrounded by three rivers, Thailand’s ancient capital of Ayudhaya has seen entire neighbourhoods flooded. Industrial output has been serious affected with some 150,000 workers forced to lay down their tools. Tens of thousands of ancient Buddhist texts are threatened.
Bangkok (AsiaNews) – Thailand’s worse floods in decades are causing major damage, cutting into the country’s industrial output. The authorities announced that the sea level would be at its highest on 14-17 October and 28-31 October, barring the flow of rivers. People should thus prepare for more flooding.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra saw King Bhumibol Adulayadej to discuss the problem. The sovereign suggested that water be held back until low tide and that canals be dug east and west of Bangkok to ease the outflow of water.
The situation is particularly serious in Ayudhaya. Known as the ‘Venice of the East’, Thailand’s ancient capital is surrounded by three rivers, the Chao Phraya, the Pa-sak and the Lopburi.
Phr Dharmakosajarn, rector of Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University in Ayudhaya, asked for assistance to move 70,000 volumes of Buddhist scriptures to avoid damage. Some 20,000 are still left and must be taken away.
Despite the measures taken to control the flooding and set up shelters in schools and military bases for people who had to leave their homes, the situation remained critical, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said.
Two flood victim centres were set up at Don Muang Airport and Thommasat University in Rangsit.
Still, “Although the flooding situation is serious, the cooperation of every sector has forestalled the need to invoke the Emergency Act,” the prime minister said.
“A preliminary report indicates that flooding will affect about 600,000 people,” said Bank of Thailand Governor Prasarn Trairatvorakul. “That represents 0.6 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product.”
“In the Rattana-nakorn industrial estate, 50,000 workers have stopped working. Around Ayudhaya, about 100,000 workers in 223 factories have also stopped working,” he added.
In Ayudhaya, 3,670 inmates from a local prison were moved to Bangkok and Pathumthani.
In some places, waters have reached the roof of some houses.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra saw King Bhumibol Adulayadej to discuss the problem. The sovereign suggested that water be held back until low tide and that canals be dug east and west of Bangkok to ease the outflow of water.
The situation is particularly serious in Ayudhaya. Known as the ‘Venice of the East’, Thailand’s ancient capital is surrounded by three rivers, the Chao Phraya, the Pa-sak and the Lopburi.
Phr Dharmakosajarn, rector of Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University in Ayudhaya, asked for assistance to move 70,000 volumes of Buddhist scriptures to avoid damage. Some 20,000 are still left and must be taken away.
Despite the measures taken to control the flooding and set up shelters in schools and military bases for people who had to leave their homes, the situation remained critical, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said.
Two flood victim centres were set up at Don Muang Airport and Thommasat University in Rangsit.
Still, “Although the flooding situation is serious, the cooperation of every sector has forestalled the need to invoke the Emergency Act,” the prime minister said.
“A preliminary report indicates that flooding will affect about 600,000 people,” said Bank of Thailand Governor Prasarn Trairatvorakul. “That represents 0.6 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product.”
“In the Rattana-nakorn industrial estate, 50,000 workers have stopped working. Around Ayudhaya, about 100,000 workers in 223 factories have also stopped working,” he added.
In Ayudhaya, 3,670 inmates from a local prison were moved to Bangkok and Pathumthani.
In some places, waters have reached the roof of some houses.
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