Authorities in Ayutthaya are bracing for huge discharges of water into the Chao Phraya River as the peak of the rainy season approaches.
Ayutthaya governor Veerachai Nakmas was among those keeping close tabs on Thursday on water-measurement stations at riverside locations such as Siriyalai Palace, Wat Chaiwatthanaram and Wat Kasatrathirat Worawihan.
Also joining the monitoring effort were officials from the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office and the provincial irrigation office, the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) and the district chief of Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya.
The irrigation office has gradually increased the amount of water discharged from the Chao Phraya Dam in Chai Nat from 1,500 cubic metres per second (m³/s) to 1,550 m³/s since Wednesday. As a result, water levels in the Noi River in Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya district have risen about 10 centimetres.
Mr Veerachai said riverside residents were starting to be affected, with some areas already submerged. He has instructed authorities to inspect risk-prone areas including historical sites, temples, economic zones, industrial estates and local communities.
Communities in five districts were flooded by overflows from the Chao Phraya and Noi rivers and their tributaries after more water was discharged from the Chao Phraya Dam last weekend.
Authorities have set up a war room to monitor the situation around the clock and provide prompt notifications. Anyone affected by floods can contact them via the 1784 hotline.
As of now the economic zones, historical sites and inner parts of the city remain unaffected, Mr Veerachai said.
Last week, the southwest monsoon caused downpours leading to an increase of water in the Pasak Jolasid Dam in Lop Buri.
Thaweesak Thana-dachopol, deputy director-general of the Royal Irrigation Department, said it expected to see 133.26 million m³ of water accumulate due to the downpours flowing into the dam’s reservoir from Aug 24-30.
The department expects the dam will have to contend with a total of 355 million m³ of water. It is gradually reducing the water level as it prepares for the next deluge from the North. The discharge rate was to be increased from 34.56 million m³ on Thursday to 43.20 million m³ on Saturday.
Afterwards, the department will control the volume of water flowing from the dam together with the water from Chai Nat and Pasak rivers and channel it into the Rama VI Dam in Ayutthaya.
It will discharge water at a rate of 600 m³/s, resulting in a a rising water level of between 1 and 1.5 metres in the section of Pasak river that passes through Tha Ruea district until it converges with the Chao Phraya in Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya district.
The department is working with the province and relevant agencies to notify business operators and local residents from both sides of Pasak and Chao Phraya rivers of any changes.
It is also working with local authorities in Lop Buri, Saraburi, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi and Bangkok to monitor the water level in the Chao Phraya, Mr Thaweesak said.
In a related development, the national disaster warning system panel on Thursday approved the strategic plan for a national disaster warning system (2023-27).
The plan involves the launch of a warning system to notify people of potential safety hazards via their mobile phones.
The meeting of the panel was chaired by Prawit Wongsuwon in one of his first duties as caretaker prime minister since the suspension of Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha pending a court ruling on his term limit.
