The Chao Phraya River is close to overflowing. The Fine Arts Department has mobilized forces to quickly install flood barriers to protect the historic Wat Chaiwatthanaram, while six districts in Ayutthaya are already severely affected with floodwaters inundating under-house areas of residents extensively.
On 23 Sep 2026 GMT+7, reporters reported that water levels in the Chao Phraya River continue to rise steadily. There is a possibility the Chao Phraya Dam will increase its water discharge rate up to 2,000 cubic meters per second. This has caused water levels in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province to rise nearly to the riverbank edge, raising concerns over the safety of important riverside historic sites.
Most recently, officials from the Fine Arts Department have deployed workers rapidly to install bunker-style or knockdown flood barriers, covered tightly with tarps along the Chao Phraya Riverbank in front of Wat Chaiwatthanaram. The goal is to complete this work by tonight to prevent floodwaters from breaching into the historic site.
Initial assessments indicate that if the Chao Phraya Dam releases water at 2,000 cubic meters per second, river levels near Wat Chaiwatthanaram could rise about 40 centimeters above the riverbank. Officials therefore must urgently raise and strengthen flood defenses sufficiently to protect this world-class historic site.
Meanwhile, residents living in low-lying riverside areas of Bang Ban, Phak Hai, Sena, Bang Pa-in, Bang Sai districts, and parts of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya district have begun to experience flood impacts. Although water levels are not yet very high, floodwaters have already entered under the houses widely, forcing many families to hastily move belongings and valuables to higher ground amid the chaos.
Authorities have issued warnings urging people living along the Chao Phraya River and in low-lying areas to monitor water levels carefully and follow announcements from government agencies closely, especially during periods when the Chao Phraya Dam is continuously increasing water discharge downstream.