Heavy rain has battered Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya all day, submerging a 600-year-old Reclining Buddha and causing water to breach barriers at Wat Chaiwatthanaram. The Fine Arts Department has mobilized workers to seal leaks and expedite water pumping to protect the national heritage.
Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya – Continuous heavy rain since early morning has caused flooding and water accumulation in many areas within the city island of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, especially at important archaeological sites inside the Historical Park. Officials are urgently responding to prevent damage to these key heritage sites.
On 26 September 2026, reporters at Wat Lokayasutharam, a significant archaeological site housing a Reclining Buddha over 600 years old, found rainwater pooling around the statue, causing flooding that prevents tourists from paying their respects as usual. Meanwhile, the Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Municipality has been operating pumps continuously to drain water from archaeological sites and communities within the city island into the Chao Phraya River and city canals.
At Wat Chaiwatthanaram, located outside the city island, although the Fine Arts Department hastily installed water barriers and tarps to protect against the Chao Phraya River, rising water levels have caused seepage through several tarp seams, allowing water to flood the archaeological grounds.
With continuous rain throughout the day, water has begun pooling near several ancient bases. Officials are closely monitoring the situation and have activated automatic pumps operating 24 hours a day to accelerate water removal from the site.
The Fine Arts Department has deployed workers and staff, using hundreds of sandbags to plug leaks along the tarp seams to prevent water from the Chao Phraya River from flooding deeper into the archaeological area.
Officials are racing against time amid ongoing rain to control the situation and prevent water damage to important archaeological sites, particularly Wat Chaiwatthanaram, a key heritage site of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya within the World Heritage area. Water levels are being closely watched.