AYUTTHAYA - The main flood wall in the province is in poor condition and could collapse when the flood surge from the Chao Phraya river reaches the area if it is not repaired, a senior provicial irrigation official said on Tuesday.
This placed the city business centre and industrial estates at grave risk of flooding.
Montree Pitinanont, irrigation director of Ayutthaya, said the 10-kilometre-long Ban Krod embankment, which also serves as a road, in Bang Pa-in district was in urgent need of repairs in many places.
It was unlikely it could hold back the flood when the deluge arrived from upstream, where water is being released at high volume from the Chao Phraya river dam.
The floodwall road stretches from the Khlong Suan Phlu sluice gate in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya district to the Ban Wa sluice gate in Bang Pa-in district, where the damage was worst.
If the Chao Phraya River overflowed, water would reach the western side of the embankment and run through it, Mr Montree said.
"That will be a disaster because the embankment road was designed to protect new economic and urban zones in the province adjacent to Rojana Road, the Asian Highway and the provincial government complex. These areas have no flood walls of their own," he said.
From the embankment road, water could flow through Ban Krod and Pho canals to the Rojana Industrial Park and the Hitech Industrial Estate Authority, but the industrial estates already had their own floodwalls, he said.
He had previously reported the embankment damage to the Royal Irrigation Department, but there was no money for the needed repairs. Local businesspeople and residents were worried about the situation, and asking many questions, Mr Montree said.