Analysing the Possible Physical Impact of Flood Disaster on Cultural Heritage in Ayutthaya, Thailand

Abstract

This article aims to assess the possible physical impact of flood disaster on historical monument sites (HMS). It was found that there are six crucial disaster vulnerability factors. Of these, there are two most important factors for analysing the possible physical impact of flood, which are topography and the distance from the river. In this study 489 HMS were assessed, 294 of these were assessed as possibly being damaged by flood with extremely high, very high or high vulnerability. The field survey assessed 84 HMS as being damaged by the previous 2011 flood. The approach was based on previous studies and the application of Geographic information system(GIS) techniques and on Spatial Multicriteria Evaluation (SMCE) for identifying the disaster vulnerability areas and the priorities for HMS conservation. For the present study, this adopted approach was chosen because it allows non-experts in the field of urban planning and urban architecture to perform surveys on the steps for conservation of HMS in a data scarce environment. Moreover, the results of GIS can be verified with the field survey to deliver priorities of intervention based on the vulnerability of the HMS assets. This study also evaluates the risk factors for integrating hazard risk aspects of cultural heritage sites into conservation plans. Therefore managers of these properties are responsible for protecting their outstanding universal value. Disasters do happen, therefore it is best to be prepared to manage these unavoidable events [1]. KeywordsThailand is regarded as highly vulnerable to natural disasters caused by hydro-meteorological phenomena (floods, landslides, storms, droughts, etc.). Moreover it is also ranked as the seventh most flood prone country in the world. Floods occur almost annually, and they are by far the most devastating disaster in the country. Official statistics from2002-2008 show that the country floods on average approximately 10 times per year [2][3]. Ayutthaya is a province in the middle of Thailand, located 75 km. from Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand.Ayutthaya has a long history of flood cycles with seasonal variance. The basin area is flat at an average elevation of 1 to 2 meters above the mean sea level with certain spots where the elevation down to the sea level due to land subsidence. Ayutthaya's river flooding problems have occurred for a long time. In the past, the local people solved this problem by digging canals. We can still find many canals and water gates today at most of rivers around and inside the Ayutthaya Island [4]. As situations have changed, canal digging is no longer appropriate as city flood protection. The flood in 2011, has resulted in physical, economic, social and environmental damage [5]. The important historical monument sites (HMS) of Ayutthaya were also affected and damaged. Risk and vulnerabilityDefinitions of risk and damage used in research vary with the applications for which they are used. Their basis lies in a commonsense understanding of the concept of risk, such as the...

Protecting Built Heritage against Flood: Mapping Value Density on Flood Hazard Maps

“…Ultimately, flood hazard maps can be turned into risk maps indicating expected impact at a given probability of a particular severity of flood. There are also some other methods taking a different approach to assess flood vulnerability of cultural heritage [17][18][19][20].…”