Lost and found: the water-based settlement of the historic city of Ayutthaya

Abstract

The historic city of Ayutthaya is known for its water management system. The Ayutthaya City Plan comprises a network of several rivers and canals, connecting the inner city with the outside. The historical monuments are taken care of by both domestic and international agencies, but their settings and built environments face numerous challenges causing the connection between historic monuments and water features is slowly fading away. This study aims to establish why the historical city has lost its sense of a water-based settlement. The result reveals that several areas outside the World Heritage Site remain connected. In times of flood, the traditional design of the historical structure, with its precise leveling and topographical surveys of the past, is able to prevent damage, bearing witness to how the community lives with water intrusion. Several settlements along the ancient Chao Phraya River also represent outstanding examples of the living practices in water-based settlements.