Thailand's flood diversion strategy repeatedly inundates rural Ayutthaya to protect Bangkok

Thai authorities have deliberately flooded riverside communities in Ayutthaya province for six consecutive years to protect Bangkok from flooding, leaving residents like Kamonchanok Sathaphonamonwut living on makeshift platforms. The strategy is an established pattern, but the repeated inundation is pushing residents to relocate, raising questions about the sustainability of the capital-centric flood defense approach. The situation highlights a growing rural-urban disparity in disaster management.