REBUILDING

A small chedi at a deserted ruin known as Wat Singharam on the main city island, and the same chedi after it collapsed due to two months of heavy flooding, above right.

The popular historic sites mentioned in guidebooks for their size and grandness will naturally receive more attention since tourists are willing to pay money to see them. 

But what will happen to the remote historical sites; many of which are scattered off the main city island and covered by heavy vegetation? Does the nation need them more than a future apartment complex or factory?

I wondered about this when I discovered that the main memorial tower of one of my favourite deserted temples, Wat Sam Jin, had collapsed into a thousand bricks. This ruin was unknown to almost everyone, and now it is gone. 

It is comforting that I had led many students to this historic site while it stood. We photographed it earlier and created a document of what it once looked like. Over time the bricks and artefacts in situ will be carried away by future floods. 

Wat Sam Jin will likely become a brick mound like dozens of others in the city. I also wondered where the bones of Portuguese settlers had floated off to and if any of them had been saved.

The value of small forgotten historic sites will be determined in the months following this flood. Budgets are being drafted and money has been earmarked to rebuild damaged roads and old architectural structures. 

Professionals have been brought in to determine if the ruins are safe enough for tourists to return. At this point, people seem shell-shocked and are still at the stage of gathering information. 

Damage has apparently shown in the main prang-style chedi at Wat Phra Ram, and a large crack has appeared on the shins of the popular reclining Buddha image at Wat Lokaysutharam. 

How these sites will be restored is still a matter of discussion. Most of this cultural heritage is protected by legislation, but it will take much more work to protect these sites from future floods.

I have contacted members of the Fine Arts Department, Unesco and the International Council on Monuments and Sites. 

I have also discussed the damage with leading historians and academics. However, my role is primarily that of a teacher. 

I can only show representatives of these organisations how to find these forgotten historic sites and perhaps instil pride in my students by involving them in repair work.

One student told me not to worry so much about countryside ruins. He reminded me of the Buddhist belief that nothing is permanent. 

Time must pass for everything, including sites of cultural heritage. It's true - nothing is permanent, but hopefully, one day, neither will apathy be.