Partial wall cave-in threatens Wat Arun foundation

Pakamard Jaichalard

The Nation

The month-long inundation and overflowing Chao Phraya River has caused an old wall at Wat Arun Rajwararam or the Temple of Dawn to partially cave in, which is threatening the stability of the ancient pagoda.

The cave-in, about two metres in length and about half a metre wide, is no more than 10 metres from the main pagoda, assistant abbot Phra Khru Arun Thammanuwat said, adding that the structure could collapse or start leaning if the damage increases.

He said the complex would be closely inspected to see if the foundation of the pagoda has sustained any damages. The monk said he personally felt that the damage would possibly expand and affect the entire wall.

"This is the first cave-in detected that is closest to the pagoda as far as I can tell," he explained.

The monk said that the ancient technique used to build the pagoda, in which logs were used to create a basement that was then filled in by clay, would make the foundation weaker as clay soaks in water.

A three-metre barrier has been built around the Wat Arun compound to guard against the still-brimming Chao Phraya, though drainage is still underway. The cave-in was first detected two days ago and the Fine Arts Department has been notified of it.

Tharaphong Srisuchart, a senior official from the department, said the agency would soon launch a survey to see what can be done to prevent further damage and keep the pagoda's foundation solid.

Wat Arun Rajwararam, originally known as Wat Chaeng, was part of the palace compound during the reign of King Rama 1. The temple was left abandoned for a long period until King Rama II restored it and extended the pagoda to cover 70 metres. The temple initially enshrined the emerald Buddha statue before it was transferred to the Emerald Buddha Temple in Bangkok in 1785.

-- The Nation 2011-12-20

Wat Arun cave-in not serious: Sukumol

THE NATION

The cave-in at Wat Arun Rajwararam, or the Temple of Dawn, is not a serious problem and can be fixed without any complications, Culture Minister Sukumol Kunplome said yesterday after visiting the temple.

"What is more worrying is the excessive dampness within the pagoda dome, which could lead to the exterior lime plaster peeling off," she said.

Meanwhile, officials will reinforce the wall that has caved in and they will also raise underground sewers and fill the area with sand, she said.

She added that the foundation had weakened because of the excessive weight of trucks transporting flood-protection sandbags as well as the brimming Chao Phraya River lapping at the temple complex.

Sukumol said a team of volunteers and officials would wash off the mould - an operation that will be repeated every five years.

The minister explained that there was no way of preventing mould in parts of the pagoda that do not get direct sunlight because it is plastered with an ancient formula of a lime mixture and that the authorities had not yet given full consideration to renovating it completely.

Sukumol said Bt5.4 million had been earmarked to fix the cave-in and prevent future ones as well as to maintain the pagoda. The maintenance will include the washing off of the mould, which will begin soon.

-- The Nation 2011-12-21

pagoda, really?

I hope it is minor and the great Wat Arun will be okay.