Thailand diverts floodwater to save historic structures

STORY: Laddawan, who lives in the Bang Ban district of Ayutthaya province, told Reuters she had been inundated by floods for over a month, and she and her family had been "suffering" for years.

Bang Ban is located near a river basin, and is prone to flooding every year following seasonal monsoon rains.

According to the Interior Ministry, 27 provinces in the north, northeast and central parts of Thailand have faced intermittent flooding after Typhoon Noru swept through the Southeast Asian nation last month, impacting 224,687 households and killing four.

While this year's seasonal floods are deemed less severe than the ones that also affected Ayutthaya in 2011, the government has prepared 23 billion baht ($607 million) for assistance and rehabilitation.