The Wang Kha walking bridge in Sangkhlaburi has been damaged by heavy rainfalls that have created heavy currents in the Sangkhlair River causing it to break its banks.
According to reports by Thailand's Channel 3 news station, between 30 to 50 meters of the 850-meter bridge were wiped out around last Sunday.
The iconic bridge, which is the second longest wooden bridge in the world second only to the Horrai Bridge in Japan, is a popular tourist attraction. Wang Kha that was built to connect the Mon and Thai residential areas of Sangkhlaburi district in 1984 attracts more than 3000 tourists to the area every year.
Communities dependent on water for their livelihood have been affected by the flooding and wreckage carried from upstream that have crippled some of the fishing farms in the area. Rising waters have flooded over 150 housing structures along the river.
Sangkhlaburi District Chief Chathip Rujanaseri has declared the town a disaster zone. Thai police authorities have been assisting locals to clear debris wedged in between the bridge's pillars.
