This research aims to investigate the effect of climatic and hydrological factors on flood hazards and assess flood resilience in Ayutthaya, Thailand, using the 10 essentials for making cities resilient modified by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR). Flood resilience assessment was performed based on a multi-criteria decision-making approach or the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) of pairwise comparison. The results indicate that runoff is considered the most influential factor in flood hazards, followed by land use, rainfall, and historical flood events, sequentially. Regarding the flood incident management concept, a questionnaire survey (n = 552) was conducted to understand the impacts of flood on local communities. The findings reveal that 50% of respondents had never received any flood information or participated in training sessions on flood preparedness. Most reported their concerns about the inadequate supply of drinking water during a flood. Spearman’s correlation coefficient shows positive correlations between flood disaster relief payments, preparedness training, access to flood hazard mapping, emergency health services, and their flood preparation actions. According to the modified UNDRR indicators, the top three highest AHP values in building community resilience to flood hazards in Ayutthaya are flood risk scenario identification, the effectiveness of emergency flood disaster response, integrated urban planning, and disaster risk reduction. The policy implications of this research include the need for national authorities to better understand the role cities can play a vital role in supporting both national and international climate resilience frameworks, especially Thailand’s National Disaster Management Plan, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR), and the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Resilience has gained significant prominence in the management of climate-related shocks and the minimization of disaster risks. Assessing flood resilience is, therefore, crucial in identifying areas lacking support and opportunities for development. Comprehensive risk assessments are urgently required, especially in areas prone to floods. By applying the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), stakeholder meetings, and keyword analysis, this study aims to assess the flood resilience of Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya Province (PNSAP) in Thailand, an area at high risk of flooding and home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site. According to the Arup and Rockefeller Foundation’s City Resilience indicators, the key elements for building resilience in PNSAP include effective emergency response services, comprehensive hazard monitoring and risk assessment, and emergency medical care. In addition, the focus group discussions and keyword analysis identified the following critical components for strengthening flood resilience: “financial aspects”, “community awareness and preparedness”, “multi-stakeholder collaboration”, “citizen engagement”, and “urban flood monitoring and data management.” Moreover, to gain insight into the perceptions of people in local communities, the results of a household survey (n = 552) indicated that approximately one-third of the respondents had never engaged in flood preparedness activities. Neither the gender nor the education level of the respondents significantly influenced their engagement in flood preparedness. The respondents also perceived that infrastructure flexibility, affordable transport networks, flood monitoring and data management, the adequate provision of critical services, and reliable communication systems in building resilience were important during a flood disaster. These results provide valuable insight into the community’s perception of the effectiveness of disaster risk reduction mechanisms for building flood resilience in PNSAP and can serve as a useful guide for future resilience-building initiatives. By addressing these factors, PNSAP could enhance its resilience to the impacts of flooding and contribute to the global field of flood management and resilience building.