Water Retention Sites as a Long-Term Solution to the Flooding Situation

(22/08/2012)

The building of more water retention sites, or “Kaem Ling – Monkey’s Cheek,” is part of the Thai government’s plans for flood prevention and water management in the long run. Following the flood crisis in Thailand in 2011, construction of kaem ling projects have received greater attention, since they can accommodate large volumes of water, especially water flowing from the upper central region to the lower central region. Kaem ling is a well-known flood-control concept initiated by His Majesty the King, who observed that most monkeys, when they obtain bananas, usually store them in their mouths, and then they gradually chew and swallow them. He realized that it could work as a concept for water detention, that is, by temporarily storing excessive water during heavy rains and afterwards gradually draining it, once the floods recede. This technique can help alleviate the flood problem effectively. Kaem ling sites may be built in the form of lakes, swamps, or reservoirs. In Ayutthaya, two major kaem ling areas are situated at Thung Makham Yong paddy field and at the Bang Ban water distribution and maintenance project site. Located in Ban Mai subdistrict in Mueang district, Thung Makham Yong is an important historical site, where Queen Suriyothai of the Ayutthaya period fought bravely against an invading army and sacrificed her life defending the Kingdom. A memorial to Queen Suriyothai was constructed on the occasion of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit’s 60th birthday and it was completed in 1995. Later, in May 1996, His Majesty the King visited Thung Makham Yong to harvest rice from a royal experimental rice field there. In May this year, he revisited the Thung Makham Yong paddy field, one of his royally initiated kaem ling projects, which has been carried out since the middle of 1995, in order to ease flash floods and drought for local residents living along the Chao Phraya River basin. Thung Makham Yong covers an area of 250 rai, or about 100 acres, and out of this area, 180 rai, or 72 acres, is devoted to a reservoir, known as a kaem ling site, which has a capacity to hold 2.1 million cubic meters of water. Apart from storing water to prevent floods, Thung Makham Yong also supplies stored water for agriculture during the drought season. The area has been developed as a recreation site for the general public and a place of interest in Ayutthaya. Thung Makham Yong is regarded as a model of kaem ling projects to prevent the flooding situation. As for Bang Ban kaem ling project, it is located in Bang Ban district and can accommodate about 130 million cubic meters of water. During the drought season, it releases the stored water, enabling farmers to plant rice twice during the second rice crop season, scheduled for December-August. This area may be used to accommodate people evacuating from the flooding situation nearby, as well. In fact, the Bang Ban kaem ling site is a pilot project based on participatory irrigation management. A survey shows that 90 percent of local residents were in favor of the water retention project and they asked the Government to provide them with related facilities and ensure that they would be able to plant rice twice annually.