Flooded Districts of Bangkok Given a Helping Hand from the Provinces

(08/11/2011)

Governors of the provinces that have not been affected by the flooding have been instructed to offer a helping hand to 18 flooded districts of Bangkok. The instruction was made by the Ministry of Interior, which told 18 provinces to set up kitchens to supply food to the affected districts in the city. The Ministry of Interior has also brought in large trucks from the provinces to transport Bangkok residents in order to facilitate their travel. There are 50 districts in Bangkok. Eighteen districts have been flooded to varying degrees. Out of them, 12 were declared evacuation zones and the rest partial evacuation zones. The 12 evacuation zones include Don Mueang, Sai Mai, Lak Si, Bang Khen, Bang Phlat, Taling Chan, Thawi Watthana, Bang Khae, Phasi Charoen, Nong Khaem, Chatuchak, and Khlong Sam Wa. Some other districts are also on full alert. A report from the Flood Relief Operations Center (FROC) said that, in the overall picture, floodwater was spreading into inner Bangkok on a wider scale. People have been advised to monitor the situation closely and check information before traveling, as certain roads are impassable. FROC and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) on November 7 held discussions on the provision of water pumps to BMA to accelerate water drainage. Originally, BMA asked for the support of 60 water pumps. FROC agreed to provide 71 water pumps, 48 of which were imported, and the rest would come from the provinces. These machines are expected to help BMA drain water into the sea at the capacity of 132 cubic meters per second. Moreover, 255 more water pumps will be sent from China and will be presented to BMA to enhance the efficiency of its water management. Regarding the building of the “Big Bag” floodwall on Rangsit-Mueang Ek Road to reduce the volume of water flowing into the Don Mueang area, FROC reported that the Big Bag barrier, comprising extra-large sandbags, was starting to bear fruit, as it had proved successful in slowing down the flow of water in northern Bangkok. BMA stated that the flooding situation in the city was still worrisome and that it hoped that the Big Bag floodwall would help ease the situation. The city administration is also concerned about the higher volume of uncollected garbage each day. BMA usually collects about 8,700 tons of garbage a day. Because of the flooding, the volume of its garbage collection recently dropped to 7,000 tons a day. As floodwater has reached the Thai Airways International Headquarters on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, THAI decided to move its ticketing services temporarily to ensure work continuity. Passengers may contact its ticket offices on Larn Luang Road, Silom Road, and at Suvarnabhumi Airport.