Government Is Confident in Flood Control

(20/09/2012)

The Government is confident that the flooding situation in 2012 will be manageable. Experts in water management are keeping the people updated on the water situation. Minister of Science and Technology, Plodprasop Suraswadi, in his capacity as Chairman of the Water and Flood Management Committee, said that the water volume in Thailand is now at only 1,400 million cubic meters on average, compared with more than 20,000 million cubic meters during the same period last year. He said that the situation in Bangkok, in particular, is not worrisome, since the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration had prepared contingency plans to cope with possible floods, but it needs to extend the period of time for water drainage in case of flooding. However, the amount of rainfall this year is likely to be 20 percent less than that of last year. Mr. Plodprasop said that between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. each day, water experts from the Water and Flood Management Committee would report the water situation and weather conditions to the public until the current flood situation returns to normalcy. He revealed that a dream team, comprising the new generation of about 100 people would be produced in the initial stage to study the country’s water management technology. Researchers and other interested persons would be provided with opportunities to join the project, as well. Meanwhile, the Director-General of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, Wiboon Sanguanpong stated that 11 provinces, with more than 57,700 families and 142,500 people, have been affected by floods. The 11 provinces include Lampang, Uttraradit, Sukhothai, Phitsanulok, Nakhon Sawan, Chai Nat, Suphan Buri, Ang Thong, Ayutthaya, Chaiyaphum, and Prachin Buri. In contrast, four provinces, with 309,000 families and more than 858,600 people, have been declared drought-stricken areas. They include Buri Ram, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, and Phatthalung. Experts from the Water and Flood Management Committee, Mr. Royon Chitdon and Mr. Anond Sanidvongs believed that the flooding situation this year would not be severe. Both Bhumibol and Sirikit dams, the country’s major dams, could still accommodate a large volume of water to be stored for use in the drought season. According to Kasetsart University - Office of Agricultural Economics Foresight Center, the flooding situation in 2012 has caused 2.2 billion baht in rice production damage. Floods in the upper central region and the Lower North have damaged rice planting areas, accounting for about 9.5 percent of the country’s total rice acreage. The center suggested that the Government offer low-interest loans for affected farmers. Farmers should also be provided with knowledge on planting rice varieties suitable for variable weather conditions and on developing the water management system.