Inner City of Bangkok to Be Safe from Flooding

(14/10/2011)

The inner city of Bangkok is expected to be safe from flooding. A report from the Flood Relief Operations Center said that the construction of more floodwalls at certain major sites to protect the capital from floods had been completed. Minister of Science and Technology Plodprasop Suraswadi urged Bangkok residents not to panic, saying that the flooding situation in the city would be brought under control. Some areas in northern Bangkok would be affected because of an influx of flood water from Sam Khok district of Pathum Thani province. However, the flood water level in Bangkok is unlikely to be higher than one meter. This level is comparable to that on Ko Kret Island in Pathum Thani, where floods have lasted for two months now. Another report said that certain areas in the outer city of Bangkok might be affected as well, but the flood water level would not be very high. As the Tha Chin River will be able to accommodate more northern run-off from Nakhon Sawan province, the volume of flood water flowing to Bangkok will reduce. Some low-lying areas in Bangkok’s districts of Sai Mai, Min Buri, Nong Chok, Lat Krabang, and Prawet would also be affected. In general, floods in Bangkok remain manageable. The Director of the Flood Relief Operations Center, Police General Pracha Promnog, said that the Government had repaired water gates in Sam Khok district of Pathum Thani in preparation for releasing flood water. With good preparation, it believed that the situation would not worsen. Police General Pracha said that, to date, floods have ravaged 28 provinces, but 10 provinces have been badly hit. The 10 provinces include Nakhon Sawan, Ayutthaya, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Lop Buri, Ang Thong, Sing Buri, Chai Nat, Uthai Thani, and Chachoengsao. Floods came from three causes: high volumes of rainwater because of storms, water run-off from various dams in the North, and high tides from the sea. He said that evacuations have been carried out in many areas, especially in Ayutthaya, where evacuees have been provided with assistance at Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus, in Pathum Thani, Local Administration College at Khlong 5, also in Pathum Thani, and Ayutthaya’s Government Center. The Rojana Thailand Industrial Park of Ayutthaya has now suspended operations, with 200,000 workers unable to work. According to the Ministry of Public Health, more than 516,700 people in flood-hit areas have suffered from sickness, mainly from foot disease, muscle pain, influenza, skin disease, and headache. The top five provinces with the highest number of patients include Phichit, Nonthaburi, Nakhon Sawan, Sing Buri, and Nakhon Nayok.