Strategy for Flood Prevention in Bangkok and Nearby Provinces

(22/09/2011)

Urgent action is being taken to push floodwater out into the sea in order to protect Bangkok and nearby provinces from flooding between September and October this year. The action came after a meeting of representatives from various relevant agencies to discuss “Strategy: The Greater Bangkok Approach.” The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, took place at Santi Maitri Building, Government House, in Bangkok on September 21. Also attending the meeting were governors of seven provinces, namely Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, Chachoengsao, Nakhon Pathom, and Samut Sakhon. Prime Minister Yingluck told the meeting that she had assigned Cabinet members to work closely with provincial governors in tackling the flood problem, based on the “2P2R” process. “2P2R” stands for “preparation, response, recovery, and prevention.” The Prime Minister said that the Government had approved compensation of 5,000 baht as immediate assistance for each flood-hit family. The people whose farmland was affected by floods will receive 2,222 baht in compensation for each rai, or 0.4 acre, of damaged rice field. She said that the Government had adopted His Majesty the King’s advice on efforts to relieve flooding. In response to His Majesty’s advice, the Prime Minister had assigned the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and the Ministry of Science and Technology to acquire 30 tugboats to help speed up the expelling of floodwater into the sea. In the initial stage, the operation was carried out at Khlong Lat Pho in Samut Prakan province. As for flood prevention in Bangkok and adjacent provinces, the meeting agreed to demolish the structures that block water flows along various roads, railways, and bridges. The Ministry of Transport was assigned to take charge of this matter. The Royal Irrigation Department and the Armed Forces Development Command were assigned to dig canals in order to widen waterways, thus facilitating water flows. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and local administrative organizations in respective provinces are responsible for eliminating weeds in canals to facilitate water flows, as well. The meeting also approved the use of information, compiled by the Department of Provincial Administration, and geoinformatics to survey damaged houses, so that compensation could be provided for affected people. A total of 25 provinces have still been affected by flooding, which have claimed 132 lives. About 470,000 families with more than 1.5 million people have suffered from the flood situation, which began in late July 2011.