Vigorous Efforts to Prevent Flooding in the Inner City of Bangkok

(06/11/2011)

All relevant agencies have launched joint operations, based on the strategy worked out by a team of experts, to prevent flooding in the inner districts of Bangkok. Speaking in her weekly program “Yingluck Government Meets the People,” broadcast on Radio Thailand and the National Broadcasting Services of Thailand (Television Channel 11), Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra explained three major measures to protect both the east and west of Bangkok. The first measure involves the building of a six-kilometer-long barrier on Local Road in the Rangsit – Muang Ake area to facilitate water drainage at Don Mueang. The second one seeks to slow down the flow of water in the area of Khlong Hok Wa, with the installation of 27 water pumps to drain water into the sea. The third measure involves the speeding up of water drainage in Khlong Bang Khen, Khlong Bang Sue, Khlong Lat Phrao, and Khlong Saen Saep. This measure also seeks to provide more water pumps for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and reinforce a floodwall along Hathai Rat Road. In the western part of the city, efforts are being made to reduce the volume of water in the Chao Phraya Dam and quickly drain water in Khlong Thawi Watthana, Khlong Maha Sawat, and Khlong Phasi Charoen into the Tha Chin and Chao Phraya rivers. The Royal Irrigation Department is also accelerating water drainage in Khlong Maha Chai and Khlong Sanam Chai to the sea. According to the Prime Minister, the Government has prepared an initial fund of 100 billion baht for use in rehabilitation work, such as repairing houses that were damaged by floods, rebuilding infrastructure, and setting up systems to protect major economic zones. In water management, the Prime Minister revealed that the Government had formed the Working Group on Water Management in Severe Disaster Areas under the Flood Relief Operations Center. The working group holds a meeting every day to set measures and guidelines for joint operations by relevant agencies. Both the Royal Irrigation Department and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration were assigned to make decisions in terms of technical aspects. The principles are to minimize damage in economic zones and communities and to enhance the efficiency of water drainage managed by the Royal Irrigation Department and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. The Prime Minister said that the group of experts believed that if all measures were implemented as planned, most parts of the east side of Bangkok, particularly economic areas, would not be inundated. She stressed that, in tackling the flood crisis, she has given top priority to national interests, and that she would not allow anyone or any particular group to obstruct the solving of the country’s problems. Although she was fatigue, she would not be disheartened. The Prime Minister added that Nakhon Sawan and Phitsanulok provinces, which had been hard hit by the flooding were now in the process of rehabilitation, and Ayutthaya would also start recovery work soon.