- Published: 18/09/2012 at 12:00 AM
- Writer: Post Reporters
He said the rain volume is far less than last year and the capital's drainage system is proving effective.
Mr Plodprasop, who is also the Science and Technology Minister, played down fears of a repeat of last year's flooding, saying this year's rain volume remains 20% lower than the 2011 figure.
The current run-off in the North and Central Plains areas is also less than that of last year, he added. "Bangkok will not be flooded this year as it has good capacity to drain water out to the canals," the minister said.
He conceded that Bangkok's low elevation does make it vulnerable to brief floods after heavy rainfall, but he said these would usually last only an hour or two before draining out.
Bangkok governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra yesterday conceded the heavy rain seen in the capital since Friday had placed a huge burden on the drainage system. It took up to three hours to drain the water out of some main roads, and even longer in some smaller roads, he said.
Anond Snidvongs, executive director of the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency and a WFMC member, said an estimated 900,000 rai of land will be flooded in the North and Central Plains regions this year, compared with 35 million rai last year.
He said there are no signs that the country will be hit with flooding of a similar magnitude as last year.
Meanwhile, authorities are still confident they can cope with floods in Sukhothai municipality, which was hit by a second deluge on Sunday.
Mr Plodprasop said the water level in Sukhothai has stabilised and is showing signs of decreasing.
Royal Irrigation Department Director-General Lertviroj Kowatthana said the Yom River's overflows will be pumped out, and the situation should return to normal within two or three days.
Deputy Prime Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit said the rehabilitation process must be sped up to help flood-affected people. A single command operation introduced by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra would come up with a restoration plan for the area, he said.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Preecha Rengsomboonsuk said the deluge, caused by breaches in a floodwall in Sukhothai municipality, is under control. More sandbags will be built up at the wall, he said, adding that additional pumps have been put to use to drain water out of the city.
Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha said the army has prepared more than 100 military companies to deal with the flooding nationwide.
Gen Prayuth added that water management projects, such as the construction of water-retention areas, dykes and dams, and canal dredging would be needed as long-term measures.
He refused to say if he supported the controversial Kaeng Sua Ten dam, planned for the Yom River in Phrae province, but said: "If people oppose everything, how are we going to deal with the problem?"
In Phitsanulok, overflow from the Yom River has flooded Phrom Phiram, Muang and Bang Rakam districts.
More than 100 households in tambon Thachang of Phrom Phiram have been inundated, and more than 5,000 rai of paddy fields were covered by floodwaters up to 1m deep.
Share your thoughts
- Discussion 1 : 18/09/2012 at 02:10 PM
-
Firstly it seems to me is a good job we did not have the same amount of rain as last year because the indications are had we we would have suffered the same fate as last year.
Secondly they are going to cum up with a restoration plan,that to me says they had not even given it a thought until after the crisis.
A junior football coach has substitutes in case some one gets injured or dose not turn up but not these people they do nothing until it happens.We have plenty of boy scouts in Thailand and what is there motto,Be prepared.I am not allowed to use the word that beat describes these people so I will use incompetent instead.
- Discussion 2 : 18/09/2012 at 10:58 AM
-
just use those water pumps that Thaksin bought from Korea and donated to Thailand to help the good people of Sukhothai
- Discussion 3 : 18/09/2012 at 10:42 AM
-
The government has lost all its credibility to provide accurate information .I would tend to believe the opposite of whatever the governemnt says .Even if it does flood they would hand out more taxpayers money to everyone effected and consider it a success . Its just taxpayers money their money so what do they care ?
- Discussion 4 : 18/09/2012 at 08:34 AM
-
taxsins "smoke screen flood" is over , so it`s ok to shut the flood gates now yingluck and let poor Sukhothai dry out , ohhh she has bailed out as per usual ?
Are Thais really falling for this load of tripe ?
See we saved Bangkok !
- Discussion 5 : 18/09/2012 at 08:26 AM
-
Why are so many people in this forum unable to understand the difference between rainfall flooding and river overflow flooding?
When there is gentle rain in Bangkok the water flows off the road and down the drains but in torrential rains these road drains can't cope and the road floods, when the rain stops the water slowly drains away.
The road drains cannot cope with heavy rain for several reasons, firstly they are poorly maintained and often choked with debris and rubbish, secondly they empty mostly into canals which are equally poorly maintained or in some cases even filled in.Finally, from what I have observed, many domestic drains, raw sewage, are connected into these street drains, and the population of Bangkok has quadrupled since these drains were built.
As I understand it, this entire street sewer system is the responsibility of the BMA not the central government.
- Discussion 6 : 18/09/2012 at 07:48 AM
-
rehabilitation
1: the restoration of someone to a useful place in society (Not in Thailaind)
2: the conversion of wasteland into land suitable for use of
habitation or cultivation [syn: {reclamation}, {renewal},
{rehabilitation}]
3: vindication of a person's character and the re-establishment
of that person's reputation (Once again not in the political vocabulary)
4: the treatment of physical disabilities by massage and
electrotherapy and exercises (Now that might happen....ohh no that won't either)
Shouldn't use a word that doesn't exist in politics or big government in the first place, unless of course you are running for re-election.
- Discussion 7 : 18/09/2012 at 07:45 AM
-
"Deputy Prime Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit said the rehabilitation process must be sped up to help flood-affected people. A single command operation introduced by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra would come up with a restoration plan for the area, he said." I am sure the flood victims that are 'still' waiting for their money will be happy to hear it. Or have they already forgotten about them, by just kicking the can down the road. And by "speeding up" to help do they mean the current victims might only have to wait half a century to get their so called "rehabilitation" money.
- Discussion 8 : 18/09/2012 at 07:32 AM
-
I hope that phone booth shown in the picture had it's electrical cable disconnected.
- Discussion 9 : 18/09/2012 at 07:22 AM
-
Still waiting to see how that 300 odd Billion is being spent.....
- Discussion 10 : 18/09/2012 at 07:15 AM
-
They keep on telling us that it won't be as bad as last year. Of course not, we know that. The problem is whether my house if under 50 cm of water or under a meter does not make a big difference.
"Bangkok governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra yesterday conceded the heavy rain seen in the capital since Friday had placed a huge burden on the drainage system". So just a bit heavy rain is already a huge burden now? That's promising.
- Discussion 11 : 18/09/2012 at 06:46 AM
-
Hip Hooray.
Mr Plodprasop has said that Bangkok will not be flooded this year so everything is right in Thailand.
Never mind that Bangkok is only a very small part of the country and that there are flods in the North, Central and the South of Thailand, that people all over the country (except of course Bangkok) have had their houses flooded, their livlihoods destroyed, that the need food,water and medical attention.
Bangkok is safe because HE has spoken.
Bangkok Post
