- Published: 25/09/2012 at 12:00 AM
- Writer: Post Reporters
Run-off from the North, which last year left parts of the capital submerged, will only worsen the flooding because the real threat this year is rain that may overwhelm the current inadequate drainage system in the capital, said Thanawat Charupongsakul, a disaster and geographic expert at Geology Department of Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, yesterday.
The city has so far not released enough water from canals to the extent done back in 2006 when canals were left with plenty of capacity to hold floodwater, he said.
"To make things worse, City Hall has still not stopped quarrelling with the government over flood management," he said.
Dr Thanawat alerted Bangkokians to the high risk of floods caused by rainfall because the monsoon trough, which usually lasts between four and seven days, has continued for nearly a month and a new storm is forming near Taiwan and could head towards Thailand. He expects Bangkok to suffer heavy downpours between Saturday and Oct 2.
Mr Thanawat is most worried about October because that is when run-off from the North and high tides increase the water level in the Chao Phraya River.
The city's river embankment is about 2.5m above mean sea level, but provinces upstream, especially those with industrial estates, have built and increased the heights of their levees and flood walls, so the run-off will be blocked and eventually move toward Bangkok.
The only solution is to reduce water levels in canals by almost draining them completely to brace for the large amount of rain water, Dr Thanawat said.
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) spokesman Wasan Meewong yesterday criticised the recent clearing of sewers at nine locations by inmates at the request of the Traffic Police Division, after Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra expressed her concern about them being clogged.
City Hall welcomed the help, Mr Wasan said, but the police should have told the BMA first because the sewers had already been cleared early this year.
"In fact, police would be better off keeping watch on crime and traffic," Mr Wasan said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Transport Minister Chadchart Sittiphan has asked Defence Minister ACM Sukumpol Suwanatat for permission to use compounds of the 2nd Cavalry Division in Din Daeng and the air force-owned Dhupateme stadium in Don Muang as kaem ling (monkey cheek) water-retention areas to reduce flood woes on roads and ease traffic problems.
Meanwhile, Loxley-AGT Joint Venture, made up of Loxley Plc and Switzerland-based AGT International GMBH, has been chosen to join another seven bidders for the government's 350 billion baht project to implement a national flood prevention and water management system, Mr Chadchart said yesterday.
Share your thoughts
- Discussion 1 : 25/09/2012 at 07:47 PM
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"In fact, police would be better off keeping watch on crime and traffic," Mr Wasan said.
Some people may say this "clearing of sewers" is "in fact" one of the few really useful things they have done.
- Discussion 2 : 25/09/2012 at 05:11 PM
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Why have the canals not been drained or cleaned ? Time to get someone in charge that knows what they are doing or knows how to work with others. Voters to remember politicians are servants of the public, paid for by the public and elected by the public.
- Discussion 3 : 25/09/2012 at 01:13 PM
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"In fact, police would be better off keeping watch on crime and traffic," Mr Wasan said.
Why? Is that part of their duty?
- Discussion 4 : 25/09/2012 at 12:40 PM
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Nero fiddled while Rome burnt, PT and BMA niggled while Bangkok drowns and UDD laughed while Bangkok burnt.
- Discussion 5 : 25/09/2012 at 12:20 PM
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Heard all this stories last years, now this year and next year again? > for sure! All this can be handled, it just needs some people who know what they are doing.
- Discussion 6 : 25/09/2012 at 11:44 AM
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Did BMA spokesman visited the place where the inmates helped to clear the sewers before making criticism? If it had already been cleared early this year, it must be a very poor job done by BMA.
- Discussion 7 : 25/09/2012 at 11:40 AM
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@abbub - In any country in the world, the government will try to save the heart of the country, the brain and economic center. Lets not cry over how Bangkok was dry last year. If you noticed how big Bangkok is, many areas were flooded. It was only the city center that was dry. This is not because only rich and powerful people live there.
Even though BMA and PTP are at odd ends, PTP still does not want Bangkok to flood. They are just bickering because that's what oppositions do. I think its great as it exposes faults and make people act quicker.
- Discussion 8 : 25/09/2012 at 10:39 AM
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Bangkok is at the bottom of a large flood plain .Maybe instead of pointing fingers at Bangkok maybe you should address the problems up North like deforestation and poor water management. Bangkok isnt flooding .The north is .
- Discussion 9 : 25/09/2012 at 10:13 AM
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Good thing governor elections are coming up
- Discussion 10 : 25/09/2012 at 10:08 AM
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I would like to know what has happened to the one voice to keep people informed of potential problems.We seem to have more fingers in the pie this year then last.
The authorities have had 12 months to try and elevate the flooding problem and to me it seems like diddly squit has been accomplished.Bangkok had better hope the new river differences are built on better foundations than those further north.The mayor of BK seems conspicuous by his absence!!
- Discussion 11 : 25/09/2012 at 10:06 AM
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Democrats obstructing the government for political gain, risking people's property and even lives. Well Bangkokians, now you know who not to vote for as a new governor.
- Discussion 12 : 25/09/2012 at 09:52 AM
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Despite Bangkok is the very end of water before draining to the sea, City Hall and MR Sukhumbhand remain untouchable to all agencies. That's the main problem. Before you can change the process, change the one in charge.
- Discussion 13 : 25/09/2012 at 09:44 AM
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IAN D4: I do think I understand what you are saying however, last year Bangkok did not drown. The surrounding areas, working and lower middle class were sacrificed to save the inner-city. 800 deaths and tens of thousands of lives disrupted to save the inner city.
- Discussion 14 : 25/09/2012 at 09:24 AM
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Nero fiddled while Rome burnt, PT and BMA niggled while Bangkok drowns.
- Discussion 15 : 25/09/2012 at 08:47 AM
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- ""To make things worse, City Hall has still not stopped quarrelling with the government over flood management," he said."
Yes exactly, this was last year's problem but every anti-PT poster refused to acknowledge this. The temptation to blame the PT only was too big.
You cannot have two different map readers and captains on a ship with two different goals in mind.
Yes I disagree with the way the PT handled the foods last year but not for the same reasons the PT bashers do. IMO the PT should have stood up to BKK city hall and not worried about the military siding with the latter.
- Discussion 16 : 25/09/2012 at 07:21 AM
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They are getting smarter! Instead of telling us 'no problem, there is nothing we can't handle, Bangkok will not be flooded' they changed the song to 'beware, it will be raining more than ever and Bangkok hasn't done the job'.
So once we are wading trhough water, they don't need to take any blame and can just say: 'see, we were right, we told you'.
- Discussion 17 : 25/09/2012 at 07:04 AM
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"To make things worse, City Hall has still not stopped quarreling with the government over flood management".
Have they no common sense? Pretty soon the foreign investors with factories and other businesses here are going to say ‘enough is enough’. They, especially the Japanese, will be wanting some evidence that Thailand can manage water efficiently and prevent further serious flooding. So far all they see is the squabbling and nothing to instil confidence. Other ASEAN countries, especially Philippines and Vietnam, must be getting somewhat excited over such government inefficiency.
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