BMA unclogging canals in capital city

[Jonathan Fairfield]

BMA unclogging canals in capital city

 

  

 

BANGKOK, 29th September 2018 (NNT) – To prevent future flooding, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is unclogging canals and drainage pipes across the capital city. 

On Friday, City Hall officials removed dirt and concrete fragments from drainpipes in Din Daeng district, one of several areas in Bangkok that are prone to flooding. 

Deputy Bangkok Governor Chakkaphan Phewngam supervised the unclogging operation himself. 

Designed to prevent inundations occurring in Bangkok communities, the operation is part of the BMA’s public waterway development project which started on Thursday. 

With the support of more than 100 officers, the BMA was able to remove 100 cubic meters of dirt and broken concrete. 

 

Source: http://thainews.prd.go.th/website_en/news/news_detail/WNSOC6109290010030

 

 

-- nnt 2018-09-29

[bluesofa]

And next year, when it's too late, another bright spark will have a very similar photo-opportunity, but I hope they manage to get their hands out of their pockets next year.

 

How about a radical approach: People to be fined for throwing rubbish into the canal.

Probably wouldn't work though - they won't be able to fined find them.

 

"Ongoing maintenance" - google translate English>Thai said 'page not found'

[sarcasm, for those with no sense of humour]

 

[Cadbury]

The PM vowed to overhaul Bangkok's drainage system some 26 months ago. As usual he passes on the responsibility to someone else without any follow up. After sitting on their hands for all that time and holding umpteen committee meetings it seems the BMA are finally getting around to doing something. This is the inaction so typical of Thailand.

Little do they realise that most of Asia has passed them by and they are left living in yesterday's land.

 

 

[BigBadGeordie]

6 hours ago, bluesofa said:

 

How about a radical approach: People to be fined for throwing rubbish

They have been doing that for years, 2000Baht a but around Nana.

[doremifasol]

How about fill them up and turn them into streets?

There will be less filth, less flooding and less congestion.

[lamyai3]

2 hours ago, doremifasol said:

How about fill them up and turn them into streets?

There will be less filth, less flooding and less congestion.

They paved over most of them many decades ago. A significant contributory factor in why the flooding today is so bad, along with unfit for purpose drainage and garbage disposal. 

[lopburi3]

5 minutes ago, lamyai3 said:

They paved over most of them many decades ago. A significant contributory factor in why the flooding today is so bad, along with unfit for purpose drainage and garbage disposal. 

Actually the flooding today is almost non-existent compared to what it was decades ago - remember flooded streets for weeks and heavy army trucks being the only means of travel in many areas.  

[Nyezhov]

There is an old canal  right at my building. The government truck is there every three days or so pumping and cleaning.

[lamyai3]

9 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Actually the flooding today is almost non-existent compared to what it was decades ago - remember flooded streets for weeks and heavy army trucks being the only means of travel in many areas.  

I'm talking longer term than just recent decades. It's well established that the paving over the old network of khlongs in post war years is a major cause of the city's flooding, even if drainage in many areas has been improved since the earlier floods you remember from a few decades ago. From an Economist article of around 20 years ago:

"Bangkok's flood-control capabilities are limited, since it long ago paved over most canals to build roads, depriving itself of a traditional means of water disposal. Flood water used to drain into the canals and then out to the Chao Praya and the sea."

https://www.economist.com/asia/2000/04/27/bangkok-gets-that-sinking-feeling

[lopburi3]

I have been in Bangkok for over 4 decades - so well aware of previous flooding issues - and they were much worse before there was any paving over of natural canals (which did not happen until quite recently).  What there was is more land area for the flood waters to occupy - but it was never enough to prevent flooding.  Things are much, much better now - even accounting for a sinking city and almost no unoccupied areas for flood cheeks.  We still have flash flooding due to extreme rainfall which may prevent travel for a few hours.  In the past you had days and weeks of such flooding.

[Jeremy50]

1 hour ago, lamyai3 said:

I'm talking longer term than just recent decades. It's well established that the paving over the old network of khlongs in post war years is a major cause of the city's flooding, even if drainage in many areas has been improved since the earlier floods you remember from a few decades ago. From an Economist article of around 20 years ago:

"Bangkok's flood-control capabilities are limited, since it long ago paved over most canals to build roads, depriving itself of a traditional means of water disposal. Flood water used to drain into the canals and then out to the Chao Praya and the sea."

https://www.economist.com/asia/2000/04/27/bangkok-gets-that-sinking-feeling

You are right of course. The other guy is talking about the 1980's and you are referring to the 1940's and before that. And still he wants to argue his point. I came here in the eighties, and all the canals had long been filled in by then.

[lopburi3]

Actually I was talking about the late 60's and the 70's - and flooding was really serious in those days - you could not even enter Bangkok at times from upcountry.  And it routinely lasted for weeks. 

[simoh1490]

6 hours ago, doremifasol said:

How about fill them up and turn them into streets?

There will be less filth, less flooding and less congestion.

That's exactly the problem that caused the current problem!