Community Pattaya Tests New Drainage System to Prepare for Future Flooding

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture courtesy of Sophon.

 

Pattaya City is ramping up its efforts to mitigate urban flooding ahead of the upcoming rainy season, with city officials testing the first phase of a major drainage system along the eastern railway road.

 

Led by Pattaya City Mayor Poramet Ngampichet, Deputy Mayor Manoch Nongyai, City Clerk Kiattisak Sriwongchai, and Director of Sanitation Engineering Anuwat Thongkham, the team inspected the progress of the drainage system currently under construction. The test took place at the Khao Noi pumping station, situated on the railway-side road between Khao Noi and Khao Talo on the route to Sattahip.

 

 

According to Mayor Poramet, the project represents a key strategy in resolving chronic flooding problems in Pattaya. The construction, while already underway, faced delays due to obstacles such as the high-speed railway viaduct. The system includes a 1.80-metre diameter high-pressure water pipeline spanning 2,500 metres, and a 2-metre drainage pipe running 3,000 metres. The objective is to collect and pump excess water from the Nong Prue Municipality area near Soi Khao Noi towards Khlong Suea Phaew and Khlong Naklua, thereby preventing inner-city areas like Sukhumvit Road, Pattaya South Junction, and Soi Bongkot from flooding.

 

The first phase features a pumping station with a 7,000-cubic metre holding capacity, equipped with six pumps capable of displacing 1 cubic metre of water per second. This phase is now fully operational.

 

Mayor Poramet outlined the city’s broader anti-flooding plan, which is divided into two phases. The second phase of the project, set slightly further along the same eastern railway road, involves constructing another pumping station with a 5,400-cubic metre capacity. This will be supported by four pumps, each handling 0.75 cubic metres per second, a 1.20-metre pressure pipe running 3,500 metres, and drainage pipes measuring between 1.60 and 2.20 metres in diameter over a 2,800-metre stretch. This phase is designed to divert water from Soi Khao Talo in the Nong Prue area to Khlong Huai Yai, protecting the railway road and Sukhumvit Road near the Pattaya South Junction.

 

The second phase is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. Once both phases are finished, city officials plan to evaluate the system’s effectiveness in preventing floodwaters from Nong Prue from inundating Pattaya’s inner city.

 

It is notable that Pattaya City has opted not to follow the extensive drainage strategy developed by the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning in collaboration with the National Water Resources Office (ONWR), which carries a price tag of 9.5 billion baht. Instead, the city has pursued a more localised and less invasive approach that avoids road excavation and minimises disruption to residents.

 

This marks a significant step in Pattaya’s long-term flood management efforts, aiming to provide lasting relief to residents and businesses frequently affected by seasonal downpours.

 

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Spohon 2025-04-25.

 

 

 

[JoePai]

And the odds for flooding again this year are ***/1