Flood wall proposed to prevent Bangkok flooding

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's National Disaster Warning Centre chairman Smith Tumsaroch Tuesday proposed construction of flood barriers in the nation's capital, warning of possible floods triggered by storms from August to September.

Speaking on global warming at a meeting of the Royal Thai Navy and three state universities, Mr. Smith said that global warming caused higher temperatures, shore erosion, higher sea levels, and other disasters.

He said that there is high possibility of storms in the Gulf of Thailand and the Bangkok metropolitan area.

A storm with a high wind speed together with the northern run-off and a periodic high tide is likely to cause flooding in Bangkok and the surrounding areas.

He warned that all sides should brace for a possible flood.

Mr. Smith proposed construction of a big flood wall along the shore from Samut Songkhram to Samut Prakan and Chonburi to prevent flooding from high tides.

He said it is expected that a budget of Bt30 billion would be required each year to complete the five-year project, but said it would be worthwhile to prevent Bangkok from being submerged under two-metre waters during the next 10-15 years as forecast.

The flood wall will save more than 30,000 factories near the shorelines from flooding and about 300,000 employees will therefore not lose their jobs, he added.

The disaster chief said the issue should be on the national agenda and that the government should gear up to prevent the problem.

--TNA 2008-06-17

He said that there is high possibility of storms in the Gulf of Thailand and the Bangkok metropolitan area.

A storm with a high wind speed together with the northern run-off and a periodic high tide is likely to cause flooding in Bangkok and the surrounding areas.

There is a high possibility of it getting dark tonight outside. It will likely lead to lightening skies in the morning.

Sheesh; someone save us from these astrologers

Bkk is built on a flood plain delta, right?

They will need to do something, even a once in 100 yrs storm would do massive damage.

Actually he is a pretty highly respected person, but I must say, this does sound rather funny when you point it out.

Actually he is a pretty highly respected person, but I must say, this does sound rather funny when you point it out.

If Bangkok gets severe flooding, the Burmese generals will come to the aid of their friends and supporters...

Bkk is built on a flood plain delta, right?

They will need to do something, even a once in 100 yrs storm would do massive damage.

Correct; a major flooding drama is almost inevitable and will, no doubt, happen in the future and Bangkok and the entire Gulf will not be ready.

It happened in Holland in 1953...it happened with Katrina in New Orleans and it will happen again.

It will happen because of a mixture of unforeseen, odd and complex natural occurrences at the same time which never happened before.

It's a matter of time and the world will watch...like the world watches other natural dramas like the Tsunami, Burma and China, recently.

If it happens in Thailand the world's attention will be a bit larger than Burma because it's a holiday destination with many Farang. When the damage and reports are done, life will go on. Like always, and the messengers, screaming for intelligent help like flood barriers will re-appear on television, telling the audience they told so......xx years ago.

LaoPo