Unsafe drain covers to be fixed

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok governor Apirak Kosayodhin has ordered all 50 districts to inspect the covers of about 400,000 drains across the city after an accident.

The accident occurred on Monday when Chanthami Jariyathamwong, a Mathayom 6 student, slipped into a drain with a broken cover on Sam Sen road near Kiakkai junction.

Rescuers spent nearly an hour freeing her right leg which became trapped.

Puthipong Poonakan, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration spokesman, said Mr Apirak ordered the directors of all 50 districts during a meeting of the city administrators yesterday to examine the drain covers and get broken ones repaired or replaced.

All drain covers city wide were expected to be in good order by July 25, he said.

Mr Puthipong said the meeting also approved a proposal for the Drainage and Sewerage Department to buy another rain forecast radar machine worth 27 million baht in addition to the two old ones. The radars are very effective in making forecasts three hours ahead of rain in the vicinity of Bangkok and they can detect clouds within a 120km radius.

On Aug 1, the city administration will invite the media for a briefing on how the radars are read and on a website for the public to access the rain forecasts. The BMA will officially open the radar system on Aug 12.

Mr Puthipong said the meeting also discussed an idea of conserving about 300 surviving crab-eating macaques in Bang Khun Thian district.

The monkeys are now living on a 13-rai plot belonging to a private individual who wants to sell the land.

The director of Bang Khun Thian district was assigned to check the land price to find out if it would be possible for the BMA to buy the land to save the macaques. It was believed the land would cost about 13-14 million baht.

The Public Works Department was assigned to write a master plan for the conservation of the seaside areas of Bang Khun Thian, which also covers a plan to save the macaques for tourism purposes.

--Bangkok Post 2005-07-13

just wonderin' how often does the BMA guys went out for their inspections, or wait in their air con room until the report comes out.