Bangkok On Full Alert As Rainwaters Set To Break From Chao Phya Dam

[webfact]

FLOODS

Bangkok on full alert

By The Nation

Flows from North due as rainwaters set to break from Chao Phya Dam

Flood waters flowing down from the North will hit Bangkok next week, inundating homes and areas near the Chao Phya River and tributary canals, with the high-tide period next Tuesday and Wednesday being the most dangerous.

The warning from the Royal Irrigation Department yesterday came with more bad news: maritime traffic in most natural waterways in the entire Chao Phya basin in the Central region, covering many provinces, will be paralysed by strong currents both during the period and subsequently.

The excessive volumes of rainwater trapped in areas in the lower Ping and Yom River basins will exceed the capacity of the Chao Phya Dam in Chai Nat province. The dam traps rainwater between the North and the Central region before releasing it southward to Bangkok, the Agriculture Ministry said.

The Royal Irrigation Department has advised those living by the Chao Phya or canals in Bangkok to stay alert and move their belongings to higher positions to avoid damage in the event of floods. The embankment walls built to ward off the threat of flooding along the Chao Phya in the Central provinces north of Bangkok have resulted in the water rising to a higher level than usual.

After two weeks of countrywide inundation, the government yesterday set up a war room to deal with the flooding - in Bangkok only - in the coming days. Secretary to the PM Korbsak Sabhavasu said extra attention was being given to prevent the capital from being flooded in the next few days when the waters reach Bangkok.

The Interior Ministry yesterday ordered an action plan to deal with the flooding in the Central region, which has been badly hit for many days. During an inspection visit by Interior Minister Chaovarat Chanweerakul to Nonthaburi province, Ayutthaya Governor Witthaya Phewphong complained that all flood-prevention efforts and media attention were now being directed towards Bangkok while his province had been neglected.

Witthaya made a specific request for flat-bed boats to enable evacuation of people and transport of their properties, as it is now too late to carry out any preventive measures in his province, which is flooded regularly each year during the wet season.

A Bangkok Metropolitan Administration official said during the meeting that a final 1.2-kilometre stretch of permanent flood dykes along the Chao Phya River could not be built in time, but temporary 3-metre sandbag embankments had been put in place.

Samut Prakan Governor Cherdsak Choosri said that as his province bordered the sea, it would suffer heavy flooding.

He said major thoroughfares such as Srinagarindra and Sukhumvit roads could be briefly but heavily flooded before all the water drained off into the sea.

-- The Nation 2010-10-23

[oilthebeast]

Blimey!

[Robby nz]

Water in CP river in Sing buri is over 12m this morning with flooding to the north of the town.

Seems the record high was 12.56m in 2538.

Looks like it will go higher so they are probably right that there will be a lot of flooding down stream.

Take a deep breath.

[junkofdavid2]

Do we have any maps showing the most vulnerable areas?

Like, say, color-coded type to show which are more flood-prone than others?

Edited October 23, 2010 by junkofdavid2

[Colabamumbai]

The people in Bangkok could always come to Korat.

[overdog]

Do we have any maps showing the most vulnerable areas?

Like, say, color-coded type to show which are more flood-prone than others?

This Google map may serve to show what's going on. Two points - It does not rate the risk hazards and those annoying blue and red markers are difficult to remove.

Cheers!

http://maps.google.c...96&source=embed

[LTGTR]

Move the capital to another location-seriously!

[Foggy Bottom]

Don't forget too, that just 400 years ago, everything south of Suphanburi and Saraburi was in fact coastal marshlands, or deeper under the Bight of Thailand's seawaters.

The "world's rice bowl" is all relatively recent land reclaimed from the sea. European ocean-going sailing ships used to sail into Ayutthaya as the Entre-port of Siam.

Seems to me the Dutch East India Company engineers didn't pass on the secrets of holding onto land reclaimed from Father Neptune. Hmmm?

[ianh68]

After two weeks of countrywide inundation, the government yesterday set up a war room to deal with the flooding - in Bangkok only - in the coming days.

What is this telling us?

[moetownblues]

My wife's family live on the rivers edge at Chia Nat about 4 kms south of the dam and thier properties are already experiencing flooding.

[bitterbatter]

I live near the Rama 8 bridge across from Khao San and yesterday the river was abour 6 inches from spilling over the edges. They were also busy towing some massive floating barges up river.

I think I'll take the day off and build a bamboo raft.

[bitterbatter]

Looks like Tiger Woods might not be playing golf on November 8, at the Amata Spring Country Club in Chonburi.

[sunanta]

Blimey!

it says a war room was set up......new name for chicken fighting ring??

[Nawtier]

Where is Noah when we need him.....stop off at Pattaya and pickup 2 of each

[NanaFoods]

My wife's family live on the rivers edge at Chia Nat about 4 kms south of the dam and thier properties are already experiencing flooding.

I'm in Chainat as well, but more towards Hankha, near the Tha Jin River.

Have observed some minor flooding around the amphur, but not in my thambol.

I sure hope it doesn't get any worse...

[rubl]

Don't forget too, that just 400 years ago, everything south of Suphanburi and Saraburi was in fact coastal marshlands, or deeper under the Bight of Thailand's seawaters.

The "world's rice bowl" is all relatively recent land reclaimed from the sea. European ocean-going sailing ships used to sail into Ayutthaya as the Entre-port of Siam.

Seems to me the Dutch East India Company engineers didn't pass on the secrets of holding onto land reclaimed from Father Neptune. Hmmm?

For the VOC (i.e. Dutch EIC) commerce was the main goal.

Dutch tend to know when not to bother try to educate the natives. Even Dutch uncles know when their free advise is unwanted.

[Utley]

Move the capital to another location-seriously!

They did; in 1767 the capital was moved from Ayutthaya to Thonburi then in 1782 it was moved again to its current location.

[Nawtier]

move it somewhere else then...an island somewhere..

[lovelomsak]

Sorry but I just had to copy and paste this editorial from the nation. When this is all over there will be no one to blame beacuse no one is in charge of flood control at the moment as this article shows in its last statement. I hope my copy and paste is done right .

NATIONAL »

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FLOODS

Govt blasted for mishandling crisis, lack of planning

By The Nation

Published on October 23, 2010 <BR class=clear-all>

A flood-management expert yesterday criticised the government for mishandling relief operations and failing to carry out preventive measures before the flooding across the country reached a critical level.

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"Flooding on a plateau is a difficult occurrence by nature. This shows that the government has done nothing to prevent it," she said.

She said some flood management and action plans had been carried out at the national level, "but during this government's term, we have not witnessed any clear-cut action, despite annual flooding in Thailand. We never learn any lessons, and we let it happen, over and over."

Responding to her statements, secretary to the prime minister Korbsak Sabhavasu said the government had thought about setting up a war room to handle flood management. "But we are worried about natural slow progress and red tape through the bureaucracy after it is set up.

"Now we are thinking about how to shorten the process and increase the speed of work. I admit that the problems get worse because there is no host agency to take care of them, which should be directly under the Interior Ministry's supervision," he said.

Delivery of relief supplies and aid money is continuing, but largely through efforts of the private sector and the media, which initiated donation campaigns before the authorities followed suit. But when it comes to regulations on handling donated money, the PM's Office Ministry is having problems with the Bt90 million it has in hand.

Permanent secretary Juturong Panyadilok said: "It will be clearer next week how the money will be given to flood victims" under disbursement regulations.

A Government House source said there had not been any discussion or meeting to discuss payment conditions or speedy delivery of donated money to cope with urgent needs.

The main responsibility for flood management had been assigned by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to former deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban, but after his resignation to take part in a by-election campaign, Abhisit was too busy with other tasks. "No one in the government is now dealing with the flooding," the source said.

Do you like this story?

The last paragraph shows no one will be responsible for what happens.

[Bagwan]

Quote -Well the Government thought about doing this, and then we thought we would do that - and ended up doing nothing. Unquore.

SNAFU

Since all the water drains through the CP or Pakong rivers would it make sense to dig a deep wide trench and form another river? If the ancient Chinese can build a wall, why not? Stock it with fish, set up sailing clubs, build Mississippi type river boats for tourist trips and dining out. Hold underwater wrestling matches - just add your own fancy.  

I know nothing about civil engineering or water resource management so this may seem a daft notion but for sure, this almost annual event has gone on for far too long. 

 

[draftvader]

We live RIGHT on the banks of the Chao Phraya down in Bangplad. We will try to keep you all informed about how things progress Our property is 1.5m above the highest flood point ever for our soi, but we will have to see. All this will, however, be academic as the soi path is about 50cm BELOW the highest flood point ever, so arm-bands it is

[draftvader]

Quote -Well the Government thought about doing this, and then we thought we would do that - and ended up doing nothing. Unquore.

SNAFU

Since all the water drains through the CP or Pakong rivers would it make sense to dig a deep wide trench and form another river? If the ancient Chinese can build a wall, why not? Stock it with fish, set up sailing clubs, build Mississippi type river boats for tourist trips and dining out. Hold underwater wrestling matches - just add your own fancy.

I know nothing about civil engineering or water resource management so this may seem a daft notion but for sure, this almost annual event has gone on for far too long.

Curiously enough a stretch of the Chao Phraya running from Nonthaburi to Bangkok Noi is actually a man-made channel dug to help the bigger boats going up and down the river to Ayuthuya. So, maybe you aren't the first person to have this idea....and it seems to have worked until now, so maybe your thinking is fairly sound.

[nong38]

I am living just about 50yards from the Ping in Nakhon Sawan, usually the river is about 10-12 feet below the top of the bank. I have been watching it most mornings and yesterday at the same point a signifcant rise in the water level, I estimate 8-10 feet. flooding under the Phitsnulok bridge, a fair bit of foilage heading south. Last night we had no rain first rain free night for about a week, there could still be a rise in levels as more flooding reported to the north and more water is bound to fallen further north and still to find itself in the local water sheds and down to us here in Nakhon Sawan. I think we will be ok here but a few days without rain will be gratefully recieved by Thailand right now.

[passon]

Where is Noah when we need him.....stop off at Pattaya and pickup 2 of each

In Pattaya? Seriously? Perhaps you could clarify the what part of two each!

[sirchai]

My wife's family live on the rivers edge at Chia Nat about 4 kms south of the dam and thier properties are already experiencing flooding.

Time to build a houseboat...Of course, Farlang will buy one for each family member.:jap:

[webfact]

Irrigation Dept warns ppl along Chao Phya banks in Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi &Bkk 2move belongings to high grounds now. /via @suthichai

[sjjmmi]

Irrigation Dept warns ppl along Chao Phya banks in Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi &Bkk 2move belongings to high grounds now. /via @suthichai

Its coming run now :jap:

[tomyummer]

Where is Noah when we need him.....stop off at Pattaya and pickup 2 of each

In Pattaya? Seriously? Perhaps you could clarify the what part of two each!

Darn funny. I think Nawtier meant to pick-up 2 of each type of animal in Pattaya. Basically saying that Pattaya is full of different types of creatures. Hillarious.

[agudbuk]

How about introducing legislation making it compulsory for all buildings to be built on large heavy duty jacks.

That way when there are floods houses, offices etc. cam be jacked up out of the reach of the flood waters and then lowered to their original levels when the waters have passed.

[LaoPo]

Do we have any maps showing the most vulnerable areas?

Like, say, color-coded type to show which are more flood-prone than others?

This Google map may serve to show what's going on. Two points - It does not rate the risk hazards and those annoying blue and red markers are difficult to remove.

Cheers!

http://maps.google.c...96&source=embed

I don't know who made that map but it doesn't show that large parts of Bangkok would be flooded, including the new airport, and that's silly since I was walking up to my waist in floodwater back in the mid 80's when Sukumvhit up to areas near Lumpini park were completely flooded.

LaoPo