Minister Insists Flood Problems Will Be Solved

[Jai Dee]

THE AGRICULTURE AND COOPERATIVES MINISTER INSISTED THAT FLOOD PROBLEMS WILL BE SOLVED BY THE NEXT 3-4 YEARS

The Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister, KHUN-YING SUDARAT KEYURAPHAN (คุณหญิง สุดารัตน์ เกยุราพันธุ์), stated that her ministry is devising a plan to solve flood problems in the northern and northeastern parts of Thailand. She has expressed confidence that this plan will be able to effectively deal with flood problems by the next few years.

KHUN-YING SUDARAT revealed that the new flood prevention plan should be unveiled next week. She stated that the flood-prevention related projects for the northern and northern regions will be completed by this year. She said Prime Minister THAKSIN SHINAWATRA has considered this issue very seriously, and he has allocated a budget to solve the flood problems as soon as possible.

Nevertheless, the Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister said the water shortage and flood problems will be successfully dealt with over the next three to four years. She added that the Department of Irrigation and the Meteorological Department are coordinating with her ministry in issuing flood warnings to the public in different areas.

Source: thaisnews.com ประจำวันศุกร์ที่ 30 กันยายน 2548

[ovenman]

So the flood problem will be successfully dealt with in three to four years. How? This is a flood plain and river basin. Are they planning to build dikes the entire length of the Ping and its tributaries?

This sounds suspiciously like a previous offer by some ranking government official to solve all of Bangkok's traffic problems within six months without the accompanying promise to resign one's post when that does not happen.

[Maejo Man]

Just another Hub Ovenman......the "promise to get rid of floods" hub of Asia

They actually put new drains in my soi last year, and took months in doing it. Guess what? My soi doesn't flood! Mind you it never flodded in the first place

[Diablo Bob]

THE AGRICULTURE AND COOPERATIVES MINISTER INSISTED THAT FLOOD PROBLEMS WILL BE SOLVED BY THE NEXT 3-4 YEARS

The Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister, KHUN-YING SUDARAT KEYURAPHAN (คุณหญิง สุดารัตน์ เกยุราพันธุ์), stated that her ministry is devising a plan to solve flood problems in the northern and northeastern parts of Thailand. She has expressed confidence that this plan will be able to effectively deal with flood problems by the next few years.

KHUN-YING SUDARAT revealed that the new flood prevention plan should be unveiled next week. She stated that the flood-prevention related projects for the northern and northern regions will be completed by this year. She said Prime Minister THAKSIN SHINAWATRA has considered this issue very seriously, and he has allocated a budget to solve the flood problems as soon as possible.

Nevertheless, the Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister said the water shortage and flood problems will be successfully dealt with over the next three to four years. She added that the Department of Irrigation and the Meteorological Department are coordinating with her ministry in issuing flood warnings to the public in different areas.

Source: thaisnews.com ประจำวันศุกร์ที่ 30 กันยายน 2548

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Few Years? I think not!

Las Vegas Nevada embarked on a flood control system almost 25 years ago, and it is almost complete today. Now what are the differences? The entire watershed feeding the Las Vegas Valley is about the size of Doi Sutep! When it rains hard enough to flood, we are looking around 1/2" of rain!

A flood control system is more than drains in you sois, it is a network of canals and resevoirs to cut off water PRIOR to reaching the soi's. It will mean raising the heights of ALL the resevoirs upstream of Chiangmai, and quiet possibly dredging the Mai Ping to increase its' capacity to channel the water downstream.

I think our Minister has yet to get a grip on the reality of basic hydraulics & geology.

I am guessing, IF they actually do anything that has a chance of working, actually fund it and work continuosly it should be done by 2025........

[Jai Dee]

PM THAKSIN ASSIGNS GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO IDENTIFY FLOOD SOLUTIONS

The Prime Minister has assigned relevant government units to closely monitor the water problems and identify ways to solve them.

Prime Minister THAKSIN SHINAWATRA said he has instructed the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to coordinate with the Meteorological Department in managing the warning system more effectively. Therefore, the residents in disaster-prone areas would be able evacuate promptly.

However, he said the reservoirs in the northern province of CHIANG MAI are not able to hold as much water as expected. Thus, he has assigned related officials to urgently drain the overflowing water in the province.

The premier said deforestation is one of the main causes of flood problems. If the flood situations in CHIANG MAI and LAMPANG have not improved soon, the Prime Minister said he will then travel to those provinces tomorrow (October 2nd).

Source: thaisnews.com ประจำวันเสาร์ที่ 1 ตุลาคม 2548

[ovenman]

If the flood situations in CHIANG MAI and LAMPANG have not improved soon, the Prime Minister said he will then travel to those provinces tomorrow (October 2nd).

Why? Does he plan to drain the floodwater himself?

[Diablo Bob]

PM THAKSIN ASSIGNS GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO IDENTIFY FLOOD SOLUTIONS

The Prime Minister has assigned relevant government units to closely monitor the water problems and identify ways to solve them.

Prime Minister THAKSIN SHINAWATRA said he has instructed the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to coordinate with the Meteorological Department in managing the warning system more effectively. Therefore, the residents in disaster-prone areas would be able evacuate promptly.

However, he said the reservoirs in the northern province of CHIANG MAI are not able to hold as much water as expected. Thus, he has assigned related officials to urgently drain the overflowing water in the province.

The premier said deforestation is one of the main causes of flood problems. If the flood situations in CHIANG MAI and LAMPANG have not improved soon, the Prime Minister said he will then travel to those provinces tomorrow (October 2nd).

Source: thaisnews.com ประจำวันเสาร์ที่ 1 ตุลาคม 2548

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Again, another simplistic answer to a complex problem..... Deforestation does not cause flooding, it causes mud slides. Development can/does cause flooding!

When the article says "reservoirs in the northern province of CHIANG MAI are not able to hold as much water as expected"...Woooo , the reservoir has only a certain capacity, did they expect it to contain more? What they mean to say is that we are receiving more precipitation than expected and we were caught with our pants down!

The bottom line is this..... the flood control people pretty much know what the capacity of a reservoir is +/-, from what I have been able to obtain from sources is that prior to last weeks flood, in an effort to make room for additional water they lowered the flood gates to release water. Then while this was happening, the rains arrived and the inflow of new water started entering the reservoir. The pressure of this additional water prevented the raising of the flood gates!

I feel sorry for the officials in charge of the reservoirs up-stream.....

It is like being in Vegas! Lower the water level in the reservoir anticipating a storm which doesn't happen and than have water shortages or wait until the last possible minute then make your decision and get caught with your pants down!

The problem really is the growth of Chaingrai and Chiangmai. Both of our communities are on a river, we have built on the river. The growth of our cities has necessitated the storage of water to sustain our cities, hence we always have this game of Russian Roulette being performed upstream!

Think about it...... IF Chiangmai Provence had NO tourist industry and the town was still mainly an agricultural economy. What would be the need for stored water? The rice season is over......the rice season depends mainly upon the rainfall in the fields and even IF there were reservoirs upstream, the impact of an un-seasonal wet spell would be minimal.

Where does the Thai Government go from here.....? Hopefully with qualified planners, not political lakeys!

[Jai Dee]

PM THAKSIN TO BUILD DAMS TO PREVENT THE FLOODING IN NORTHERN CHIANG MAI

Prime Minister THAKSIN SHINAWATRA will consider the plan to construct small-sized dams at the upper part of CHIANG MAI Province.

The Prime Minister commented about the flood situation in the northern provinces of CHIANG MAI (เชียงใหม่) and LAMPANG (ลำปาง), saying that the levels of floodwater have subsided. He expected that the situation will return to normal by tomorrow (October 4th). He also said there will be plans to deal with flood problems in the long-run, particularly in CHIANG MAI as the province plays an important role in the Thai economic sector.

The government will consider constructing two 50-60 million cubic meters dams in the northern part of CHIANG MAI to prevent flood situations in the future. The height of the flood prevention barrier will also be considered, as it can obstruct the scenery of the area.

Source: thaisnews.com ประจำวันจันทร์ที่ 3 ตุลาคม 2548