Sugar Disaster On Chao Phraya River

[webfact]

Sugar disaster on Chao Phraya

By The Nation

Two districts of Ayutthaya have been declared disasterhit areas after a barge carrying 2,400 tons of sugar crashed into the riverbank in Phranakorn Si Ayutthaya district, dumping its load in the river on Tuesday.

Ayutthaya Governor Wittaya Piewpong yesterday the two districts were Bang Sai and Bang Pain.

"The declaration will enable the process to give compensation to affected people," he said.

He believed the sugarpolluted river caused damages to fish in more than 100 floating baskets.

The May 31 accident also damaged two houses, which were located on the crashed bank.

Wittaya ordered the barge to be salvaged as soon as possible to prevent further damages to the water, fishes, as well as water traffic.

The sugar was suspected to be the cause of deaths of fishes in many areas in the province.

Commander Rachot Pakafoong, who heads Ayutthaya Marine Office, inspected the site and commented that strong current of water might have caused the accident.

"We will determine the exact cause after the barge is removed from the water," he said.

As of press time, nine pumps were used to remove sugar still trapped inside the sunken barge.

The sugar removal is expected to be completed this morning (Friday morning) after which the boat would be salvaged.

Sompong Intaaim, controller of the pumps, said that most of the sugar was still in the barge, not melting with the river water as earlier speculated.

Meanwhile, Pathum Thani Governor Pirasak Hinmueangkao said local agencies in his province were now closely monitoring the situation in a bid to minimise negative impacts from the sugar leakage. Pathum Thani is located downstream.

"We have been adding oxygen," Pirasak said.

Although some fishes in the river in Pathum Thani began to die en masse too, the governor still hoped that the impact would not be serious.

"It's raining. The rain will help," he said.

Moreover, he pointed out that if more fishes died, officials would catch the fish from the river and place them in privatelyrun fish farms first. After the situation improved, the fish would be released back to the river.

Wat Bot abbot Phra Udomsarn Sopon said he already ordered that 10 pumps be bought, installed, and turned on to increase oxygen amount in the water in front of his riverside temple.

"It should tackle waterquality problem," he said.

Pollution Control Department (PCD) director general Supat Wangwongwattana said relevant agencies would determine whether the barge owner should be held responsible for damages caused.

-- The Nation 2011-06-03

[canuckamuck]

Sweet

[RickBradford]

Sweet

Oy! Stop stirring!

[jaltsc]

Don't buy any brown sugar for the next few months.

[pepi2005]

That will give a new meaning to the term 'sweetwater fish' on Bangkok fish markets for the next weeks...

[FOODLOVER]

Have they caught this guy from the lollipop fiasco?

[ginjag]

That will give a new meaning to the term 'sweetwater fish' on Bangkok fish markets for the next weeks...

The barge driver fled the scene, and was later spotted downstream, floating(forgot he wasn't driving his BMW)

[commonparlance]

Is this the sugar they use for the toxic lollipops?

[ginjag]

Is this the sugar they use for the toxic lollipops?

55555555555555 There is not a grain of evidence in that

[ginjag]

That will give a new meaning to the term 'sweetwater fish' on Bangkok fish markets for the next weeks...

Hope it doe's not cause a JAM in on the river

[webfact]

Salvation Underway for Sunken Sugar Barge

Ayutthaya authorities are speeding up the salvation effort for a sunken sugar barge as there are already reports of fish in the river dying from oxygen depletion.

A boat carrying sugar sank in the Chao Phraya River in Phukao Thong Subdistrict in Ayutthaya's Muang District.

The sunken sugar barge caused a change in the river flow which resulted in a seven-meter collapse of a river bank.

Officials have evacuated residents in two houses and cordoned off the area as a danger zone.

Salvaging the sunken barge has proven difficult because water has flooded the sugar in the boat and a foul odor is being emitted.

Officials have ceased to use heavy machinery to take the sugar out but are using a water pump to suck melted sugar from the sunken barge to another boat instead.

Water Resources Department Director General Jatuporn Burutpat has dispatched officials to collect samples of water around the area where the boat sank and found that the water quality is still normal.

This is because officials are keeping the lid of the cargo compartment of the sunken boat closed, fearing the sunken sugar will be dissolved into the river and cause massive pollution.

The province has asked marine experts to check on the condition of marine life in the river from the Tha Karong ท่าการ้อง Temple on to Bangsai District.

Fish breeders who are raising fish in the river have been told to remove their fish.

Locals said they have sighted an abnormally large number of fish floating to the surface of the water and dying as if they lacked oxygen.

-- Tan Network 2011-06-03

[Thaddeus]

Fish breeders who are raising fish in the river have been told to remove their fish.

-- Tan Network 2011-06-03

And put them where?

I just love these announcements.

[Misterwhisper]

With such disasters it's no wonder we frequently face sugar shortages in local markets.

[BaronCasey]

"...officials would catch the fish from the river and place them in privatelyrun fish farms first. After the situation improved, the fish would be released back to the river."

It all sounds a bit fishy to me...

[McHow2]

Fish sweet & sour

[SICHONSTEVE]

Fish breeders who are raising fish in the river have been told to remove their fish.

-- Tan Network 2011-06-03

And put them where?

I just love these announcements.

In temporary land based storage tanks or suitable large containers. There are also likely to be local fish farms that could provide temporary assistance. There you go!!! The first and only serious and constructive comment on the matter.

Sweet!!!

[exalll]

Salvation for the barge??? Halleluia ... it will be a re-born barge!

Or perhaps it should be "salvage"?

[furyrider]

I know aeration is needed for fish and to keep water from getting stagnant. But how on earth do they think pumping air into the water will help take care of the sugar that has desolved in the water.

[FOODLOVER]

"The declaration will enable the process to give compensation to affected people,"

Ok, I understand how this works .

[tbokich]

The plural of Fish is Fish

[Bagwan]

The plural of Fish is Fish

Or fishes. Up to you.

[newermonkey]

sweet !

When cooking Pla prio wan we will only need the prio, chilly and veges.

[Bagwan]

Salvation Underway for Sunken Sugar Barge

Water Resources Department Director General Jatuporn Burutpat has dispatched officials to collect samples of water around the area where the boat sank and found that the water quality is still normal.

-- Tan Network 2011-06-03

Now here's a guy with his finger on the pulse. Can he tells us why the local fish have suddenly become suicidal?

[tbokich]

"Fish" is one of those odd words that is usually both singular and plural — like "deer" But you can use "fishes" when you are talking about different species such as the fishes of the Chao Phraya River include Catfish and Pangasius sanitwongsei

[johncat1]

FISHES ? = FISH

[warfie]

This article is from The Nation, so the use of the word "fishes" is probably a mistranslation, blame the editor, not the speaker.

[Payboy]

Can he tells us why the local fish have suddenly become suicidal?

Not all - only those that are hooked on aspartame.

[FOODLOVER]

Sweet Booty!

[thequietman]

its fish not fishes. who proof reads for the nation ?

[Soutpeel]

its fish not fishes. who proof reads for the nation ?

by the same token...Sugar doesnt "melt" in water...it dissolves

God help the Nation they day they have to describe more than one octopus....