Pheu Thai's Sea Reclamation Project Won't Work, Says Academic

[webfact]

Sea reclamation project won't work, says academic

By Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation

The Pheu Thai party's megaproject to reclaim 300 square kilometres of new land in the Gulf of Thailand could have a severe environmental impact and fail to protect Bangkok from flooding, an environmental academic said yesterday.

The project would need at least 4 billion cubic metres of sand to reclaim 300,000 rai of land in the Gulf of Thailand. This would totally destroy marine biological resources in the sea, which provide food for local people, said Seri Supparathit, a director of Sirindhorn International Environmental Park's Energy for Environment Centre.

The Pheu Thai Party announced the policy during the general election campaign. It would reclaim land for three provinces, Samut Prakan, Samut Songkhram and Samut Sakhon. It is aimed at protecting Bangkok from severe flooding caused by rising sea levels.

The land would be sold to foreigners who wanted to build homes and accommodation on new land, like in Dubai. The land would be valued at Bt 20 million per rai.

But Seri said the land reclamation in the Gulf of Thailand could block five key canals in Bangkok's Bang Khun Thian district, which drain water from the mainland.

"This project would create severe floods, instead of preventing Bangkok from sinking into the water," he said.

Floods in Bangkok are caused by massive amounts of floodwater flowing down from the North. The government could fix this problem through construction regulations, Seri said.

Seri added that the megaproject could also cause severe coastal erosion to nearby areas such as Samut Prakan and Chonburi province by changing sea currents.

"The Pheu Thai party needs to conduct an indepth study to see the impact on the environment and local people before moving forward with this project," he said.

Meanwhile, Prasut Changchareon, the president of Bang Khun Thian coastal community, said he welcomed the project if it did not cause severe impact on the mangrove forest in Bang Khun Thian district, which is now being eroded by sea water.

More than 4.7 square kilometres of coastal areas in Bang Khun Thian district are being eroded by the sea.

"We are now fighting against severe coastal erosion to get our land back," he said.

Local villagers have installed thousand of bamboo sticks and sandbags in the mangrove forest area to protect against the sea and mud.

However, local villagers are confused by the Pheu Thai Party's policies and have asked the party to come up with a clear policy on new land reclamation, said Prasut.

-- The Nation 2011-07-29

[siampolee]

The land would be sold to foreigners [/u]who wanted to build homes and accommodation on new land, like in Dubai. The land would be valued at Bt 20 million per rai.

So this means possibly that a third rate, subject to subsidence and flooding area is to be reserved for foreigners ?

The generosity of the planners and indeed the authorities is indeed AMAZING!!!

Possibly the powers that be who are backing this scam scheme are not going to get their wallets and bank accounts stuffed full of money as they dream of happening if this idea ever floats which, if the truth be known is more than will happen with any reclaimed land in the area !!

People who may intend to buy reclaimed land at 20 million baht per rai are not going to be quite as gullible and ill informed as poor old Somchai and Porntip were concerning the last election and the promises made and the blank cheques brandished at them.

[apetley]

Wont that need a change in the law for foreigners to by the land?

Think I'll pass on that 1 rai of sand at sea level for 20 million. It'll disappear even quicker than an elite card.

[pedro01]

I heard the sand is going to be coming from Dubai....

[angiud]

Amazing Thailand

[bkkjames]

Wont that need a change in the law for foreigners to by the land?

It will be zoned as boi type area-appropriately named-DIY Properties for the Amply Stupid. Every Sat night they will have a live play called Waterworld-won't cost as much but will be just as bad. It will then be marketed to locals as a tourist attraction called Unseen Thailand.

[bushwacker]

Hmm ... that is about $667,000 for 1/2 of an acre of sand using man (thai) technology to battle the elements of nature. Should I buy 10 or 20 rai?

[trogers]

But Seri said the land reclamation in the Gulf of Thailand could block five key canals in Bangkok's Bang Khun Thian district' date=' which drain water from the mainland.

[/quote']

Happened to Singapore when they reclaimed to what is now called Marina Bay. The Singapore river became a canal, and now flooding in Orchard road is an annual event. And Singapore has no flowing flood waters from the North...

[jaltsc]

But, they give you enough bamboo to build a dike and protect your investment. All included in one easy payment of 20 million baht. By the way, I have a bridge in Brooklyn I'm trying to unload at a very reasonable price.

[Thaddeus]

OMG ..... a credible source stating that a PT promise won't work, how very dare they.

[prefabs]

Wont that need a change in the law for foreigners to by the land?

Think I'll pass on that 1 rai of sand at sea level for 20 million. It'll disappear even quicker than an elite card.

Don't think so as it is not real land is it. It is made up land, same like the mainfesto was made up to satisfy the masses. Kinda like an illusion, same as the Ocean One in Pattaya. If one gets really drunk, you can lie back and think you are looking at this huge building. It sure is impressive

[surayu]

Another unfair deal as usual.

I mean, the Rohingya didn't have to pay anything to be rehoused in the middle of the ocean, they even dragged their boats totally free of charge, why now a "farang" have to pay at least 20 millions Bahts to go and live on something which very likely will be just good as quicksands?

There is not a day passing by in which Thailand doesn't reconfirm her status as a hub of ................

[steveromagnino]

this is probably the most retarded and stupid idea from any government in recent times.

1. There is no need to reclaim land, as just inland from these points is ample unused land

2. Erosion is a problem, and this will accelerate erosion in all the areas NOT protected by a huge concrete sea wall, speeding up the biannaual current flow (which is counter clockwise most of the year, and clockwise the Thai Winter period) which will increase erosion in Hua Hin, Pattaya, Jomtien, Bang Saen and every other beach nearby

3. It will destroy the necessary mudflats and breeding grounds for Thailand's wild fish industry, and remove large tracts of land for THailand's aquaculture industry

4. It will likely make worse, not better, the flooding in Bangkok, as the water flows north to south will now need to be diverted around the new land mass created, thus creating a similar issue to Samui, where water will gather behind the new structure and flooding everything in between

Should anyone have doubts, let's recall the same planners (effectively) created the new airport and resultant flooding around it; created the relatively new Chiang Mai flooding issues and the more recent flooding leading into Korat, using almost the exact same method (solid object higher than the water level placed directly in front of the way in which the water moves from high to low ground).

Selling reclaimed land at 20mb per rai is insanity anyhow, when prime commercial land which came basically free costs more than than this, and places in the middle of nowwhere are cheaper but that's because...they are free and in the middle of nowhere (much like this idiot scheme will be).

Also, the land belongs to the navy, and PT haven't got a solution for paying off the Navy to acquire this land yet. Have they?

This is simply a scam to get the government to do a bunch of consultancies on it, including indepth studies by groups like I don't know, ItalThai, before it is decided to focus the attention on something else. At a guess I would say approximately 500mb will cover off an indepth study and environmental assessment preliminary survey, which would be awarded without getting multiple tenders to a construction firm affiliated with the government...either that or they will be more brazen and just give a huge backhander to whoever they feel like, much as occured when the airport was built.

Alledgedly.

Or it may be a scam to gift another port contract to a connected party as occured under TRT's period handing over much of Laem Chabang to, IIRC Hutchinson, in a sweetheart deal that would have made even the most virginal of mia nois blush and wonder how someone could lubb dem long ty that much.

Edited July 29, 2011 by steveromagnino

[ballpoint]

This allows us to make sense of another recent news item, namely the Thai elite card programme is to be reinstated. The new card costs 20M baht, floats in water, and will be 1 rai in area. Supply your own sand and anchor.

[MaiChai]

I heard the sand is going to be coming from Dubai....

Maybe someone has spent too much time in Dubai... May I suggest the man in Dubai came up with the idea? Sounds like a great corruption scheme to me... Then it can be sold to all those stupid farangs who want to live here? Plenty of corruption to go round for all; maybe this should be the new PT slogan?

Edited July 29, 2011 by MaiChai

[DP25]

300,000 rai at 20 million Baht per rai, this is going to be even more successful than the Thailand Elite Card

[whybother]

300,000 rai at 20 million Baht per rai, this is going to be even more successful than the Thailand Elite Card

That's not too hard, is it?

[animatic]

The blind leading the brain dead to the feast and wondering why they don't eat,

but making sure the Chef gets his check plus 20%

As Steve pointed out this would clearly back wash the Bangkok flooding into even longer and higher levels.

If you want to stop erosion, plant many more mangrove swamps. This has been holding the sea at bay for millennia, but when construction through them causes a back flooding channel, it undermines the roots and some will wash away.

Of course the idea of a sea wall that works to 'keep the SEA flooding away from inland', when the flooding comes from behind, inland, it is spot on for the mindset of the putz who proposed it. He will be looking for the imagined money in front, when his removal sneaks up behind and shuts his mouth.

Only fools and horses. Eh Gungadin?

Edited July 29, 2011 by animatic

[Dag]

The land would be sold to foreigners who wanted to build homes and accommodation on new land, like in Dubai. The land would be valued at Bt 20 million per rai.

So this means possibly that a third rate, subject to subsidence and flooding area is to be reserved for foreigners ?

The generosity of the planners and indeed the authorities is indeed AMAZING!!!

Possibly the powers that be who are backing this scam scheme are not going to get their wallets and bank accounts stuffed full of money as they dream of happening if this idea ever floats which, if the truth be known is more than will happen with any reclaimed land in the area !!

People who may intend to buy reclaimed land at 20 million baht per rai are not going to be quite as gullible and ill informed as poor old Somchai and Porntip were concerning the last election and the promises made and the blank cheques brandished at them.

The World Part II......

[RubbaJohnny]

Wont that need a change in the law for foreigners to by the land?

Think I'll pass on that 1 rai of sand at sea level for 20 million. It'll disappear even quicker than an elite card.

You could at least take it home in sandbags

[RogueExpat]

Typical utterly ridiculous proposal by Mr Thaksin. No Dubai for Thailand.

Spoken to a number of Thai's about this yesterday.

No. 1 response - laughing their <deleted> off.

No. 2 response - Who owns the dump trucks?

But lets just wait for GK to come and work out some sort of justification for this cocked up Thaksin/PT idea.

Remember Thaksin thinks - Phua thai does.

[Ricardo]

I would propose that this new land be reserved for citizens of Dubai or the UAE, in thanks for their recent assistance & banking-services to homeless/self-exiled Thai poo-yais, at the special-price of 19.5 million Baht per-rai, cash-payment in Dubai. Stand back before the Rush !

[Bagwan]

Where is Canute whenever he is wanted? Couldn't get a visa?

[moe666]

Do not laugh, I expect there are few greedy and stupid farangs who would go for this deal sight unseen. The poorer ones continue to build houses in Issan.

[dcutman]

Is that price for beach front? 300,000 rai is a big area.

I would really like beach front, after all that area is such beautiful clear water.

Sign me up.

[TAWP]

A few posters is missing from this thread...