Integrated Plan For Bang Rakam Floods

[Lite Beer]

Integrated plan for Bang Rakam floods

By The Nation on Sunday

Phitsanulok's Bang Rakam district will be used as a pilot project in an attempt to solve floods across the country, while a "one-stop service" relief centre will be set up to give effective and rapid help to victims, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said yesterday.

Presiding over a Flood and Landslide Prevention and Mitigation Centre teleconference with governors of flood-hit provinces at the Interior Ministry yesterday morning, Yingluck instructed water-related offices, especially the Royal Irrigation Department, to find more flood retention areas, to prepare for possible floods and help affected villagers. Also at the meeting were Interior Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit and Agriculture Minister Theera Wongsamut.

They consider Bang Rakam in Phitsanulok as a pilot project, namely the Bang Rakam Model, for integrated solutions to stop floods. It includes excavating two waterways and building sluice gates in Phitsanulok and Sukhothai to push water from the Yom River to the Nan River faster.

Yingluck also said the ICT ministry would link all data with computer systems so that the information on flood situations was fully co-ordinated.

She urged for the Interior Ministry to set up a "one-stop service war room" where related agencies cover tasks such as the Royal Irrigation Department's work with the Agriculture Ministry in finding more water retention areas.

After, Yingluck said the budget for setting up a "war room" wouldn't be much but, more importantly, integrated decision making should create smoother work and help do urgent issues. She has also ordered the Agriculture Minister to propose farm compensation measures.

Yongyuth said the ministry would start work on the Bang Rakam Model right away, as it already had a plan to tackle floods and steps to take. He said the Comptroller General's Department told him they could get extra funding besides the Bt50 million in "emergency cash" the government has allotted to each province for disasters.

So far Sukhothai had asked for Bt200 million, while officials in Phrae and Nan had sought an extra Bt50 million each. Remedial payments for damaged homes or farm produce would remain the same as under the previous government, he said. If there was to be more assistance, it would be unveiled in the government's policy declaration to Parliament.

Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department chief Wibul Sanguanpong said that floods continued to ravage 12 provinces: Sukhothai, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Kamphaeng Phet, Nakhon Sawan, Phetchabun, Nakhon Nayok, Ayutthaya, Roi Et, Kalasin, Ubon Ratchathani and Angthong.

About 928,000 people, had been affected with 33 killed and one missing.

Meteorological Department chief Torsak Wanichkhajorn warned that Khon Kaen and Nakhon Ratchasima may flood at the end of the month due to the Chi River rising.

Kanchanaburi, Suphan Buri and Ayutthaya may also flood next month due to heavy rain and run-off from the North, while the southern province of Surat Thani should brace for storm-triggered floods in October.

In Phitsanulok, some 46,171 people in eight districts and 230,000 rai of farmland have been hit by floods. Ten schools had to shut temporarily. Kamnan Manas Thabphaeng from Tambon Chumsaeng Songkhram in Bang Rakam district said he was happy the PM recognised the importance of people's suffering, which they have endured for three decades. Manas is a leader who has called for the Kaeng Sua Ten Dam to be built. He urged the government to assist and pay compensation to flood victims rapidly while also tackling the repetitious flood problem in the Yom River basin.

-- The Nation 2011-08-21

[moe666]

Replant the trees that have been cut down. tress lap up water. also if it is raining more than usual maybe not much can be done as excess water will overwhelm exsisting infastructure..

[scotbeve]

Moe666,

I agree. Many places / areas in Thailand have been thoroughly raped of their trees and water-catchment abilities. Every year we hear of floods, landslides, and other disasters that have had a devastating effect on people and their local economies. So MORE tree planting projects are needed. School trips by ALL schools can be a good experience for students, and the overcrowded prisons and remand centers can offer "good" convicts a chance to get out and get some "green therapy".

In 1994, we had some very heavy rains in the north and NE. With that, the resulting effects were 8 to 10 earthen dams burst. One of these was 9 km from our farmhouse in Mae Ai and one death, destroyed 56 homes, 5 or 6 state buildings (incl. a school), and approx. 15,000 ry of farmland. This was due to slipshod construction of an earthen dam. Corruption was involved and was brought to light on Thai TV by my wife in front of 6 or 7 (very) indignant MP's and their lot.... Compensation was paid out many years later.

Water "sinks" can work and canal tributaries can be dug IF the construction is WELL DOCUMENTED on video and public forums. Dams can take up too much of an area whereas "ang nahm" construction can be quicker and easier maintained at a local level using the Tambon Administrative Org. as the maintenance watchdog.