Bangkok Residents Put On Flood Alert

[webfact]

Bangkok residents put on flood alert

Nirmal Ghosh

The Straits Times

Publication Date : 09-09-2011

Nearly a year after Thailand was hit by its worst floods in decades, communities in several provinces in the north, central and north-east are again under threat as heavy monsoon rains cause water levels to rise dangerously.

Bangkok, too, is bracing itself for heavy rain and potential flooding this weekend. Residents of homes along the Chao Phraya river, which runs through the capital, have been warned to prepare to move to higher ground.

"More rain is coming," said Royal Irrigation Department deputy director-general Weera Wongsangnak.

Farmers along the river have been told to harvest their crops by this weekend - as the authorities usually divert water coming down the river from the dams in the north to rural areas around Bangkok to save the city.

This, however, sometimes creates tension with rural communities over compensation.

Thailand has a complex water management system. Nearly all rivers are manipulated through a system of dams and canals, and Bangkok depends almost entirely on an extensive system of pumps to discharge rainwater into the Chao Phraya, which is separated from the city by a high flood wall.

But as parts of the city are sinking at a rate of 1.5cm to 5cm a year and some areas are below sea level or below the level of the Chao Phraya, Bangkok remains especially vulnerable.

More than 70 people have died in flooding since the monsoon rains began in late June. More than one million people and 162,000ha of agricultural land and fish farms have been affected.

In northern Thailand, aerial pictures taken of Phitsanulok province showed vast swathes of the countryside and villages under water.

In Phichit province just south of Phitsanulok, more than 1,000 houses were reported to be under water and traders in local markets were standing in water to sell their goods.

In one sub-district, flood waters were 3m high for more than a month.

Further south in Nakhon Sawan province, where the Ping and Nan rivers merge to form the Chao Phraya which snakes through the central plains down to Bangkok, the river overflowed its banks and left almost 400 homes under 2m of water.

The floods are the first major administrative challenge facing the government of new Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who has already visited flooded areas several times, including yesterday.

The army has been put on standby for rescue efforts in 10 provinces.

The Cabinet said on Tuesday that nearly 200,000 families would be eligible for official relief. The Interior Ministry said on Sunday that more than

5 billion baht (US$166 million) may be needed for flood relief and rehabilitation.

The annual monsoon rains in Thailand begin in June and typically peak in August and September.

"The water management scheme is well established," said Dr Anond Snidvongs, one of the country's foremost climate and weather scientists.

"The issue is warning people who are about to be flooded, and ensuring adequate compensation."

Dr Anond said climate change modelling showed that Thailand could expect rainfall to be more concentrated over short periods, making flood control a challenge.

Last year's devastating floods affected 25,000 villages, left 230 people dead, and caused damage estimated at US$650 million (S$790 million).

-- ANN 2011-09-09

[londonthai]

after the whole day of rain, my house in Taling Chan, Thonburi, finally gave up to the flush flood. That's the first time in it's history.

the largish khlong close to the house has overspilled, nowhere to pump water out.

it's still raining, doesn't look good for the coming weeks

[bkkjames]

6pm at taksin pier, if it rains heavy the few sandbags they have will be futile. It's almost at the edge now.