Thai Cabinet Discusses Broken Water Gate

[Lite Beer]

Cabinet discusses broken water gate

The Nation on Sunday

Sing Buri's broken Bang Chom Sri Water Gate became a dominant item on the agenda of the Cabinet's videoconference to discuss the flood crisis yesterday, with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra saying she would visit the location today.

Presiding over a meeting to discuss the flooding situation and possible solutions with Cabinet members visiting affected provinces, Yingluck listened to a discussion about severe flooding in Lop Buri, which has been blamed on the broken gate.

Earlier yesterday, Deputy Interior Minister Chuchart Hansawas presided over an urgent meeting at Sara Buri's City Hall with Sara Buri Governor Thavorn Phrommechai and other officials. He said the broken Bang Chom Sri Water Gate would take more than 15 days to repair, and suggested dumping large stones near the gate to lessen the current's strength.

Finance Minister Thirachai Phuvanatnaranubala said that, with the water gate still a problem, the flood situation in Lop Buri was worsening, with 100,000 rai of farmland now submerged, 100,000 residents evacuated and water continuing to pour in.

Pheu Thai MP Suchat Lainam-ngern said Lop Buri had never experienced flooding this bad and that, if the Bang Chom Sri Water Gate couldn't be closed, officials shouldn't wait for the 15 days thought needed to fix the gate, and that Royal Thai Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha should send in troops to fix it in three days.

Yingluck said she would visit the location today. Chuchart said he had urged that heavy machinery be brought in for the repair job, but that the Royal Irrigation Department had dragged its feet on the issue, which he said must be solved in no more than a week. Tourism and Sports Minister Chumpol Silapa-archa urged that any steps taken to tackle the flooding must ensure that damages are equally shared among the affected provinces.

After listening to a report from Phetchabun, where 192,035 residents of all 11 districts have been affected and 107 million rai of farmland ruined, Yingluck gave the green light for the province to submit a proposal to build two "monkey cheek" water-retention areas at a cost of Bt860 million and to seek more emergency funds. She also urged the province to submit the results of surveys of 18 additional "monkey cheek" areas to the 24/7 Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) for Floods, Storms and Landslides. Yingluck also instructed the interior minister to give full authority to acting governor Jirayuth Wajanarat to perform the duties of provincial governor.

It was also reported at the meeting that 300 factories in 18 flood-hit provinces have suffered a total of Bt700 million in damages.

In related news, Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra, who visited and distributed relief bags to residents of Bangkok Noi district communities outside the area protected by a flood barrier there yesterday, admitted that the situation was worrisome. However, he was still confident the 2.5-meter-high barrier would stand firm, as the highest water level recorded there was 1.98 meters.

He instructed all districts to monitor the water situation around the clock and to alert at-risk residents to evacuate if the Chao Phraya River rose to 2.4 meters. He also urged authorities to instruct public transport boats to lower their speed while passing communities outside flood barriers. During his visit to inspect Don Muang district later, Sukhumbhand commented on a planned 17-km-long, 5.6-metre-wide tunnel system to drain floodwaters, saying the project would start in 2013 and be complete in 2016.

-- The Nation 2011-10-02

[Bakseedaa]

And we all know who will get the contract to build the Dammed thing...!

[OzMick]

Any body know what the problem is with the gate - besides the obvious that it won't shut?

15 days seems a long time for a repair, if some think the army could do it in 3.

[Lite Beer]

FLOODS

PM visits Sing Buri Sunday

The Nation

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Friday visited Sing Buri and told officials to speed up repair work of a damaged dyke which has caused water influx into Lop Buri province.

The dyke at the Bang Chom Sri water sluice gate in Sing Buri's In Buri district collapsed on Sept 13, unable to withstand the strong Chao Phraya River currents, causing flooding in Sing Buri and nearby Lopburi provinces.

Accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Yongyuth Wichaidit, the premier left Bangkok by helicopter.

Yingluck was briefed that the water levels in the Ping, Wang, Yom, Nan Rivers which form the Chao Phraya River are still high. The water level of the Chao Phraya River measured at Bangsai district in Ayutthaya was 3,236 cubic metres per second but will not cause flooding in the capital.

However, if it surpasses 3,500 cubic metres per second, Bangkok will be affected.

Director General of Royal Irrigation Department Chalit Damrongsak said the department has expedited diverting flood water into the sea and several branches of rivers. Regarding the damaged dyke, he said rocks in a metal net were dumped at the Bang Chom Sri sluice gate around the clock to slow down torrential current and it will take time to repair it due to strong current.

He also ordered officials to inspect flood prevention walls along the Chao Phraya River as they could be damaged by prolonged floods.

Yingluck said she ordered the royal irrigation department to install more machines to drain flood water and dredge canals to facilitate releasing water into the sea.

She said it will take about 15 days to fix the dyke at the Bang Chom Sri sluice gate due to strong current. It is also difficult for large trucks to transport rocks to the sluice gate as flood victims were migrating to the roadside.

Meanwhile, in the northern province of Lampang, two districts were hit by flash flood early Sunday.

Charal Wongsawat, mayor of Hang Chat sub-district ordered deployment of sand bags to build embankment along the Mae Tan River after flash flood hit the Hang Chat district at 4 am Sunday. Electricity has been cut to prevent electric accidents and tap water supplies have been suspended as a local office of waterworkers authority has been flooded.

Suwit Lekkamhaeng, Hang Chat district chief said the flood water is about one metre deep and about 100 houses have been inundated. Roads and bridges were damaged. He issued warning for locals about another round of flood as heavy rain was reported on mountain in the Doikhuntan National Park connecting Lampang's Hang Chat district and Lamphun.

In Lampang's Ko Kha district, four villages were cut off and the flood water is as high as two metres.

Suwan Klaosunthorn, Lampang deputy governor and Sriroj Nimanpattcharin, Ko Kha district chief visited flood-hit areas after flash flood flowed into the Mae Yao River early Sunday. More than 200 houses have been flooded as the water level is still rising. A local office of the disaster prevention and mitigation office sent boats to help people and distributed 200 sets of flood relief supplies.

-- The Nation 2011-10-02

[ginjag]

FLOODS

PM visits Sing Buri Sunday

The Nation

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Friday visited Sing Buri and told officials to speed up repair work of a damaged dyke which has caused water influx into Lop Buri province.

The dyke at the Bang Chom Sri water sluice gate in Sing Buri's In Buri district collapsed on Sept 13, unable to withstand the strong Chao Phraya River currents, causing flooding in Sing Buri and nearby Lopburi provinces.

Accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Yongyuth Wichaidit, the premier left Bangkok by helicopter.

Yingluck was briefed that the water levels in the Ping, Wang, Yom, Nan Rivers which form the Chao Phraya River are still high. The water level of the Chao Phraya River measured at Bangsai district in Ayutthaya was 3,236 cubic metres per second but will not cause flooding in the capital.

However, if it surpasses 3,500 cubic metres per second, Bangkok will be affected.

Director General of Royal Irrigation Department Chalit Damrongsak said the department has expedited diverting flood water into the sea and several branches of rivers. Regarding the damaged dyke, he said rocks in a metal net were dumped at the Bang Chom Sri sluice gate around the clock to slow down torrential current and it will take time to repair it due to strong current.

He also ordered officials to inspect flood prevention walls along the Chao Phraya River as they could be damaged by prolonged floods.

Yingluck said she ordered the royal irrigation department to install more machines to drain flood water and dredge canals to facilitate releasing water into the sea.

She said it will take about 15 days to fix the dyke at the Bang Chom Sri sluice gate due to strong current. It is also difficult for large trucks to transport rocks to the sluice gate as flood victims were migrating to the roadside.

Meanwhile, in the northern province of Lampang, two districts were hit by flash flood early Sunday.

Charal Wongsawat, mayor of Hang Chat sub-district ordered deployment of sand bags to build embankment along the Mae Tan River after flash flood hit the Hang Chat district at 4 am Sunday. Electricity has been cut to prevent electric accidents and tap water supplies have been suspended as a local office of waterworkers authority has been flooded.

Suwit Lekkamhaeng, Hang Chat district chief said the flood water is about one metre deep and about 100 houses have been inundated. Roads and bridges were damaged. He issued warning for locals about another round of flood as heavy rain was reported on mountain in the Doikhuntan National Park connecting Lampang's Hang Chat district and Lamphun.

In Lampang's Ko Kha district, four villages were cut off and the flood water is as high as two metres.

Suwan Klaosunthorn, Lampang deputy governor and Sriroj Nimanpattcharin, Ko Kha district chief visited flood-hit areas after flash flood flowed into the Mae Yao River early Sunday. More than 200 houses have been flooded as the water level is still rising. A local office of the disaster prevention and mitigation office sent boats to help people and distributed 200 sets of flood relief supplies.

-- The Nation 2011-10-02

Broken watergate -broken hearts -broken promises-

[phiphidon]

And we all know who will get the contract to build the Dammed thing...!

Probably TPI Tolene will get to supply the cement (remember them?) being as the Bangkok Governer is Deputy Secretary General of the democrat party and proposed these super drains during the tenure of the democrat party. I mean they still haven't got their moneys worth for the 258 million baht donation yet have they?

[rubl]

And we all know who will get the contract to build the Dammed thing...!

Probably TPI Tolene will get to supply the cement (remember them?) being as the Bangkok Governer is Deputy Secretary General of the democrat party and proposed these super drains during the tenure of the democrat party. I mean they still haven't got their moneys worth for the 258 million baht donation yet have they?

Maybe SCG (Siam Cement Public Company Ltd.), also a big player.

As for the alleged THB 258M, sorry dear chap, alleged. Court case dismissed, reason a technicality, but even without this case had a lot of 'hearsay' aspects which don't work well in court. Of course having some UDD leaders with friendly supporters pass by to express their desire for justice 'red-shirt' style had nothing to do with starting the court case in the first place