Thailand Live Sunday 16 Oct 2011

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At 11:45 Flood Relief Operation Command held press conference saying BKK will most likely not see flooding/TAN_Network

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Thai capital's barriers hold but floods still menace

BANGKOK, October 16, 2011 (AFP) - Flood defences protecting the Thai capital held up on Sunday, but the advancing waters that have swamped the inland still threaten to engulf Bangkok in a disaster that has claimed 300 lives.

Follow link here: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/505657-thai-capitals-barriers-hold-but-floods-still-menace/page__view__findpost__p__4768799

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More than 1,000 boats speed outflow of three rivers into sea to brace for coming flood water

NONTHABURI, Oct 16 – More than 1,000 boats from state and private agencies on Sunday joined in an operation to push water along three rivers into the ocean on Sunday to brace for floodwater from upstream Ayutthaya and Pathum Thani.

Follow this link: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/504090-1000-boats-to-push-flood-waters-from-chao-phraya-river/page__view__findpost__p__4768815

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Taweewattana district chief reassures residents current flooding there stems from heavy rain not northern flood runoff/TAN_Network

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A Thai boy holds aloft banknotes to keep them dry while he swims during the flood in Nonthaburi province, suburban Bangkok, on October 15, 2011. Thailand fought to hold back floodwaters flowing towards Bangkok as a spring tide hindered efforts to protect the city of 12 million people from the kingdom's worst inundation in decades.

-- TNA 2011-10-16

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Factory Land w\93 factories is flooded. All five industrial estates in Ayutthaya submerged in water./Biz_TheNation

Soldiers and workers in Nava Nakorn filling up sandbags to protect estate. Imvestors observed with concern: TPBS/Biz_TheNation

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RT @Aormortor Thammasat Univ Rangsit flood relief shelter call 02-5643281-2, 02-5643284, 02-5644027-8, 02-5644109/Via@annnation_nt

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From flood relief centre: Bulk of water from North has passed into sea. Water level not dropping however as water drains from flooded area/@terryfrd

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US experts to assess flood-borne devastation

BANGKOK, 16 October 2011 (NNT) – The US. has sent a team of disaster experts to the country to assess devastation brought on by floods.

The expert team, which comprises 10 navy personnel, also gave 18,000 sand bags to the government.

US Ambassador to Thailand Kristie Kenney who greeted the team expressed sympathy towards flood victims.

The experts will submit the report of devastation assessment to the US government to see which type of aid the US can offer to Thailand.

-- NNT 2011-10-16

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US civilian & military humanitarian experts meeting w Thai Govt & NGOs this am. Touring hard hit areas this pm./Via@KristieKenney

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Sea level expected 2 rise again on Oct 28-30,BKK ppl shuld still protect their flood embankments:Flood Relief Ctr@jin_nation/Via@tucky_nt

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Final King High Tide will be tomorrow then the next set is from 27-31 October. High Tide tonight 7:35pm/Via@RichardBarrow

Boat races in Samut Prakan & Phra Pradaeng have been canceled due to strong currents on the Chao Phraya/Via@RichardBarrow

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NBT news showed Australian Ambassador to Thailand James Wise visiting Lop Buri to distribute survival kits to flood victims./Via@8td

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RT @JackPrinya: BMA: last night's minor floods in BKK result of heavy rainfall 154 mm, not runoff from North or tide./@veen_NT

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BKK governor expresses concern about flooding in Donmuang,Saimai;confident situation under control despite more water from Bangsai floodgate/TAN_Network

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Wow RT @USEmbassyBKK: US Marines &Thai Mil are airborne. Here is view fm helicopter - north of Bangkok.http://yfrog.com/hscqnhgj/Via@KristieKenney

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RT @ThaiFaq: Any estimates on how long for floodwater to flow into the sea? => Minimum 40 days if no rain/Via@RichardBarrow

1,000 Baht bounty for any crocodile caught dead or alive; 300 escaped in Ayuthaya alone (BkkPost)/Via@RichardBarrow

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[3.15pm] Klong Neung sluice gate in Pathum Thani has been closed after 1-metre-high water hit its community. via INN /@tucky_nt

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Bangkok braces for new round of floods at the end of October

BANGKOK, 16 October 2011 (NNT) - Inner Bangkok is certain to be safe from the big flood expected this weekend and next.

Royal Irrigation Department Director-General Chalit Damrongsak said the much-talked-about large volume of floodwater has passed Bangkok and drifted to the sea. The flood levels around Bangkok is however still stable as floodwater remaining in most fields in the North and at various industrial estates started flowing down slowly to the mouth of the Chao Phraya via various tributaries, causing the level of water in the Chao Phraya River to remain high.

Speaking at a press conference at the Flood Relief Operations Center, Mr Chalit thanked people along Klong Rangsit 8, 9 and 10 for allowing officials to open floodgates, enabling the officials to control the direction of flood water. However, some parts on the outskirts of Bangkok such as in Chiang Rak area on the east are still under threats, and numerous water pumping machines have been installed to protect the areas. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is setting up sand bags on a distance of 6 kilometers to prevent ravaging floods.

The Director-General said sea tide is forecasted to rise to its height again during 28-30 October. He therefore asked people not to demolish flood walls but to reinforce them for a certain period of time.

-- NNT 2011-10-16

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"CrocBuster" !!! Fishery Department opens a hotline to help catch crocodiles call K.Charoenchai 081-607 6332 RT @MrVop/@veen_NT

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[4PM] There are over 3,800 evacuees at Thammasat U. Rangsit Evacuation Center.TR @chavarong /@ASEAN_NEWSROOM

TU Rangsit can't accept more evacuee as the place is in flooded-risk area.Flood victims will be transferred to other centers. TR @chavarong/@ASEAN_NEWSROOM

TR @chavarong: TU shelter has accommodated 3,800 flood victims, and, facing flood threat itself, can't receive more evacuees/@tulsathit

TR @chavarong: If flood threat at TU center escalates, some ppl will be moved to nearby higher buildings. Facilities are being prepared/@tulsathit

RT @chavarong: TU center has enough clothing, bedroom materials. Donations can be made to needier shelters./@tulsathit

Publishers and Booksellers Association of Thailand donated 2,500 books to TU Rangsit Shelter, plus Bt700,000 cash to Pa Foundation./@Biz_TheNation

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Floods dampen Book Expo 2011 sales

The Nation

The Book Expo 2011 ended with miserable revenue, as the number of visitors dropped 150,000 or 15 per cent on year to 1.4 million due to the historical floods.

The organiser said in a statement that the 12-day event generated Bt350 million in sale revenue, representing a 30 per cent decline from last year’s event.

"Contributing chiefly to the lower number of visitors were the floods which were affecting Northern Bangkok and prompting Bangkok residents to closely observe water levels. Others are careful over their spending," said Worapan Lokitsathaporn, president of the Publishers and Booksellers Association of Thailand.

Best-selling were items on literatures, novels, and applied Dhamma.

During the event, PUBAT Charity programme was launched, able to mobilise Bt350,000 in cash donation for flood victims. The assoication topped up the amount and the Bt700,000 amount was presented to Pa Foundation. Over 2,500 books were also donated to flood victims at Thammasat University Rangsit Campus.

-- The Nation 2011-10-16

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Huge volume of northern run-off flows to sea, eases flood threat in capital

BANGKOK, Oct 16 – A huge mass of northern run-off from upstream in Nakhon Sawan has already flowed to the sea, easing concerns over possible flooding in the capital during high tide period Sunday, said Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Theera Wongsamut.

The National Flood Relief Centre earlier expressed concerns over the high level of the Chao Phraya River forecast to reach 2.30 metres Sunday, caused by the northern run-off, coinciding with the period of high tide.

However, Mr Theera said the water levels in Klong Rangsit 1 - 10 may rise but he reassured that sluice gates in the east and in the west can handle increasing water while pumps at Rangsit sluice gate drains water around the clock.

Irrigation Department chief Chalit Damrongsak also reassured that the overall water situation has become stable after a huge volume of northern run-off, combined with the high tide period, has passed.

However, he is still concerned over possible breaches if sand embankments fail. He instructed all areas around Bangkok to monitor flood prevention dykes and to replace worn-out sandbags and to brace for another period of high tide from October 28-30.

Regarding a flood threat to Bangkok’s northern districts of Sai Mai, Yotsak Kongmak, Assistant Permanent Secretary for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) said the BMA is cooperating with the irrigation department to close the Rangsit Klong 1 sluice gate for fear of overflowing water into the Hokwa canal, posing a flood threat to Sai Mai district.

The BMA asked the irrigation department to open another sluice gate of Klong Chaingraknoi instead.

He said he believed Sai Mai and Don Mueang areas will be spared from flooding as a six-kilometer barrier has been fortified. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-10-16

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FLOODS

The worst apparently over: Agriculture Minister

The Nation

Agriculture Minister Theera Wongsamut assured Bangkok residents living along the Chao Phraya River that the worst is over, as water peaked yesterday at 2.29 metres against the 2.5-metre flood barrier height.

At the Flood Relief Operations Centre press conference today, he added that water level in Singburi and Ayutthaya tends to be lower today as massive run-off from Nakhon Sawan has passed Bangkok.

This is an assurance to Bangkok residents, now that all five industrial estates in Ayutthaya are submerged in water, with Factory Land being the latest victim. Full efforts are being mobilised to protect Nava Nakorn Industrial Estate and Bang Kradi Industrial Estate in Pathum Thani.

Royal Irrigation Department Director-General Chalit Damrongsak added that from this day on, the water level in Chao Phraya River will stabilise while water from Ayutthaya will be diverted to East of Bangkok and possibly Chiang Rak Noi in Pathum Thani with consent from villagers.

He also thanked residents along Rangsit Khlong 8-10 for their cooperation. Now, the department is putting as many pumps as possible at Khlong 10 to drain water to the Gulf of Thailand.

He said that as much water as possible would be drained before the sea level would rise during October 28-30.

At the subsequent press conference, FROC also announced that the Royal Thai Army would handle the water management in five provinces - Nakhon Sawan, Ayutthaya, Lop Buri, Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi.

-- The Nation 2011-10-16

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Nine parking areas provided by Experssway Authority

The Expressway Authority of Thailand has provided 9 parking areas UNDERNEATH of the express way without obstructing the traffic by the total amount of 2,900 cars to help relieve affliction from flood.

They are:

1.) Under the Ngamwongwarn Expressway 200

2.) Under the Ratchadapisek Expressway 100

3.) Sport yard behind King Mongkut Hospital 200

4.) Parking lot under Asoka Expressway 1,000

5.) Highway Vatcharaphol, Northern Ramindra road 200

6.) Under Ramindra Expressway from Ramindra u-turn point to canal line 1,000

7.) Under Rama 9 Expressway 1,500

8.) Under Sathu- Pradit Expressway 100

9.) Under The Rama9 bridge, Thonburi.

-- The Nation 2011-10-16

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Flooding ravages Thai Market; PM promises to protect Navanakorn Industrial Park from flooding/TAN_Network

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Ban Phrao sluice gate fixed

The Nation

Khlong Ban Phrao sluice gate in Pathum Thani is fixed, said Royal Irrigation Department's engineer Montree Tantrakul.

The gate was damaged on Oct 9 by massive water. Pathum Thani started the fixing on Oct 11 with help from the department.

Montree said that the gate can function nearly 100 per cent.

-- The Nation 2011-10-16

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Labor ministry to aid flood-affected workers in Ayutthaya

AYUTTHAYA, 16 October 2011 (NNT) - Related agencies have been instructed to draft plans on flood relief operation to assist affected employees in Ayutthaya after 4 major industrial estates in the province have been submerged.

In response to a severe ongoing inundation in Ayutthaya that has so far swamped 4 major industrial estates in the province causing a complete halt of operations, Ayutthaya governor Wittaya Piewphong revealed that he has instructed related units under the Ministry of Labor to urgently come up with a plan to help workers.

He said that all of the factories in these estates were expecting to shut down and more than 300,000 workers would be jobless. Therefore, an assistance plan focusing on an occupational training and a temporary employment in the labor market will be laid out.

The four industrial estates namely Rojana, Hi-Tech, Saha Rattana Nakorn and Bang Pa-In Industrial Estates, have completely been devastated by flood. They have a combined investment value of about 194 billion THB.

-- NNT 2011-10-16

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All five industrial estates of Ayutthaya submerged.

AYUTTHAYA, Oct 16 - The Factory Land Industrial Estate in Ayutthaya's Wang Noi district, the last factory in Ayutthaya which had earlier survived flooding, has finally succumbed to flood Sunday.

Currently, all five industrial estates in Ayutthaya are under water, including four industrial estates - Saha Rattana Nakhon, Bang Pa-in, Rojana, and Hi-Tech - earlier hit by flooding. All five industrial estates are valued at about 200 billion baht in total investment capital and employ more than 200,000 workers.

Meanwhile, the National Flood Relief Centre is still confident that Navanakhon Industrial Estate in Pathum Thani can be spared from flooding.

Soldiers and workers at the Navanakhon Industrial Estate have hurried to fill sandbags to fortify flood walls in the northern and eastern part of the industrial estate with another 50 centimetre height in order to protect 200 plants from flooding.

The Navanakhon Industrial Estate has been threatened by flood coming from the Bang Pa-in Industrial Estate, located nine kilometers away.

Industry Minister Wannarat Charnnukul talked with executives of the Navanakhon Industrial Estate to respond to the flood situation and inspected the dyke.

The minister ordered the irrigation department to provide 2,500 iron sheets to reinforce the earthen dyke in the west in the path of flood waters.

The executives proposed diverting the flood water, surrounding the estate, to three canals. The ministry will bring their suggestion up for discussion with the national flood relief centre. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-10-16

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Deputy PM Kitirat to lead re-assessment of economic damage from flood tomorrow./Via@tulsathit