Deluge Heading To Rangsit: Thailand Flood Crisis

[webfact]

FLOOD CRISIS

Deluge heading to Rangsit

THE NATION

Governor warns run-offs from North coming towards capital faster than expected. About 1.2 billionn cubic metres of water expected to sweep around Rangsit Canal.

A massive run-off from the North is bearing down on Bangkok faster than expected and should reach Rangsit Canal tonight, Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra said yesterday.

During his third press conference of the day, as part of his updates every three hours, he said all the sluice gates of Canals 1-12 were opened. The water from submerged Nava Nakorn Industrial Estate would arrive first followed by the water from Rapeepat Canal.

The flood is expected to surge into Canal 2 and Hok Wa Canal, the frontline defence of the capital, tomorrow.

Sukhumbhand earlier urged 200 households along Hok Wa Canal to seek shelter at Ritthiyawannalai 2 School, which could accommodate 1,000 people. H also told residents in seven at-risk districts to move their belongings and electric sockets to higher elevations and prepare for evacuation.

The seven districts are Sai Mai, Bang Khen, Khlong Sam Wa, Nong Chok, Min Buri, Lat Krabang and Khan Na Yao.

He said 1.2 billion cubic metres of water were expected to sweep over areas around Rangsit Canal, which could handle only 400 million cubic metres.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said construction of flood barriers along Rangsit-Pathum Thani Road north of Bangkok has almost been completed

Citing Defence Minister Yuthasak Sasiprapha, she said some sections remained unfinished along the entire 17-kilometre stretch but the work by Army engineers was continuing.

Within 24 hours, floodwater from Pathum Thani will possibly pass through these new barriers, but she did not say whether they would be ready in time before the water arrived.

The government and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration will jointly build a flood barricade along the Outer Eastern Ring Road, starting from the Phra In sluice gate north of Bangkok, to divert the flow eastwards to Nakhon Nayok and Chachoengsao, Yingluck said.

She was speaking after meeting with Justice Minister Pracha Promnok, who is in charge of the Flood Relief Operations Centre, and Sudarat Keyuraphan, an executive of the now-defunct Thai Rak Thai Party.

An aerial survey of the Rapeepat, 1-12, Rangsit and southern Hok Wa canals found the dykes at about one foot above water level and breaches here and there along the Rapeepat Canal dykes.

About 8 billion cubic metres of runoff remained in Rangsit, Bang Pa-in and the Ayutthaya, Pathum Thani and Bangkok boundaries, while 300 million cubic metres could be drained daily through the Chao Phraya River, 26 million cubic metres to the east of Bangkok and 60 million cubic metres of water to the west.

Residents in southern Rangsit Canal communities protested against the opening of their sluice gate, so only the gates of Canals 3,4 and 8 could be opened. The water in Canal 6 rose and exceeded the level in the Rapeepat Canal, which was a critical point as the last gate to the inner city.

Ratchapon Boonrawd, deputy chief of Bangkok's Sai Mai district, said six-kilometre-long sandbag walls had already been laid along Canal 2 and Hok Wa Canal. The dykes would be reinforced although the roads along the canal would be closed.

The district had prepared many places for vehicle parking, he said.

Anudith Nakornthap, the MP for Sai Mai district and also the information and communications technology minister, said the drainage of floodwater from the North was being managed with the aim to best protect Bangkok without political interference. For eastern areas, the Engineering Institute of Thailand would inspect the floodwalls protecting the Lat Krabang Industrial Estate to make sure they are strong, he said after meeting with Justice Minister Pracha and Sudarat.

Chuchart Supawattanangkul, who is responsible for North Rangsit irrigation maintenance and water distribution, said a huge volume of water was rushing through the Khlong Luang and Thanyaburi districts of Pathum Thani and would definitely overwhelm Rangsit Canal.

Then the water would wash through areas in Bangkok as the dykes around the Chulalongkorn sluice gate were not as sturdy as the broken barrier of Rapeepat Canal in Khlong Luang district. The current was running at about 70 cubic metres per second, which was considered huge, he said.

About 40 metres of the dyke along Rapeepat Canal, around Canals 4 and 5, were breached late Tuesday evening, letting torrents stream across the road, which lies below and along the canal, then inundating over 50-60 households in downstream communities. Repair of the dyke was made difficult by the strong currents and emergence of the breach, said Charn Puangpetch, president of the Pathum Thani Provincial Administration Organisation.

-- The Nation 2011-10-20

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Military fortifies headquarters

The Nation

The Army, Navy and Air Force yesterday started fortifying their Bangkok headquarters and activating contingency plans as defences against the impending inundation.

The Army headquarters, located on Rajdamnoen Avenue, has two flood plans, Colonel Wanchana Kerddee, a deputy spokesman, said yesterday.

As per the first plan, soldiers are filling 10,000 sandbags daily to build a dyke to protect the compound, and generators have been installed in case of a brownout. Should the first plan fail, the second plan would be to relocate headquarters to the Army Officers Club on Vibhavadi-Rangsit Highway, which is higher.

Defence Minister Yuthasak Sasiprapha will hold a meeting next Thursday to review the plans to safeguard military installations.

The flood risk to the Navy's headquarters perched on a bank of the Chao Phraya River was not from overflows, as its protective wall was adequate, but from the flow from Ayutthaya and Pathum Thani attacking from the rear, said Vice Admiral Taweewut Pongpipat, the Navy's deputy chief of staff.

The Navy would closely monitor the overland threat before deciding on its next step, he added.

The Air Force projected that in the worst-case scenario, its headquarters at Don Mueang Airport might be surrounded by about one metre of water, said Air Vice Marshal Monthon Satchukorn, a spokesman.

Plans were in place to relocate offices to upper floors of the six-storey headquarters building, he said.

-- The Nation 2011-10-20

[chadintheusa]

Congratulations to the Governor of Bangkok for finally speaking up and telling the people what they need to know. They need honesty, not constantly revised fantasy like Bangkok will be saved, I mean central Bangkok will be saved, well maybe some of downtown will be saved, well certainly the top of Baiyoke tower will remain relatively dry.

[marquess]

Congratulations to the Governor of Bangkok for finally speaking up and telling the people what they need to know. They need honesty, not constantly revised fantasy like Bangkok will be saved, I mean central Bangkok will be saved, well maybe some of downtown will be saved, well certainly the top of Baiyoke tower will remain relatively dry.

I live in Don Muang and I am following the news avidly, I doubt there will be many places to move my car to, according to a report posted earlier, (05.33) the water level at Klong Phrapa was due to go down in two hours due to pumps. Apparently Yingluck is on site at the water works. My theory is that if Don Muang floods, then alot more places will do in Bangkok, as it is on relatively high ground. If anyone else could give me any information as to what is going on I would be most grateful.

[alexakap]

Congratulations to the Governor of Bangkok for finally speaking up and telling the people what they need to know. They need honesty, not constantly revised fantasy like Bangkok will be saved, I mean central Bangkok will be saved, well maybe some of downtown will be saved, well certainly the top of Baiyoke tower will remain relatively dry.

I live in Don Muang and I am following the news avidly, I doubt there will be many places to move my car to, according to a report posted earlier, (05.33) the water level at Klong Phrapa was due to go down in two hours due to pumps. Apparently Yingluck is on site at the water works. My theory is that if Don Muang floods, then alot more places will do in Bangkok, as it is on relatively high ground. If anyone else could give me any information as to what is going on I would be most grateful.

Here is Kklong Prapa now (07-00am), right at the line of DonMuang...

I can't see any level to go any inch down, but just up...

[SunDaRi]

Same canal but the surrounding barriers may be do

Different. I hope it doesn't flood today up saphan mai. I am already planning to move to pattaya for time being.

[alexakap]

Same canal but the surrounding barriers may be do

Different. I hope it doesn't flood today up saphan mai. I am already planning to move to pattaya for time being.

One more.

Notice the crowd at the bridge (left). Those are ppl from flooded houses (opposite side of the channel) coming to any heights. Notice the water level just under the bridge, too - just a few inches left to cover the bridge...

Klong Prapa, Pathumthani, this very morning.

If you proceed just a few km to the left following the klong - you'll meet BigC+Lotus Chaeng Wattana rd. But there is no passable road now - see my 2 pics in da prev.post.

Edited October 20, 2011 by alexakap

[Macmundi]

This is just the beginning, folks. If Thai people remain ignorant and waiting for politicians to act, Bangkok and other cities in Thailand will drown. Soon we will not see fancy cars on the streets, we will see fancy boats, speedboats, and recreational boats parked next to second (or third) floor balconies. When this seasonal water resides, I hope I can see continuous action to prevent flooding, not plans to get foreign aid. I wonder where the rich people stand in times like this. One subconscious thought in mind: Will they seek higher grounds to store their wealth or will they invest their wealth to rescue the land that made them wealthy.

[wintermute]

One subconscious thought in mind: Will they seek higher grounds to store their wealth or will they invest their wealth to rescue the land that made them wealthy.

Most of the really rich elite have homes abroad or have invested interest elsewhere already. It's quite normal for upper class Thais to have a condo or home in the U.S., Australia, Singapore, HK, or the U.K. They aren't stupid a lot of them understand the political and economic head winds a lot better than any of us.

The rich might even receive windfall profit the next year from this because there will be discount land deals, aid to fleece, and construction contracts galore when this is over with.

[up-country_sinclair]

I have plans to visit Bangkok over the weekend, and most of my time will be spent around middle Sukhumvit. I really don't want to cancel of postpone my visit, but obviously I don't want to end up stuck in Bangkok until the potential deluge subsides.

Any predictions or insight on the floods causing problems at Suvarnabhumi or middle Sukhumvit?

[Arkady]

I have plans to visit Bangkok over the weekend, and most of my time will be spent around middle Sukhumvit. I really don't want to cancel of postpone my visit, but obviously I don't want to end up stuck in Bangkok until the potential deluge subsides.

Any predictions or insight on the floods causing problems at Suvarnabhumi or middle Sukhumvit?

Floods are likely to be in town by tomorrow. Sukhumvit is traditionally flooded and I have seen it a metre deep in the middle sois. Suvarnabhumi should hold but who knows? It has never been tested against a massive flood. The airport fuel pipeline owned by BAFS is very vulnerable. So planes could be stranded without fuel. You might well be quite OK but I would not wish to be here at the week-end if I didn't have to be.

Edited October 20, 2011 by Arkady

[ratcatcher]

I have plans to visit Bangkok over the weekend, and most of my time will be spent around middle Sukhumvit. I really don't want to cancel of postpone my visit, but obviously I don't want to end up stuck in Bangkok until the potential deluge subsides.

Any predictions or insight on the floods causing problems at Suvarnabhumi or middle Sukhumvit?

Sukumvit will be flooded around Soi 23/ Soi Cowboy area for a short time only.