Samut Prakan Ready To Take Bangkok Overflow: Experts

[webfact]

Samut Prakan ready to take Bangkok overflow : experts

Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation

A committee tasked with diverting water to the sea has asked the government to open watergates to drain water from the upper area of Bangkok to the sea via Samut Prakan province's canals.

"All canals in Samut Prakan have been ready to receive flood water drainage from Bangkok for almost three weeks - but now there is little volume of water being discharged from Bangkok's watergates," committee chairman Uthen Chartpinyo said during a tour with media to inspect the canal levels and pump stations in the province.

Samut Prakan, the last area before flood water flows to the sea, has nine pump stations and could drain about 40 million cubic metres per day of water into the Gulf of Thailand. There are 99 pump machines to drain the water but six do not function, as local authorities have not maintained them.

Flood water should be drained from Nong Chok, San Sab, Prawet, Lat Krabang, Jor Ra Keh Yai, Sam Rong Water, and Suvarnabhumi watergates. "We are waiting for Bangkok to open its gates," he said.

"We need to drain water via Bangkok to help people living in upper areas such as Ayutthaya and Pathum Thani who have been living with floods for a month, but the most important thing is we have to control the level of water in the canals," he added.

The level in Samut Prakan province's canals is 20-43 centimetres below normal as the local administration has drained a lot of water to the sea already.

However, Samut Prakan Governor Cherdsak Choosri accepted that some areas in the province such as Bang Bo could still be at risk from flooding should the canals overflow.

"We are preparing to evacuate 2,000 people from this area," he said.

-- The Nation 2011-10-22

[aussiebebe]

The authorities in Samut Prakan should be commended for getting ahead in draining the canals - most residents and media outlets are incorrectly reporting that canals are full, not 2 meters below normal levels (is that a typo? surely 2 meters, not 20? did they mean 2043 millimeters instead of centimeters?). If the Bangkok gates are opened slowly, water may yet be drained without significant flooding in the city; His Majesty did open the new Pho shortcut canal late last year and the airport drainage canal runs through the province.

[zakk9]

They have been pumping water out from Samut Prakan for a while, and the water level of the Khlong going parallel to Theparak road (I believe that is Khlong Dan Samrong) sank with a meter or more yesterday to almost two meters below flooding. Today it's up to normal level again, so I guess they are getting some flood water through.

If they had maintained and used the khlong system correctly, and built some new, larger khlongs for draining water from as far north as Nakhon Sawan, a lot of lives, property and money could undoubtedly have been saved. But I guess motorways are more popular these days

[MichaelMaruschke]

The authorities in Samut Prakan should be commended for getting ahead in draining the canals - most residents and media outlets are incorrectly reporting that canals are full, not 2 meters below normal levels (is that a typo? surely 2 meters, not 20? did they mean 2043 millimeters instead of centimeters?). If the Bangkok gates are opened slowly, water may yet be drained without significant flooding in the city; His Majesty did open the new Pho shortcut canal late last year and the airport drainage canal runs through the province.

It could really be that some canals here in Samutprakarn are 2 meters below normal. I stay in Samutprakarn and yesterday I was also surprised about the very low levels of many canals and Klongs. Obviously they are using pumps to empty the canals and waiting for the water from Bangkok.

[whybother]

The authorities in Samut Prakan should be commended for getting ahead in draining the canals - most residents and media outlets are incorrectly reporting that canals are full, not 2 meters below normal levels (is that a typo? surely 2 meters, not 20? did they mean 2043 millimeters instead of centimeters?). If the Bangkok gates are opened slowly, water may yet be drained without significant flooding in the city; His Majesty did open the new Pho shortcut canal late last year and the airport drainage canal runs through the province.

As usual with The Nations' online articles, there is a missing "-".

It should read "20 - 43 centimetres".

[webfact]

The authorities in Samut Prakan should be commended for getting ahead in draining the canals - most residents and media outlets are incorrectly reporting that canals are full, not 2 meters below normal levels (is that a typo? surely 2 meters, not 20? did they mean 2043 millimeters instead of centimeters?). If the Bangkok gates are opened slowly, water may yet be drained without significant flooding in the city; His Majesty did open the new Pho shortcut canal late last year and the airport drainage canal runs through the province.

As usual with The Nations' online articles, there is a missing "-".

It should read "20 - 43 centimetres".

typo has been corrected. No need to "discuss" that further

Thanks

[whybother]

typo has been corrected. No nee to "discuss" that further

Thanks

Not blaming you Webfact. It's a constant problem in the original online Nation articles.

[DocN]

"There are 99 pump machines to drain the water but six do not function, as local authorities have not maintained them."

...and THAT, ladies and gentleme, is the problem. Not that i want to make a fuss about 6 pumps...but if you multiply this kind thing with all provinces or districts, ad the highest amount of rainwater EVAH, ad some guys who are reluctant to open reservoirs and ad none-existing emergency plans and water- management: THIS is what you get!

[whybother]

"There are 99 pump machines to drain the water but six do not function, as local authorities have not maintained them."

...and THAT, ladies and gentleme, is the problem. Not that i want to make a fuss about 6 pumps...but if you multiply this kind thing with all provinces or districts, ad the highest amount of rainwater EVAH, ad some guys who are reluctant to open reservoirs and ad none-existing emergency plans and water- management: THIS is what you get!

I don't really think that having 6 out of 99 pumps not working would be that abnormal. And given that there has been very little water passing through the Bangkok klongs, it certainly wouldn't have made any difference in this case. You would probably also find that the places where a pump is not working, there are 5 or 6 other pumps at the same location. At places where there are only 2 or 3 pumps, they would probably all be working.

[OzMick]

Less than 7% out for maintenance or repair sounds pretty reasonable to me. For most industrial applications a redundancy of 50% (one standby for 2 on duty) pumps is normal, 100% not uncommon, and for essential services 200% (2 standbys for 1 duty).

Of course a politician doesn't understand this, he expects everything to be perfect in Utopia, except maybe his promises. Should I include "or her"?

[Murgatroyd]

As a Bang Bo resident, living about 25 yards from one of these canals I guess it's going to be our turn soon. I thought we might have escaped the flooding, but now this seems doubtful. I have a small sandbag wall protecting half the yard, and enough food and water for a fortnight. Battery lamps, candles and torches, and the makings of a bucket based sanitation system. I've dragged a lot of stuff upstairs, and will take more if and when the waters rise. Just have to hope for the best.

I have to say that I've seen no sign of the Governor's evacuation preparations.

Edited October 22, 2011 by Murgatroyd

[siampolee]

I have to say that I've seen no sign of the Governor's evacuation preparations.

There's a novelty , dream on Murgatroyd dream on.

We actually live in Nam Dang on Thepperak road, we have a klong near us but at the moment all sems to be fine although water level is up and water running fast.Time alone will tell.

Edited October 22, 2011 by siampolee

[tonytigerbkk]

Hey I live in Nam Dang as well.

Maybe I have bumped into you on the odd occasion.

[tommyuk77]

anyone know where can i buy the sandbag?i live in bangcharlong.....:jap:

can pm to me ...thanks

[Ijustwannateach]

I was passing over those canals on the skytrain just last week and remembered thinking they looked rather low and how that was ironic... good thinking ahead there.

[elgato]

"All canals in Samut Prakan have been ready to receive flood water drainage from Bangkok for almost three weeks - but now there is little volume of water being discharged from Bangkok's watergates," committee chairman Uthen Chartpinyo said

Looks like somebody is on the ball. Kudos to Uthen!

[maloyd1]

The authorities in Samut Prakan should be commended for getting ahead in draining the canals - most residents and media outlets are incorrectly reporting that canals are full, not 2 meters below normal levels (is that a typo? surely 2 meters, not 20? did they mean 2043 millimeters instead of centimeters?). If the Bangkok gates are opened slowly, water may yet be drained without significant flooding in the city; His Majesty did open the new Pho shortcut canal late last year and the airport drainage canal runs through the province.

As usual with The Nations' online articles, there is a missing "-".

It should read "20 - 43 centimetres".

typo has been corrected. No need to "discuss" that further

Thanks

Never read it as anything other than 20cm to 43cm. That is about 1/2 metre or am I incorrect???

[FalangBaa]

The hundreds of crocodiles in Samut Prakarn Crocodile Farm are licking their lips in anticipation of the freedom and the feast ahead...

[siampolee]

Hey I live in Nam Dang as well.

Maybe I have bumped into you on the odd occasion.

I'm sure our glasses have met a time or two!!

[siampolee]

I was passing over those canals on the skytrain just last week and remembered thinking they looked rather low and how that was ironic... good thinking ahead there.

Not sure where you are coming from, the skytrain terminates around Soi Baring which is some considerable distance from any canals in Samut Prakarn, Thepperak road Sri Nakarin road etc.

Edited October 22, 2011 by thaiphoon
Quote repaired

[DocN]

"There are 99 pump machines to drain the water but six do not function, as local authorities have not maintained them."

...and THAT, ladies and gentleme, is the problem. Not that i want to make a fuss about 6 pumps...but if you multiply this kind thing with all provinces or districts, ad the highest amount of rainwater EVAH, ad some guys who are reluctant to open reservoirs and ad none-existing emergency plans and water- management: THIS is what you get!

I don't really think that having 6 out of 99 pumps not working would be that abnormal. And given that there has been very little water passing through the Bangkok klongs, it certainly wouldn't have made any difference in this case. You would probably also find that the places where a pump is not working, there are 5 or 6 other pumps at the same location. At places where there are only 2 or 3 pumps, they would probably all be working.

I wasn't aiming for the number, as I said! "have not maintained them" and that's why they are not working- is my point! The missmanagment doesn't start with this government, although they made plenty of mistakes. No organisation, no maintainance, "mai pen rai"...there are a 100 things from 40+ years, that brought us, where we are now! Chindeep in fecies and stinking water!

[SOTIRIOS]

This is mind-blowing.......what the !@#$%^&*( are they waiting for?

People are scrambling left and right.........if you have no water filter you have to search hours for water right now......(just past Don Muang)...........and Bangkok hasn't given the order to start draining????

Am I missing something her?

We will be in under 1 meter of water for 4-6 weeks but wait before beginning to drain???

[johnefallis]

"There are 99 pump machines to drain the water but six do not function, as local authorities have not maintained them."

...and THAT, ladies and gentleme, is the problem. Not that i want to make a fuss about 6 pumps...but if you multiply this kind thing with all provinces or districts, ad the highest amount of rainwater EVAH, ad some guys who are reluctant to open reservoirs and ad none-existing emergency plans and water- management: THIS is what you get!

??? What do you get? A guy that can't spell add? Good thing you're not in charge, the world might come to an end the way you old women complain about everything!

Remove the plank from thine own eye first....or something like that...

:-)

[DocN]

"There are 99 pump machines to drain the water but six do not function, as local authorities have not maintained them."

...and THAT, ladies and gentleme, is the problem. Not that i want to make a fuss about 6 pumps...but if you multiply this kind thing with all provinces or districts, ad the highest amount of rainwater EVAH, ad some guys who are reluctant to open reservoirs and ad none-existing emergency plans and water- management: THIS is what you get!

??? What do you get? A guy that can't spell add? Good thing you're not in charge, the world might come to an end the way you old women complain about everything!

Remove the plank from thine own eye first....or something like that...

:-)

Sorry, oh divine one...english is not my mother tongue and I spelled a word wrong...how dare I post here?

If you have something substatial to ADD to my post, I will be happy to discuss it with you...if you might get down from your ivory tower first...

[StreetCowboy]

"There are 99 pump machines to drain the water but six do not function, as local authorities have not maintained them."

...and THAT, ladies and gentleme, is the problem. Not that i want to make a fuss about 6 pumps...but if you multiply this kind thing with all provinces or districts, ad the highest amount of rainwater EVAH, ad some guys who are reluctant to open reservoirs and ad none-existing emergency plans and water- management: THIS is what you get!

I don't really think that having 6 out of 99 pumps not working would be that abnormal. And given that there has been very little water passing through the Bangkok klongs, it certainly wouldn't have made any difference in this case. You would probably also find that the places where a pump is not working, there are 5 or 6 other pumps at the same location. At places where there are only 2 or 3 pumps, they would probably all be working.

I wasn't aiming for the number, as I said! "have not maintained them" and that's why they are not working- is my point! The missmanagment doesn't start with this government, although they made plenty of mistakes. No organisation, no maintainance, "mai pen rai"...there are a 100 things from 40+ years, that brought us, where we are now! Chindeep in fecies and stinking water!

It might be an inappropriate translation. Perhaps "repaired" might have been a better term. Maybe they have not been repaired because parts are on order from overseas, or the failures are not run-of-the-mill failures. I think its a bit of a leap of extrapolation to go from >90% availability to "no organisation, no maintenance, mai pen rai. I love hyperbolic over-reaction as much as the next man, and while we all enjoy heaping scorn on our hosts' administration, perhaps we should commend them for their current efforts, regardless of what has gone before.

SC

EDIT: Anyway, I hope that Samutprakarn does a good job of dispersing the water from their neighbours in Bangkok, for personal reasons. I hope the emphasis is on clearing the water as quickly as possible, rather than trying vainly to hold it back

Edited October 23, 2011 by StreetCowboy

[moe666]

"There are 99 pump machines to drain the water but six do not function, as local authorities have not maintained them."

...and THAT, ladies and gentleme, is the problem. Not that i want to make a fuss about 6 pumps...but if you multiply this kind thing with all provinces or districts, ad the highest amount of rainwater EVAH, ad some guys who are reluctant to open reservoirs and ad none-existing emergency plans and water- management: THIS is what you get!

I don't really think that having 6 out of 99 pumps not working would be that abnormal. And given that there has been very little water passing through the Bangkok klongs, it certainly wouldn't have made any difference in this case. You would probably also find that the places where a pump is not working, there are 5 or 6 other pumps at the same location. At places where there are only 2 or 3 pumps, they would probably all be working.

I wasn't aiming for the number, as I said! "have not maintained them" and that's why they are not working- is my point! The missmanagment doesn't start with this government, although they made plenty of mistakes. No organisation, no maintainance, "mai pen rai"...there are a 100 things from 40+ years, that brought us, where we are now! Chindeep in fecies and stinking water!

Donot get your nickers in an uproar, probably something lost in translation or just left out. 6 pumps out of 99 sounds like a maintence rotation.

Edited October 23, 2011 by moe666

[hammered]

IT sounds like BKK has been acting like a great dam holding all the water north by keeping gates closed until very recently leaving little to nothing flowing into the Samut Prakhan outlet to the sea.

[TAWP]

IT sounds like BKK has been acting like a great dam holding all the water north by keeping gates closed until very recently leaving little to nothing flowing into the Samut Prakhan outlet to the sea.

Apart from the huge river that goes through the capital?

[StreetCowboy]

IT sounds like BKK has been acting like a great dam holding all the water north by keeping gates closed until very recently leaving little to nothing flowing into the Samut Prakhan outlet to the sea.

Apart from the huge river that goes through the capital?

There's always one...

When we read the news, it has all been about holding back water, not about finding ways to get it through (apart from the business about using boats to aid the flow of rivers...

SC

[Crushdepth]

IT sounds like BKK has been acting like a great dam holding all the water north by keeping gates closed until very recently leaving little to nothing flowing into the Samut Prakhan outlet to the sea.

Apart from the huge river that goes through the capital?

Exactly.