Weeds, lack of pumps hinder flow from city

Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation

FROC official calls for urgent action in drainage effort

A shortage of pumps and canals clogged by vegetation and other obstacles is hampering the last-ditch effort to expel |flood water from Bangkok into the sea.

"Some waterways have too many water hyacinths. There are also bottlenecks north of Hok Wa Lang Canal that need to be removed to allow the water to flow faster," Uthen Chartpinyo, head the Flood Relief Operation Centre's committee in charge of draining flood water into the sea, said yesterday.

His survey of canals in Bangkok and downstream provinces had found problems that needed to be addressed immediately.

To speed up the current from Pathum Thani's Canal 13 to Hok Wa Lang Canal at the border with Bangkok and finally to the Gulf of Thailand, pumps have to be borrowed from Suvarnabhumi Airport, he said.

Leaks at the junction of Lat Krabang and Saen Saeb canals need to be patched to prevent the inundation of surrounding areas.

The South Rangsit gate has to be opened wide to allow more water from Rangsit Canal 13 to enter Bangkok's canals.

The department's local office was earlier instructed to open the sluice gate partway, and not to its full height of 3.5 metres, to avoid swamping Bangkok's Lat Krabang district.

"I ordered the Royal Irrigation Department officials to open the watergate at this point to its full height. If there is flooding in Lat Krabang, I will take responsibility. This point is the shortest route to propel water into the ocean," Uthen said.

Chainarin Panpinyaporn, chief of the department's Office 11, who is in charge of the South Rangsit gate, said the discharge of water in areas east of the capital remained slow because of "difficult terrain" - such as obstructions narrowing the canals - as well as the lack of cooperation from local residents who fear flooding.

Associate Professor Seri Suparathit, director of Rangsit University's Centre on Climate Change and Disaster, said people in the path of the drainage operation in Bangkok would have to learn to live with flood waters for at least a month.

Eastern districts such as Min Buri and Lat Krabang would be under 80 centimetres of water, while some northern and eastern parts would be hit within five to 10 days, depending on their location, he said.

-- The Nation 2011-10-25

Scheduled maintenance of any mechanical system is understood by most, of average intelligence. If ineptness, apparent misappropriation of resources, etc, were rewarded with inactive posting, I doubt Thailand has a facility large enough to furnish those involved a chair to sit on much less a desk to put their feet up on.

Now that comes as some surprise? Throwing everything about everywhere and giving shuut about the enviroment actually HAS an impact on your way of life? What's next? The sun risisng in the east?

One would think that the pumps would have been checked and debris cleared. When does this become criminal negligence?

One would think that the pumps would have been checked and debris cleared. When does this become criminal negligence?

About two weeks ago!

One would think that the pumps would have been checked and debris cleared. When does this become criminal negligence?

is Scheduled maintenance known in Thai laungage I do´nt expext the word maintenance to be known at all.

Would be funny if it were not so sad. This would be akin to checking your fire extinguishers as your house is burning. In the real world charges of criminal negligence might be filed, but here in the land of no responsibility that will not be occurring. Gotta keep working to get the money back that you paid for your position......

One would think that the pumps would have been checked and debris cleared. When does this become criminal negligence?

About two weeks ago!

But don't you see? You didn't need them to work two weeks ago. You only needed them to start working a day or so ago. Two weeks ago, you were probably busy spending your money on whiskey and cosmetics.

Why are the Canals clogged with Weeds? Because the incompetent Bangkok Government never Dredged the canals months ago, Clueless bunch of ******

One would think that the pumps would have been checked and debris cleared. When does this become criminal negligence?

is Scheduled maintenance known in Thai laungage I do´nt expext the word maintenance to be known at all.

Also forward planning, common sense and self criticism are words I would like translated to Thai.

Ok, Ok, I know, they don't exist, it was wishful thinking on my part.

Bangkok government is strongly Democratic. tsk tsk.

^

Didn't they know about this beforehand? I'm no expert but surely the person in charge should have known about the lack of pumps? Or perhaps they're saving these little titbits of information to use as an excuse for every screwup they make?

Bangkok government is strongly Democratic. tsk tsk.

Trust you to drag politics into it. How did you get so bitter? Harsh childhood or something?

"Saamna saamnuk" supposedly means common sense. Which seems to always be missing in this country.

Play the "Benny Hill" theme song as you read any critical news about Thailand. Then it all makes perfect sense. =D

Bangkok government is strongly Democratic. tsk tsk.

The Hok Wa canal is in Pathum Thani (border with Bangkok) and the khlongs that dispel the water into the sea are in Samut Prahkarn.

One would think that the pumps would have been checked and debris cleared. When does this become criminal negligence?

is Scheduled maintenance known in Thai laungage I do´nt expext the word maintenance to be known at all.

Maintenance: (Thai cultural dictionary) wait for something to stop working. Find cheap solution and do it between holidays. Example: wash city buses and streets prior Songkran or wait for rains. If cannot fix, blame someone: Farangs, Red shirts, Bush, Abhisit, Yingluck, Thaksin, King Narai, etc..

The shortage of Pumps comment is probably the most telling of it all. What do they plan on doing moving pumps from upstream to downstream when the canal/water system is full? Do an inventory of pumps, authorized, purchases, placement, and where they have floated off to. Political party has nothing to do with circle jerk, in fact that is probably the root cause. A great opportunity exists to clean up some of the mess that is widespread here.

The one positive I can see, is the majority of the votes cast in the past 2 elections would indicate the majority of the Thais are not happy with either party.

One would think that the pumps would have been checked and debris cleared. When does this become criminal negligence?

is Scheduled maintenance known in Thai laungage I do´nt expext the word maintenance to be known at all.

there is an old Chinese saying "if it is not broken , don't touch it".

there is an old Chinese saying "if it is not broken , don't touch it".

I think when translated to Thai it becomes "If it is not real broke, don't touch it."

One would think that the pumps would have been checked and debris cleared. When does this become criminal negligence?

About two weeks ago!

But don't you see? You didn't need them to work two weeks ago. You only needed them to start working a day or so ago. Two weeks ago, you were probably busy spending your money on whiskey and cosmetics.

Its W-h-i-s-k-y without the "e"............! thank you, I,ll have one also..

When talking about "weeds" do we mean those that have wormed their way in to public office?

I was up at Klong Prapa when it first started overflowing. The water wasn't coming over the top of the dyke, it was coming through cracks in the dyke!

I was up at Klong Prapa when it first started overflowing. The water wasn't coming over the top of the dyke, it was coming through cracks in the dyke!

It still is and they will get worse or the wall will just collapse if the water level gets higher and the weight of water will just push it over. Then no point in going to The Mall as teh supermarket is at a low level! Not that there is any stock there anyway!

there is an old Chinese saying "if it is not broken , don't touch it".

I think when translated to Thai it becomes "If it is not real broke, don't touch it."

and even if it is broken we will fix it later (later never comes)

is Scheduled maintenance known in Thai laungage

Guess it losely translates to picking nose hair in your free time.

I'm no expert but surely the person in charge should have known.....

There is no "person in charge." Thai government, including it's EMS system, is made up numerous overlapping, non-contiguous, unilateral bodies all trying their hardest to protect their own areas and interests while trying to shift blame and not to lose face in the process.

One would think that the pumps would have been checked and debris cleared. When does this become criminal negligence?

when they allow a criminal to be sucked into the pump intake.

:jap:

Weeds, lack of pumps hinder flow from city

There are also 1000 boats in the Chao Praya River whose hulls are hindering flow.

One would think that the pumps would have been checked and debris cleared. When does this become criminal negligence?

About two weeks ago!

But don't you see? You didn't need them to work two weeks ago. You only needed them to start working a day or so ago. Two weeks ago, you were probably busy spending your money on whiskey and cosmetics.

Its W-h-i-s-k-y without the "e"............! thank you, I,ll have one also..

some people (like me) prefer Bourbon Whiskey with "e" over Scotch Whisky without "e"