All Bangkok Districts To Be Flooded If Klong Sam Wa's Sluice Gate Further Opened: Deputy Governor

[peter267]

inner Bangkok dry, you get relief , food, shelter and donation......inner Bangkok wet you get nothing because now people have to worry for themself, simple as that.

Donations?!!! You're dreaming. Thai people have no concept of charity! They could watch you die in the street.... Just look how wealth is distributed in a RICH country like Thailand. How many humanitarian THAI organizations do you know of?

hmm I would respectfully wish to point out you are very wrong to say this. Driving in and out of Bangkok in the last 3 weeks several times I have seen very many convoys of pick ups & truck bringing community donated goods being directly delivered by Thai to Thai people in most need . Indeed my home town Tesco 2 weeks ago some 200km's away quickly ran out of water, instant noodles etc - go down to the local government office and see it all heaped up for donation. Just now there are millions of people displaced with few taking up the formal care centres set up by government - they are mostly being hosted by others, not just close families, but by compassionate fellow citizens. Lots can be said about the circumstances of these floods - but on the positive - the Thai's excel at looking after each other in adversity and need our admiration and support.

[OzMick]

This is why the Emergency needed to be declared.

This rash action by a mob was a forgone conclusion.

And nothing is strong enough to stand up to it at the present juncture.

Flood control can NOT EVER be left to the mercurial whims of enraged Mobs.

Lets not go overboard.. They didnt smash the gates open.. the gates were raised from 80cm to 1m.. A 20% increase..

The mob was filmed on TV trying to smash the gates open with sledge hammers

I was going to pass on LivingLOS a maths fail (80 to 100 is 25% increase) but I had to comment. Are those in the mob really that stupid that they couldn't work out how to operate a hand crank, or perhaps push the green button (OK, the isolator switch might be a bit high tech with OFF-TEST-ON positions)?

[nickynomates]

The problem i have with all this now is that much of the water that is deep in some areas is just not flowing.

This is where stagnation and disease is going to thrive in.

Yes i know its a lot about land heigh and basins.

When we had to land fill we were told to build a meter below the road height which we did.

Many people do not respect this and we see land filled well above road height.

The same is with all the dams big and small built to hold the water in these now need to be taken down in a calculated method to get water flowing and out.

If this is not done well who knows.

The amount of sand in drains will also be a nightmare.

[senti]

I can fully sympathise with these people, I am now into the second week of waist deep water, and with every none metal or plastic piece of furniture ruined, not to mention 2 submerged aircon compressors and walls covered in slime, plus the all pervading sewer smell. They have endured this three times longer than me! I think many here have no idea what this is like.

We are suffering to protect inner Bangkok, but is Bangkok grateful, will they help us refurnish and repair our homes? Obviously as a farang that is out of the question, but what about the Thais?

Just what is being protected that is so important, inner Bangkok is a commercial centre, yes a nexus of head offices, but what use are they with their up country factories and manufacturing bases destroyed. Just tell me in simple language just what is so vital in inner Bangkok that my home is ruined? Then convince the Thais in my area.

These people live from week to week, unlike the salaried elite in Bangkok, how can they start again from scratch, how will they cope with the filth and destruction of their communities. Bangkok has a lot to answer for, I hope they have some damned good answers.

If your house is in fire and your next door neighbour is spraying his house to cool it down to prevent the fire from spreading to his house. You call your neighbour selfish, and you want his house burn to the ground too.

10 million people in flooded is bad. Perhaps you want to make it 20 million people in flood, to make the 1st 10 million people feel better.

An unfair analogy..

10 million for 6 weeks or 20 million for 2 weeks..

Its a question of sharing the risk, clearing waters as fast as possible, yet trying not to flood bangkok dramatically.

If bangkok now doesnt flood, and the opening of this gate does speed up the drainage of the area now flooded, it will be the right course of action. Se3ems bangkokians dont want to take any risk, by virtue of the 'we are more important' card, thereby guaranteeing more pain for others, while they only have 'risk'.

If you'd flood whole of Bangkok, you'd buy few days only, not 4 weeks. Good try, though.

[animatic]

inner Bangkok dry, you get relief , food, shelter and donation......inner Bangkok wet you get nothing because now people have to worry for themself, simple as that.

Donations?!!! You're dreaming. Thai people have no concept of charity! They could watch you die in the street.... Just look how wealth is distributed in a RICH country like Thailand. How many humanitarian THAI organizations do you know of?

I have seen Thais filling trucks with relief aid on Samui to be

driven to south Bangkok till they find the flood and given out FREE!

85% Thais doing it, and no hint this was political or predatory.

Just sending help up north,

Edited November 1, 2011 by animatic

[xenophon]

Good point re water from Sukhothat - does anyone have link to relevant NASA image?

Re: reemergence of of Bkk vs everyone else divide (commented on in the 1930's by the then brit ambassador) teh cricket match simile is apt. It is long, drawn out and will end in stalemate with a few unlucky people copping it in the nuts.

[Just1Voice]

While I may not agree with the actions of these people in forcing open flood gates and tearing down barriers to try and get some relief from the flooding in their area, I can fully understand their anger and frustration.

These people are tired of the property, their houses and their lives being destroyed just save precious Bangkok year after year. How would you feel if your moo ban was flooded year in and year out just to so the one next to you could be saved? If you can imagine that, then you can understand these people and their actions.

While Yingluck & Company can be, and should be, blamed for the mismanagement of this situation, they can't be blamed for the flood itself. And no one can convince me that any other government could/would do a better job.

For to many years the rich and powerful, which means about .05% of the population, have been allowed to destroy what is, supposedly, protected forest areas to build their mansions and resorts, thereby destroying the ecological balance that Mother Nature provided. For too many years these same people have built, or have allowed to be built, factories, housing and condo projects, and other structures in low lying areas that block the natural flow of water, with zero forethought of what might happen. For too many years the experts, both Thai and foreign, have done studies, made recommendations, and issued serious warnings about what could/would happen, but since there was no "graft" or "corruption" money in it for anyone, they were ignored.

If anyone is to blame for this situation it is EVERY member of EVERY government for the past 50+ years since the last flood for not doing what was necessary to prevent it from happening again.

The one good thing from this is now maybe, just maybe, they will listen to the experts and finally do what needs to be done for ALL of Thailand, and not just Bangkok. We can only hope.

"These people are tired of the property, their houses and their lives being destroyed just save precious Bangkok year after year. "

They could move. Repeating the same action without positive result is a sign of idiocy.

You have either GOT to be joking, or your comment ranks in my Top Ten of Most Asinine Things to come from a Supposedly Intelligent Human Being!

We're not talking about a couple of dozen families, but a few HUNDRED THOUSAND people who have houses, farms and families that have been there for generations in many cases. And instead of governments for the past 50+ years doing something so these people won't be flooded year after year just to save BKK, you think they should just move. How about if a few hundred of them move to YOUR house. I'm sure you'd be happy to accommodate them. After all it was your "elitist snob" suggestion they should just uproot their lives so they won't be bothered by such trivial things as MAJOR FLOODS anymore.

I've seen a lot of ignorant, racist and just plain stupid comments on this forum over the past 4 years, but yours about them "moving" has got to be #1. If there really is such a thing as Karma and reincarnation, justice would be for you to come back in your next life as one of these people.

[steveromagnino]

People overestimate how much one of these small canals can move water to the ocean. It is tiny compared to the river. It is not going to make a difference by moving the water to the ocean, it will only slightly lower water elsewhere by opening up a new area dry area to flood.

I wouldn't begin to pretend to be an expert in flood control but I do find it puzzling that the Saen Saeb Klong actually appears to be LOWER than normal. I live beside it and take the bus boat regularly; you can tell it's low when you have to step DOWN to get into the boat.

I don't understand why they don't at least utilize the extra 1 to 1.5 meters of depth still available in the klong to alleviate some of the problem. Given the length, width and un-utilized depth of this klong, I would think that's a fairly substantial amount of water. I'm sure it won't cure the problem but I would think every LITTLE BIT helps.

Like many klongs, Saen Sap relies on the water heights at each end, otherwise the gates need to be used; it was originally constructed to join Chao Phraya and Bang Pakong rivers together for moving canoes ships etc between the two. Right now the Bang Pakong river is (I understand) flowing HIGHER than the CHao Praya due to the large amount of water being shifted around to the east of Bangkok. If you open up both ends, it will cause a reverse in flow and the water will flow back west and increase the risk of overflow of the banks in the Chao Praya.

MANY other canals are in the same situation; to simply think that opening the canals will allow the water to flow to the sea, and then wonder why the experts don't just open them is far too simplistic. Yes it is true forcing more water down the canals will see water flowing but :

- it will not substantially drop the level of water in the areas that are chronically flooded now; we are talking in terms of drinking a lake through a straw

- may overflow banks of other areas that are currently not flooded, and are inside the main protection dykes around inner Bangkok

- may risk the massive cost of damaging vital infrastructure in the city such as the airport, underground, power stations, further factory estates

- most of the water that flows through the canal system or is pumped ends up not in the sea but in the river system south of the city; a larger amount of that area is ALSO flooded and has been far longer than some parts of outer Bangkok (Samut Prakarn area)

- if we are going to flood the city, we should have done it in August; now flooding the city will only cause more damage, and will not substantially reduce the time frame of people suffering to the north; also many of those people are now in the area that is not flooded; how does the suggestion of flooding everywhere affect critically ill patients, etc?

There is no point in looking at the canal depth or the river depth at 3pm every day and thinking it is getting lower; it is getting lower because the high tide has moved from approx 4pm to now 8pm, with a smaller low tide right around mid afternoon. Look at the high tide time each day and I think you will find all water ways which can actually carry water from north to south are already pretty close to overflowing.

I find it most amusing to suggest that the Democrats are trying to prevent water draining; the BMA are the main reason that at least parts of the city isn't flooded now! For all the arguments between BMA and FROC; the end result has proven arguably better than if FROC had tried to do it all themselves; competition is a positive force sometimes.

I find it even more difficult to hear someone complain of 2 weeks in water. We were assisting people in Lopburi in SEPTEMBER that had been under water back then for 2 MONTHS! And stagnant, septic and stinky....back then. Even as of today I suspect that they are getting scant help. All Thai effort BTW so to people who are so poorly informed they think Thai people don't donate - Raks Thai Foundation; many private family charities; Red Cross Thailand; etc etc there are a ton of them.

At that time, it was dam_n hard to raise funds, equipment, food, media coverage to do something about it; it was impossible to get politicians interested. Media were more interested in 300b per day, first car, first home, tablet PCs and other schemes to bribe the lower middle class who might resist a referendum on constitutional reform.

This idea that everyone should suffer equally, makes no real sense. Certain areas are more prone to flooding; certain areas have flood protection; right now the reason for the flooding is a huge bulge in the amount of water coming south; allowing it to go through the capital and causing even more people to suffer is not a logical decision to take NOW (the time for that decision was in late August or at the latest late Sept).

This idea that all people living in Bangkok are all salaried elite who somehow want the poor upcountry folk to suffer makes for a great PR story of lies but is hogwash. People who are flooded should first pick up the pieces...move to higher ground if they can...help the people around them.... perhaps not give in to emotion of trying to make other people also flooded (which is what is occuring since late Sept upcountry also, except up there more powerful people hold keys to water control).

...then when the time is right they can ask the government why they chose to handle things this way. Which includes their elected representatives of course.

Edited November 1, 2011 by steveromagnino

[Lite Beer]

Dep Bkk Gov: Damage inflicted to Klong Sam Wa sluice gates by locals puts all inner Bkk districts at risk/TAN_Network

Sounds like Ch3 Sorayuth's is headed out to Klong Sam Wa to help MP Jirayu reason with ppl there & help find way to fix damage done today./via@terryfrd

From Sorayuth's segment on Ch3 just now, sounds like everyone seriously concerned abt water flow out of klong sam wa after damage inflicted/via@terryfrd

[rogeratkins]

Ok, guys, calm down and think a little, if the Sluice gates will be further opened and it will lower the water level in certain districts but at the cost of Suvarnabhumi will have to shut down, meaning Thailand will lose all it´s contact to the rest of the world.

This means we are all <Snip!>, is that so hard to understand?

I remember a few years ago Suvarnabhumi airport was closed for SEVERAL weeks and everybody looked ,sit there ,and watched and did nothing at all.,just wait.

And there was no flood . So if the airport then was not important why it should be now.?

Even though you did not notice anything the last time the air port was shut down,(if it ever happened), I can guarantee you, it had a HUGE impact on thai economy.

And most importantly, you don´t think the situation is a LITTLE bit different this time??

I agree with you that it had a HUGE impact on thai economy. But you really think that somebody cared about it ? I do not think so .Otherwise they would not had left it closed for several weeks .And now the situation is indeed much different . People now desperate trying to save their ,belongings and homes that is a huge difference.

[volk666]

That gate is only about 5m wide, it can't possibly flood whole of Bangkok. Sukhumband is simply scaring public to bring the pressure on the protesters.

It's also under a bridge, you can't just dig a new canal around it without cutting through a road designed to carry fully loaded ten wheelers.

People who want it open do not want to be completely dry, they asked to be flooded to waste level, not to the chest as it is now. The fact that San Saeb is practically dry also hasn't been lost on them, even if Minburi right down the klong is flooded.

On this map, which is a variation of the maps often shown on Thai TV, the gate is the little step right of the first T in Hatairat, that's where the defenses cross the klong and go around Minburi. Minburi is the eastern entrance of the floods to the inner city, they don't have gates on San Saeb, from there the way to the city is wide open.

[robblok]

That gate is only about 5m wide, it can't possibly flood whole of Bangkok. Sukhumband is simply scaring public to bring the pressure on the protesters.

It's also under a bridge, you can't just dig a new canal around it without cutting through a road designed to carry fully loaded ten wheelers.

People who want it open do not want to be completely dry, they asked to be flooded to waste level, not to the chest as it is now. The fact that San Saeb is practically dry also hasn't been lost on them, even if Minburi right down the klong is flooded.

On this map, which is a variation of the maps often shown on Thai TV, the gate is the little step right of the first T in Hatairat, that's where the defenses cross the klong and go around Minburi. Minburi is the eastern entrance of the floods to the inner city, they don't have gates on San Saeb, from there the way to the city is wide open.

Everyone is staying that the canals dont drain much but they drain almost 1/3 of the total of the river.

They must be talking excess water.

[volk666]

Everyone is staying that the canals dont drain much but they drain almost 1/3 of the total of the river.

They must be talking excess water.

Each individual canal doesn't drain much, though some are obviously bigger than the others. Blocked water from Klong Sam Wa backed up in a bunch of little klongs branching out and flooded Wat Suk Jai area where the protesters came from, which is across pretty high Nimitmai Road that runs parallel to the klong. Judging by the maps the waterway leading to Wat Suk Jai lies about a kilometer north of the gate

[Davros]

While I may not agree with the actions of these people in forcing open flood gates and tearing down barriers to try and get some relief from the flooding in their area, I can fully understand their anger and frustration.

These people are tired of the property, their houses and their lives being destroyed just save precious Bangkok year after year. How would you feel if your moo ban was flooded year in and year out just to so the one next to you could be saved? If you can imagine that, then you can understand these people and their actions.

While Yingluck & Company can be, and should be, blamed for the mismanagement of this situation, they can't be blamed for the flood itself. And no one can convince me that any other government could/would do a better job.

For to many years the rich and powerful, which means about .05% of the population, have been allowed to destroy what is, supposedly, protected forest areas to build their mansions and resorts, thereby destroying the ecological balance that Mother Nature provided. For too many years these same people have built, or have allowed to be built, factories, housing and condo projects, and other structures in low lying areas that block the natural flow of water, with zero forethought of what might happen. For too many years the experts, both Thai and foreign, have done studies, made recommendations, and issued serious warnings about what could/would happen, but since there was no "graft" or "corruption" money in it for anyone, they were ignored.

If anyone is to blame for this situation it is EVERY member of EVERY government for the past 50+ years since the last flood for not doing what was necessary to prevent it from happening again.

The one good thing from this is now maybe, just maybe, they will listen to the experts and finally do what needs to be done for ALL of Thailand, and not just Bangkok. We can only hope.

Absolutely!!! I've never bothered replying to all the threads that seem to just bash one person or another. The response I read above, I am in total agreement with. Well said "just1voice" All the halfwits that have run this country for the last 50 years and more(since the Chinese started major development in the 1960's) need to listen to actual, proper and qualified experts. These experts from mainly Europe/Holland have dealt with flooding for 100's of years now.

For the love of this country that I have lived in and become a part of for the last 6 years, I sincerely hope that the ultimate decision makers can now move forward and do what is right.

My love, thoughts and condolences go out to all those people affected by the floodings.

[DP25]

Everyone is staying that the canals dont drain much but they drain almost 1/3 of the total of the river.

They must be talking excess water.

There are many canals doing that and most importantly a large river. Opening one canal in to Bangkok does not remove much but floods currently dry land.

[bangon04]

It's terrible for the locals who are now up to their waste in water,

That is a minor spelling mistake, but in this context it is such a vivid image..........and so apt.

[volk666]

This the bypass of the sluice gate that threatens to flood the entire Bangkok

[w11guy]

The short sightedness of many on this forum amazes me. If Bangkok floods, the situation will only get worse. Right now they're already slashing the economic growth of the country by several percentage points. With Bangkok making up almost half of the countries GDP, guess what will happen to the economy if the city floods for several weeks? Companies shut down, economy will shrink, more people will lose their jobs (lots of them not living in Bangkok, only working there...). And why? Because others want another "quick fix" to their own problems.

I say again, I feel incredibly sorry for those who have lost their homes, everything they had, and are now desperately waiting for the water to drain, but just putting that same water on your neighbor's porch is not going to fix this problem for the country as a whole. The individual needs will have to be set aside for the good of the country, difficult as that may be.

Just to clarify, I am not trying to choose sides here on a political basis. This is just common sense, try to limit the damage to those areas already hit. Using this disaster for political gain is a very sad state of affairs, which just goes to show how low the political climate in this country has sunk.

If it ends suffering a week earlier im all for it. Then we can all start to rebuild. The Thai economy is still growing according to forecasts. It wont mean a breakdown of everything. Right now i have been living flooded for more then a week. (and could not get out because of flooded roads before that). Im getting sick of it.

Opening this gate wont help me, but i understand how the people are feeling. Maybe if the people on the other side of the gate compensated them for 10.000 bt a head for staying longer in the water they would agree.

Now they are taking an extra hit and later can only beg for handouts. While the people on the dry side go on acting like nothing happened.

The Thai economy is still growing according to forecasts??? What news are you checking? I quote:

"The central bank last week slashed its economic growth forecast for 2011 to 2.9 percent from 4.1 percent after floods swamped almost 10,000 factories and threatened to seep into the capital."

Guess what will happen when Bangkok floods as well for a few weeks? Letting Bangkok flood will not end the suffering a week earlier, it will exacerbate it. Those in the poorer provinces who rely on money sent by family members from Bangkok will no longer get this income. Companies will relocate because of the poor management, as well as the view that the government lets itself push over by a few thousand people with hoes and rakes. I'm sure you are in a poor situation right now, and I feel for you. But flooding Bangkok will not change the fact that your home is flooded and that the damage is already done. The company I work for is right in the middle of Bang Bua Thong, and many of my colleagues have been affected and forced out of their homes, while the company itself remains dry due to the relentless efforts of our local staff to build and reinforce the dykes they put up, so I am not ignorant to the situation. But "sharing the burden" just does not work in this case.

You don't seem to understand that 2.9% growth mean that the economy is growing. Not sure why you don't understand something so simple.

[chris1101]

Never been colonised by the west---------------- look up your history fella-----Siam was part of the british empire years ago---probably before your time

What in the world are you talking about? You know you're wrong right..? I know every Brit thinks all countries were part of (and still are part of) the British empire but Thailand really wasn't.

I don't, so please don't generalise - thank you.

Edited November 1, 2011 by metisdead
Do not modify someone else's post in your quoted reply, either with font or color changes.

[erobando]

Everyone is staying that the canals dont drain much but they drain almost 1/3 of the total of the river.

They must be talking excess water.

This is the total of all the canals east of the the Chao Phraya combined with the Bang Pakong River.

[volk666]

And now we have a stand off between Bangkok Governor who wants to close the gate and Bangkok police who are, of course, on the side of the people.

Sukhumband is right as a matter of principle, city should be able to enforce its water management plans, but protesters are also correct in pointing out that this is a trivial matter on a scale of Bangkok but it would give them much needed relief.

How much relief is also questionable - their community is too far away from the gate and has too many other sources of water to feed them to have a visible benefit, I think. No one is reporting from there, unfortunately, people just stop at the gate, take pictures and move on.

[DP25]

This the bypass of the sluice gate that threatens to flood the entire Bangkok

This is the structure they were trying to break apart with sledgehammers yesterday. That big tower there is where the gate rises up so the water can flow through. They were trying to break apart the whole dam because they had no way to raise the gate.

[YellowFeverCAD]

You don't seem to understand that 2.9% growth mean that the economy is growing. Not sure why you don't understand something so simple.

I think you are missing the point, the forecast for the year WAS 4.1% it has now been slashed to 2.9% as the year is almost over they are assuming that the 4Q that looked to be strong is not going to be now. You need to look at the first 3Q and see if there is any actual growth taking place in the fourth quarter.

It could in fact be something along the lines of the forecast for the year was 4.1% but at the time they made it the economy had already grown by for example 3.5% so they figured .6% growth for the last quarter, but now they have lowered it to 2.9% it might mean they expect to have the economy contract .6%

If the growth in question has already happened that would mean that the economy in fact is NOT growing now but rather shrinking. They numbers you are using mean nothing without context.

[whybother]

I agree with you that it had a HUGE impact on thai economy. But you really think that somebody cared about it ? I do not think so .Otherwise they would not had left it closed for several weeks .And now the situation is indeed much different . People now desperate trying to save their ,belongings and homes that is a huge difference.

It was closed for 9 days, and a LOT of people were very worried about it.

It didn't affect the local population in the same way as the floods are, though.

[whybother]

And now we have a stand off between Bangkok Governor who wants to close the gate and Bangkok police who are, of course, on the side of the people.

Sukhumband is right as a matter of principle, city should be able to enforce its water management plans, but protesters are also correct in pointing out that this is a trivial matter on a scale of Bangkok but it would give them much needed relief.

How much relief is also questionable - their community is too far away from the gate and has too many other sources of water to feed them to have a visible benefit, I think. No one is reporting from there, unfortunately, people just stop at the gate, take pictures and move on.

BS. The police are there to stop the mob from opening the gates further.

[ResX]

I am fully in agreement with these people, why should they endure more days of flooding just to keep a few places dry! Here in Don Muang I as still experiencing rising water in my house, I will be unable to work today and will lose income because of it, why should I have a few more days of this if it can be lessened?

Unlike many here (it seems) I am not sufficiently knowledgeable about the situation to judge whether the locals are right or not. In order to be able to make a judgement, I would need to know (inter alia):

When were the flood defences for Inner Bangkok, that are now being breached, built?

When did the people outside the flood defences, whose property is now being affected construct their properties - if after the construction of the flood defences, then they should have been aware of the likely consequences at times of flood

Did the authorities responsible for the area outside the flood defences make a decision about whether or not to construct their own defences - and then failed to construct adequate defences?

If those living inside the flood defences paid their taxes to be defended against floods, and those outside either knowlingly built properties in at-risk areas, or failed to ensure that their own authorities similarly built adequate defences, then I don't think those inside the defences should now suffer for the failings or inadequacies of those outside

Flood defence structures for township usually are not designed to deal with seasonal floods such of this one. The only hope to deal with it lies on flood control dams such as Bhumibol and Sirkit. dams.

[whybother]

Bkk Gov Evokes Disaster Prevention Law To Fix Sam Wa Sluice Gate

UPDATE : 1 November 2011

Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra held his evening press conference around 7:30 P.M. this evening. His main worry centered on the damaged Sam Wa sluice gate. Sukhumbhand reiterated concerns voiced throughout the day by his deputy that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration would lose all control of the water flow if the damaged flood gate was not fixed.

http://www.thaivisa....ost__p__4814211

Edited November 1, 2011 by whybother

[whybother]

And a dissenting opinon.

Expert advises wider opening of Khlong Samwa sluice gate

The Nation November 1,

Khlong Samwa sluice gate can be opened wider, upto 1.5 metre, without causing damage to subsequent areas, said a water management expert.

Komsan Maleesee of King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang told Nation Channel that the water level at Saen Saeb Canal remains low and there is a gate in Min Buri to control the inflows. He noted that the water releases would also help ease the pressure on residents of Rangsit. The sluice gate at Khlong Samwa, if closed, could result in overflows and that would worsen the situation.

[frodo]

Regarding the local disputes regarding the flood management, Chalerm said that he has advised all police officers not to use force against the frustrated citizens who may unwittingly try to destroy flood walls. Instead, he has asked law enforcement officials to engage with them by negotiating.

While I understand the anger and frustrations of the residents, education would go a very long way. To not enforce the law and to negotiate is plain wrong. What is there to negotiate and who decides what that negotiation should be? Wide open for further problems. The police need to do their jobs and Chalerm as the Interior Minister, needs to make sure they do their job. Stop the loss of face crap.

Edited November 1, 2011 by frodo

[EvilDrSomkid]

This the bypass of the sluice gate that threatens to flood the entire Bangkok

That gate is here, right? http://g.co/maps/8m87v

If so, then I can thank the people there for causing the flooding of our soi in Khu Bon 27. Straight shot from there to Wat Khu Bon.

Sure, willing to share the burden, but trying to destroy the gate, that is too much.

I saw the picture and the news item yesterday. The gully they cut does not look like much now, but if it is left like that the water will undercut the gate.

And if the BMA and police go away, then the locals will go medieval on it.

For the record, I am sorry that the community there is suffering.