Budget Allocation for Water Management to Tackle Flooding (10/11/2011)

The Government has allocated more than 53 billion baht in the 2012 fiscal year to promote integrated water management and water resources management.

Out of the amount, 45.28 billion baht has been set aside for better and more systematic water management to enhance the efficiency of Thailand in preventing, mitigating, and tackling recurring floods and droughts.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on November 9 presented a draft bill on the 2.38-trillion-baht national budget to the House of Representatives for a two-day debate. In her statement, the Prime Minister said that the Government would support the royal rainmaking operations, expand irrigation zones, divert and distribute water in critical areas, and develop community water sources.

As for water resources management, she said that 7.92 billion baht had been allocated in the 2012 national budget in order to develop management mechanisms and rehabilitate water resources. Knowledge about water would be disseminated through people’s network and local administrative organizations. She said that the Government would develop 287 water sources to solve flood and drought problems.

The Prime Minister stated that the current flooding situation would have adverse effects on Thailand’s economy, at both macro and household levels. The impact on the production sector would be evident in late 2011. She said that the Government would do everything possible to cope with this problem and that when the problem eased, it would accelerate investment in rebuilding infrastructure and speed up rehabilitation measures to help affected people and businesses whose property had been damaged by the flooding.

The Prime Minister has decided to cancel her trip to attend the 19th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Hawaii, scheduled for November 12-14, as she would like to stay in the country during the period in order to deal with the flooding situation. Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister, Kittiratt Na-Ranong, was assigned to represent the Prime Minister at the APEC meeting. Prime Minister Yingluck’s trip to attend the upcoming ASEAN summit in Bali, Indonesia, between November 17 and 19 remains unchanged.

In order to bring about recovery to flood-hit people and businesses, the Prime Minister has signed an order appointing various committees to handle flood relief and rehabilitation. They include the Flood Recovery and Restoration Committee, the Flood Recovery and Restoration Committee on Infrastructure, the Flood Recovery and Restoration Committee on Economy, Industry, and Livelihood, the Flood Recovery and Restoration Committee on Quality of Life, the Executive Committee of the Center for Peacekeeping, Public Safety, and Traffic, the Executive Committee of the Center for Operations Support, the Public Communication Committee, the Water Resources Management Advisory Committee, and the Executive Committee of the Center for Recovery Management System.

Foreign Office, The Government Public Relations Department

10:05am Silom, Sala Daeng & Sathon dry. Small amount of high tide flood at Sathon Pie/via@RichardBarrow

ABAC Poll: 75% confident in PM Yingluck's handling of flood crisis. Major concern is corruption in rehabilitation programs/ flood donations./TAN_Network

Stable flood level at Bangchan industrial estate while Lad Krabang industrial park is still dry but remains on high alert./TAN_Network

Jatujak weekend market is open today./via@ASEAN_NEWSROOM

Flood toll[Nov 13]:536 death, 2 missing,5.2 million people and 22 provinces affected:Disaster and Mitigation Dept./via@tukky_nt

Small amount of high tide flood on lower Charoen Krung. Will go down soon /via@RichardBarrow

Flood situation critical at Rama II Rd.Soi 69. Water reported at 80cms - 1M. high. Residents in Thonburi housing estate began evacuation./TAN_Network

10:30am Shopping district of Chinatown is dry & open despite high tide floods near the river/via@RichardBarrow

BMA warns those in Prawes, 22 communities in Saphan Soong Subdristrict, part of Bangkok Yai to be on alert, move belongings to high grounds./TAN_Network

Water flowing fast at Wat Latprao means good drainage to the Giant Tunnel. 10.20am. TR @Boonlert_TV http://t.co/z1wDpyCp/via@Aim_NT

Donmuang airport to be up and running again with 2-months recovery period

Airports of Thailand (AOT) reports they will need 2 months for the full recovery of Donmuang airport until they can return to normal services again.

-- Tan Network 2011-11-13

Water level in Khlong Bang Sue, Ratchada Rd drops but it rises in Khlong Saen Saep in Ramkhamhaeng area/MCOT

Nongkham District Chief: the entire area under 1.5M-2M of water, unable to drain off excess water. /TAN_Network

10.45am: Floodwater from Lad Phrao 5-way junction to Phaholyothin, Vibhavadi, and Ratchadapisek gradually recedes #ch3 http://t.co/6UjWZFqc/Via@tukky_nt

10.45am: Some part of Phaholyothin Rd to Kamphaengphet junction is almost dry, middle lane-10cm; deepest is 30cm.BTS parking lot is dry #ch3/via@tukky_nt

BMA orders evacuation in communities of Thonburi Housing Project 1/ Sinsabpattana/ Cheumsamphan, Samaedam Subdistrict, Bangkuntien District/TAN_Network

Latprao Wanghin- Chokechai 4 intersection. Lower water but still impassable for small vehicles. 11am TR @Boonlert_TV /via@Aim_nt

Additional 2 road closure due to high flood level: Pattanakarn Rd. Inbound/ outbound, Kamnanman Rd. from Terdthai to Kalapapruek./TAN_Network

Thailand football team to meet host Indonesia in group stage. Match kicks off at 7PM. Watch live broadcast on channel 9./TAN_Network

Bangkok governor orders evacuation of 3 communities in Bang Khunthien

Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Sunday signed an order to alert residents of three communities in Bang Khunthien district to evacuate following flooding threat.

Sukhumbhand signed an order at 10:45 am, telling residents of three communities in Samaedam sub-district to evacuate. They are the National Housing Authority Project 1 community, Supsin Pattana community and Chuamsumphan community.

-- The Nation 2011-11-13

11.49am:Sandbags are reinforced at the entrance of Airport Link Hua Mak Station: http://t.co/TKv11IHZ TR @Bancha_nna/via@tukky_nt

11am Specially made entrance to FROC, water started to send out odor.~@jeerapong_nnahttp://t.co/qHOaWder/via@Tulip_Oum

Thonburi Station is open but only 1 train to Kanchanaburi at 1:55pm & to Ratchaburi at 5:50pm http://t.co/ResiXihT/via@RichardBarrow

Inner Bangkok likely to remain dry,Assoc. Prof. Dr. Seri Suparathit of Rangsit University Ctr on Climate Change & Disaster/via@Biz_TheNation

PTT,Banchak Petroleum early Sunday raised diesel price by 60 satangs / litre/via@Biz_TheNation

National Disaster Warning Ctr Sun. warned 5 southern provinces' residents to prepare for heavy rain,flash floods,landslides/via@Biz_TheNation

Flood receding at Lak Si,Don Muang; will take 7-10 days to drain main roads dry/via@Biz_TheNation

Business districts such as Phya Thai, Khlong Toey, Silom, Sathorn likely to remain dry, according to floods experts/via@Biz_TheNation

Floods still a concern at Bung Guum, Klong Samwa;water level stabilising at Bang Chan,Minburi/via@Biz_TheNation

Bang Kapi flood level should be 10-20 cm due to overflowing at Saen Saep canal/via@Biz_TheNation

FROC to boost waterflow to Mahachai water retention area-draining out to sea.Rama II Rd navigable;Rama II closure,digging unlikely/via@Biz_TheNation

Draining of flood water to the East is working at slow rate;water arrived at Klong Prakanong, Klong Prawase, heading out to sea/via@Biz_TheNation

Klong Bang Sue holding up to flood water for past 5 days.Canals such as Bangsue,Bang Khen,Lak Si,Lat Phrao,Big Bags alleviating inflows/via@Biz_TheNation

This is the road to Central Pinklao. Looks about knee deep but water has a yellow tinge :http://t.co/k5kY9hEk/via@RichardBarrow

TR @Nalinee_PLE: (12.00) Big C Suwintawongse opens normally - water level at 40-50 cm in front.via@veen_nt

Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra is confident Bangkok will be dry within two weeks if no more flood waters come in./TAN_Network

Egg prices at Nakhon Ratchasima province have skyrocketed during the flood situation./TAN_Network

Central Pinklao branch opens today. However, driving is not recommended. Shoppers are adviced to take bus. via @js100radio/via@veen_nt

Don Mueang Tollway extends its fee waiving until Nov 20 via @js100radio/via@tukky_nt

Dusit Poll reveals residents are losing confidence at the Yingluck Administration's management of the flood crisis./TAN_Network