Bangkok Floods Could Go Into Next Year: Thai PM

[webfact]

Western Bangkok could still be flooded in New Year: Yingluck

The Nation

Residents of western Bangkok yesterday heard grim news straight from Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra that the flooding in their neighbourhoods could drag on into 2012.

"We hope people can celebrate the New Year with happiness. But I'm not confident about the situation in Bangkok's western districts where water drainage is very difficult," Yingluck said.

"Water is still flowing into western Bangkok," she said in explaining why that part of the city was still suffering severe flooding while all other inundated areas of the capital were starting to dry out.

Crews were rushing repairs of the damaged dyke along the western bank of the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok and the job would be completed in two days, she said.

However, the situation also depended on the area's water-drainage capacity and the northern run-off, which was still massive and continued to pour into western Bangkok from places like Nakhon Pathom's Bhuddha Monthon, she said.

Canals in the area were dredged in advance but the run-off was carrying water hyacinth and garbage.

"Officials have even found mattresses," she said.

The Armed Forces and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration were working hard to clear the clogged waterways.

"We're using pumps to help push the water out via canals," said Pongsak Phansawas, director of the Bang Khunthien District Office.

Huge floods from tropical storms have ravaged many parts of the country during the past two months and now millions of Bangkok residents are struggling with the deluge.

To date, 21 Bangkok districts, many in the western half, have been issued either full

or partial evacuation orders.

Bang Khunthien is one of the western districts. Flood waters have already surged into Rama II Road's low-lying Soi 69, where more than 3,000 families live.

"My family plans to evacuate now. The flood water is rising," said Krittaya Dejpitak, a 48-year-old resident.

Although Rama II Road remains untouched, Traffic Police said many roads in western Bangkok were already under one metre of water and were impassable to vehicles.

Chalit Damrongsa, director-general of the Irrigation Department, said his department was running 336 pumps in western Bangkok.

"Together, they can handle 80 million cubic metres of water each day," he said.

However, the operation to remove water from the affected areas also had to take into consideration many other factors such as the ocean tides and how much water downstream areas could take.

Yingluck said some areas were natural basins and would need pumps to flush the flood water out.

According to the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department, inundation has now ravaged 22 provinces and upset the lives of 5,148,327 people. The flood-related death count has risen to 562.

-- The Nation 2011-11-16

[zydeco]

"Western Bangkok" is a fairly large area whose districts and sub districts probably do not all face the same situation. Is it possible, therefore, for some of these idiots to pass out information on current levels in specific areas and projections for flood duration and drainage? After all, they've managed hourly reports documenting changes by the centimeter when it came to listing intersections in their holy "inner Bangkok". Funny, btw, that both groups of these headless chickens, FROC and the BMA, seem to have taken to referring to the east side as "Bangkok", while the entire west side has disappeared into the ether.

[thaibeachlovers]

""Personally I want to see people happy in the new year, but I am not confident about western areas, where it is difficult to drain water," she told reporters, when asked whether the floods would go on into 2012."

It is really simple you stupid woman. Stop pumping the water into Maha Sawat and give us some relief. But that will never happen as you have to save your precious central BKK from 10 to 20 cms of water. There are a lot of people here who are getting seriously pissed off. I can see violence erupting on a massive scale. This government/FROC has to go.

Don't agree with this post.Are you Thai or even a thai citizen ?It's their country not yours so maybe just maybe you are the one that has to go.If you could or can do any better then go and offer your services and or advice

This is a new government and i am sure the old regeime wouldn't have done thing's any better.The blame game will get you nowhere.Mother nature was the culprit here and previous administrations for not heeding previous warnings that this flooding could and did occur.So no need to place the blame on the three month old government. Finally,remember you and i are only guests here in this counrty and if we don't like the way thing's are we can leave.

Mother nature may have provided the water, but the city flooding is a result of government incompetence dating back many decades.

There are some that have been warning of just such a catastrophe for a very long time, but were ignored for all the usual reasons.

Definitely a self inflicted injury.