The Water Has Its Way

[webfact]

ROYAL PROJECTS

The water has its way

Kupluthai Pungkanon

The Nation

The flooding has been terrible, and yet would have been worse if not for His Majesty the King

"We must learn about natural disaster and learn lessons from it as we would from a teacher," His Majesty the King said in his annual birthday speech - not this week but on December 4, 1990.

The royal remarks from the Dusidalai Hall at Dusit Palace were, as always, inspirational, taking into account the welfare of everyone living alongside the Chao Phraya River.

The river's sprawling, low-level alluvial plain and the great capital that spans it have always been at risk of flooding. There has been severe inundation 11 times in the past 35 years, once every three years on average. Each catastrophe in turn has been called "the great flood".

Pramote Maiklad has witnessed them all. He was in charge of irrigation during his long government career and often worked closely with His Majesty.

Last Thursday Pramote described what's happened over the years and explained what's at stake in a talk at the Royal Thai Navy Assembly Hall entitled "Water Management in Bangkok and the Peripheral Provinces in Accordance with His Majesty the King's Deliberate Thinking".

Without the King's expertise in water management - and thanks to his concern for his people - this year's deluge would have been much worse, Pramote said.

"His Majesty spoke about a flood-protection system or 'green belt' for the first time in 1980. His interest in a water-management plan was truly inspiring. He not only provided us with the methodology, but he actually showed us how to do it."

In former years, in better health, the King routinely inspected flooded areas in person, either by helicopter or, if possible, by car. He would always take along the officials in charge.

"He didn't mind if conditions were unpleasant and he didn't care what time it was, even late at night," Pramote said. "His Majesty used to unfold his map on the hood of his car and explain his deliberations."

Irrigation Department authorities were "slowly" incorporated the King's ideas into their plans, he said, when massive flooding recurred in 1983, swamping Bangkok. "We had standing water for more than a month since we still didn't have the whole system in place.

"His Majesty called us again. This time he asked why no one had implemented the water-system development project, which we'd already studied.

"He emphasised that floodwater must not be blocked, that we had to provide the channels for it to flow to the sea. We should improve the canals and drainage pipes and place pumps along all suitable canals.

"'The water must have its way!' That was His Majesty's main point."

A tropical storm in mid-1995 caused another monstrous deluge that began in northern Nan and Phrae provinces and quickly swept south, not unlike the situation this year.

"I could see the strain on His Majesty's face," Pramote recalled, "but his voice was steady."

In his birthday speech the following December, the King mentioned the "monkey cheek" concept for the first time.

"When I was five years old we had monkeys and we gave them bananas," His Majesty told citizens watching on TV across the country. "They would munch, munch, munch, and then they kept the food in their cheeks" - to swallow later, in a more leisurely moment.

"When the floodwaters come and we have no 'monkey cheeks', there will be inundation everywhere, the same way as this year, all over the central plains.

"We have to build monkey cheeks - retention areas for the water for when the sea tide surges north and it can't escape south. When the seawater surges up the river, nearly up to Ayutthaya, it's impossible for the floodwater to come down. Even when the tide subsides, the run-off that's invaded the land can't go back into the Chao Phraya River, so the flooding continues."

Monkey cheeks would hold the water as long as necessary and let it out when possible, the King explained.

As one direct consequence of that initiative, the Khlong Lad Pho sluice gate was installed this year in Samut Prakhan's Phra Pradaeng district. It's a shortcut to the Chao Phraya, reducing the floodwater's journey to the sea from 18 kilometres to just 600 metres.

Dnuja Sindhvananda of the Office of the Royal Development Projects Board said the King's interest in water is part of his nature.

"I have served His Majesty and followed him upcountry for more than 20 years in connection with the Royal Development Projects, and water management has always been a top priority for him.

"The King is very concerned about the suffering that floods cause," Dnuja said. "He's initiated both reservoirs for times of drought and projects to counter water overflow, even to treat polluted water. When His Majesty visited different places upcountry he not only quizzed local officials but also the ordinary citizens about rainfall in the area and the like."

Dnuja said he marvels at how visionary the King's ideas are, and yet how simple and practical.

"For example, the Chaipattana Aerator His Majesty invented has been widely used and adapted to daily life across Thailand. Look at any natural pond in a park or a residential estate, at the swamps, creeks, canals, fish and shrimp farms, and you'll likely see a Chaipattana Aerator or a similar machine there, treating polluted water by churning air into it.

"The Chaipattana Aerator was patented in His Majesty's name in 1993 - he was the first monarch in history to be granted a patent. It's one of those concepts that allows other Thais to become inventors too."

The King's careful observation of nature led to another remarkable project in 1991 involving vetiver grass, known in Thai as ya phaeg. Some see it as a miracle.

Responding to a perennial problem facing hillside farmers - the fertile topsoil being repeatedly washed away by rain - the King looked for a natural material that could form a barrier against erosion, slowing the run-off and keeping the soil in place and yet still irrigated.

The solution was vetiver grass. Its roots run tenaciously thick and deep.

"His Majesty instructed the Huaisai Study and Development Centre to try cultivating vetiver grass for this purpose," Dnuja said. "It was such a success that it won international recognition. There's now a global vetiver network."

And in 2002 the King received his second patent - for a means of creating artificial rain. Aircraft release a chemical into clouds to induce rainfall, using a technique that can more precisely target dry zones, a boon during droughts.

We've all seen photos of the King in his small sailboat, studying the waves and the current. He's clearly comfortable with the water, and he's shared that sense of ease with all of us. Even when the water rages, he knows what to do.

-- The Nation 2011-12-05

[travelmann]

As its almost impossible to comment on this I dont know why it was posted?

[kratiam]

As its almost impossible to comment on this I dont know why it was posted?

...and yet you managed it somehow....

[anterian]

Indeed it is strange that one can comment on the work of a fellow scientist, yet not if that scientist is a King. Should there not be a distinction between the man who is a king and the man who is a scientist? I would assume that in his student days his tutors were able to make critical comments.

[jimbeam1]

As its almost impossible to comment on this I dont know why it was posted?

+1..... Inspirational? :jap:

jb1

[DoctorG]

The really sad thing is that there appears to be nobody in the the government that has any inspirational thinking.

[finnomick1]

His Majesty The King has already provided the inspiration, some thirty years ago. Unfortunately successive governments have failed to implement his inspiration -- even after he has asked them, "why not " ? Perhaps the Irrigation Department can answer that.....

[Evilbaz]

As its almost impossible to comment on this I dont know why it was posted?

Is it a case of not letting any thought go unwritten?

Why is it necessary to comment on every news/information article?

[dave111223]

I hope they build some more Monkey Cheeks soon. They can use Grey Stony Hard to block the Wetty Blue.

[theanimaster]

Does bring a tear to one's eyes... On one hand we can see selfless devotion to one's country and yet on the government's hand...

[h90]

Indeed it is strange that one can comment on the work of a fellow scientist, yet not if that scientist is a King. Should there not be a distinction between the man who is a king and the man who is a scientist? I would assume that in his student days his tutors were able to make critical comments.

I don't think that Thai laws are used in Switzerland, else I recommend to listen to HMK speeches of the last years it will enlighten you on that topic of critical comments.

LM laws will not apply if you suggest that the water should better flow the other way. But they do apply when you put photoshopped pictures on webpages together with lies. But you'll also run into problems if you do the same with the German President.

[anterian]

Indeed it is strange that one can comment on the work of a fellow scientist, yet not if that scientist is a King. Should there not be a distinction between the man who is a king and the man who is a scientist? I would assume that in his student days his tutors were able to make critical comments.

I don't think that Thai laws are used in Switzerland, else I recommend to listen to HMK speeches of the last years it will enlighten you on that topic of critical comments.

LM laws will not apply if you suggest that the water should better flow the other way. But they do apply when you put photoshopped pictures on webpages together with lies. But you'll also run into problems if you do the same with the German President.

"LM laws will not apply if you suggest that the water should better flow the other way. " Indeed so, and I assume that is why his sound and sensible advice for dealing with the floods has been ignored by successive governments.

Why does everyone say "photoshopped" a brand name, I use PSP (Paintshop Pro) to digitally modify images?

[h90]

Indeed it is strange that one can comment on the work of a fellow scientist, yet not if that scientist is a King. Should there not be a distinction between the man who is a king and the man who is a scientist? I would assume that in his student days his tutors were able to make critical comments.

I don't think that Thai laws are used in Switzerland, else I recommend to listen to HMK speeches of the last years it will enlighten you on that topic of critical comments.

LM laws will not apply if you suggest that the water should better flow the other way. But they do apply when you put photoshopped pictures on webpages together with lies. But you'll also run into problems if you do the same with the German President.

"LM laws will not apply if you suggest that the water should better flow the other way. " Indeed so, and I assume that is why his sound and sensible advice for dealing with the floods has been ignored by successive governments.

Why does everyone say "photoshopped" a brand name, I use PSP (Paintshop Pro) to digitally modify images?

Because Photoshop is the most used professional tool. I guess it is installed on every second computer in Thailand.

[OzMick]

Indeed it is strange that one can comment on the work of a fellow scientist, yet not if that scientist is a King. Should there not be a distinction between the man who is a king and the man who is a scientist? I would assume that in his student days his tutors were able to make critical comments.

I don't think that Thai laws are used in Switzerland, else I recommend to listen to HMK speeches of the last years it will enlighten you on that topic of critical comments.

LM laws will not apply if you suggest that the water should better flow the other way. But they do apply when you put photoshopped pictures on webpages together with lies. But you'll also run into problems if you do the same with the German President.

"LM laws will not apply if you suggest that the water should better flow the other way. " Indeed so, and I assume that is why his sound and sensible advice for dealing with the floods has been ignored by successive governments.

Why does everyone say "photoshopped" a brand name, I use PSP (Paintshop Pro) to digitally modify images?

May I suggest that the reason it it referred to as "photoshopped" is similar to the reason Thais call a ballpoint pen a "parkar" while I call it a "biro" and vaccuum cleaners are referred to as a "hoover" - those were the most familiar, and often the first, brand-names.

[ratcatcher]

Does bring a tear to one's eyes... On one hand we can see selfless devotion to one's country and yet on the government's hand...

I'll try and finish that for you.

"......and yet on the government's hand, selfless devotion to one's self.

[dave111223]

Why does everyone say "photoshopped" a brand name, I use PSP (Paintshop Pro) to digitally modify images?

People say lots of things like "Google it", "Hoover the floor", "Eat some Jello", "Xerox this", etc... Ok Americans seem to like genericizing brands more than English, but both do it...i'm assuming English is not your first language, but we have many brand names that become used in this manner.

(Not sure if Aussies do it? I'm assuming so)

Edited December 5, 2011 by dave111223

[F4UCorsair]

Aussies do it

[anterian]

Why does everyone say "photoshopped" a brand name, I use PSP (Paintshop Pro) to digitally modify images?

People say lots of things like "Google it", "Hoover the floor", "Eat some Jello", "Xerox this", etc... Ok Americans seem to like genericizing brands more than English, but both do it...i'm assuming English is not your first language, but we have many brand names that become used in this manner.

(Not sure if Aussies do it? I'm assuming so)

It seems everyone took my rhetorical question literally I can assure you that English is my mother tongue, although I am conversant with Latin, Ancient Greek, French, German and a few other random bits of language If I can add to your list, a Thermos flask should strictly speaking be called a Dewar flask after its inventor. A strange anomaly is what Americans and Canadiand call "Scotch Tape" (A brand name) but we Brits call cellotape, a descriptive name. Another one is people often call brown bread "Hovis".

Sorry mods, I've gone off topic

[daiwill60]

Woah, talk about going off thread.

Meanwhile back to the point.

The King has been very vocal for many years in his suggestions regarding the issues of flood prevention in Thailand for many years, and rightly so.

Sadly, what is so obviously evident is that those in various successive Govts, suppossedly serving King and country and who pertain to revere HM so much, have been completely and utterly ignoring nearly every important suggestion he has made or they have been too slow implementing them.

Therefore, surely we should be discussing how such irreverance for the King and his advice, on the part of successive Governments, is allowed to go on so blatantly, without investigation into why the measures have not been implemented.

[rakman]

His Majesty The King has already provided the inspiration, some thirty years ago. Unfortunately successive governments have failed to implement his inspiration -- even after he has asked them, "why not " ? Perhaps the Irrigation Department can answer that.....

+1

[MESmith]

Therefore, surely we should be discussing how such irreverance for the King and his advice, on the part of successive Governments, is allowed to go on so blatantly, without investigation into why the measures have not been implemented.

Doesn't this extend to most of the population? Seems to me that everyone is so keen to express their love for His Majesty, but totally ignore his advice. This country has the potential to be paradise on earth, if only the people listened to His Majesty. Happy Birthday Your Majesty, I really admire you.

[crawforb]

Therefore, surely we should be discussing how such irreverance for the King and his advice, on the part of successive Governments, is allowed to go on so blatantly, without investigation into why the measures have not been implemented.

Doesn't this extend to most of the population? Seems to me that everyone is so keen to express their love for His Majesty, but totally ignore his advice. This country has the potential to be paradise on earth, if only the people listened to His Majesty. Happy Birthday Your Majesty, I really admire you.

I agree wholeheartedly Smith!

Long live the King!

Edited December 5, 2011 by crawforb

[travelmann]

As its almost impossible to comment on this I dont know why it was posted?

Is it a case of not letting any thought go unwritten?

Why is it necessary to comment on every news/information article?

It looks more like propoganda to me than news information

[travelmann]

As its almost impossible to comment on this I dont know why it was posted?

...and yet you managed it somehow....

I think u missed the "almost" bit

[travelmann]

Therefore, surely we should be discussing how such irreverance for the King and his advice, on the part of successive Governments, is allowed to go on so blatantly, without investigation into why the measures have not been implemented.

Doesn't this extend to most of the population? Seems to me that everyone is so keen to express their love for His Majesty, but totally ignore his advice. This country has the potential to be paradise on earth, if only the people listened to His Majesty. Happy Birthday Your Majesty, I really admire you.

I agree wholeheartedly Smith!

Long live the King!

Being very unsure if we are allowed to comment on this? so I thought the King was "above" politics and therefore it has no meaning in govt what he says "officially"?

[travelmann]

Therefore, surely we should be discussing how such irreverance for the King and his advice, on the part of successive Governments, is allowed to go on so blatantly, without investigation into why the measures have not been implemented.

Doesn't this extend to most of the population? Seems to me that everyone is so keen to express their love for His Majesty, but totally ignore his advice. This country has the potential to be paradise on earth, if only the people listened to His Majesty. Happy Birthday Your Majesty, I really admire you.

Most people are lazy, selfish and greedy which explains a lot.

[TomTao]

Why does everyone say "photoshopped" a brand name, I use PSP (Paintshop Pro) to digitally modify images?

People say lots of things like "Google it", "Hoover the floor", "Eat some Jello", "Xerox this", etc... Ok Americans seem to like genericizing brands more than English, but both do it...i'm assuming English is not your first language, but we have many brand names that become used in this manner.

(Not sure if Aussies do it? I'm assuming so)

Yes we do, but often using the same brand names that Americans do, part of the vernacular. But back to topic, one does wonder why successive governments have not implemented His Majesty's suggestions, I wonder if the blame for the inaction would lay with the government of the day, could be any number of successive administration of either or any colour, or if the blame would lay with the entrenched management of the Irrigation Department???

[Footloose1949]

Doesn't this extend to most of the population? Seems to me that everyone is so keen to express their love for His Majesty, but totally ignore his advice. This country has the potential to be paradise on earth, if only the people listened to His Majesty. Happy Birthday Your Majesty, I really admire you.

I think it's a bit unfair to say that most people ignore what his Majesty says. People living in the poorer regions in Thailand, have proven over and over again, that projects the King has implemented in these areas are enthusiastically supported, but maybe, the 'bottleneck' is the funding from central government and the local authorities to keep them going? The amount of respect and love the Thai people have for their King, is absolutely amazing, I cannot think of another nation in the past 100 years where someone has been revered as much. Before that, his majesties ancestor, King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) completely revolutionised Thailand, and his work undoubtedly inspires his Majesty to contribute so much of his life to the welfare and well being of his subjects as his great-great grandfather did, in modernising Thailand.

[hellodolly]

Doesn't this extend to most of the population? Seems to me that everyone is so keen to express their love for His Majesty, but totally ignore his advice. This country has the potential to be paradise on earth, if only the people listened to His Majesty. Happy Birthday Your Majesty, I really admire you.

I think it's a bit unfair to say that most people ignore what his Majesty says. People living in the poorer regions in Thailand, have proven over and over again, that projects the King has implemented in these areas are enthusiastically supported, but maybe, the 'bottleneck' is the funding from central government and the local authorities to keep them going? The amount of respect and love the Thai people have for their King, is absolutely amazing, I cannot think of another nation in the past 100 years where someone has been revered as much. Before that, his majesties ancestor, King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) completely revolutionised Thailand, and his work undoubtedly inspires his Majesty to contribute so much of his life to the welfare and well being of his subjects as his great-great grandfather did, in modernising Thailand.

Agreed the respect and love is abulutly amazing. My wife will not even let me joke like saying let us invite the King for dinner. There is three parts to this one is the King another is the Government and the other is the people.

Two of the parts want what is good for Thailand.

That only leaves the part with all the money and I am not just saying the current government all of it's predecessors also.

[metisdead]

A post and replies with reference to HM the King have been removed. Speculation, comments and discussion of either a political or personal nature are not allowed when discussing HM The King or the Royal family.