Flood-Prevention Plan Must Include Tunnel: Saving Bangkok

[webfact]

MUSTS

'Flood-prevention plan must include tunnel'

TEACHAWAT SUKRAK

THE NATION

Construction of the 100-kilometre "MUSTS" channel is crucial to saving Bangkok from future floods, the Engineering Institute of Thailand (EIT) reiterated yesterday.

"It stands for Multi-Service Flood Tunnel System. But also, I want to say that it's a 'must' here," said Suchatchavee Suwansawas, chairman of the Thailand Underground & Tunnelling Group (TUTG) of the EIT, which is under His Majesty the King's patronage.

The subterranean passageway would run under Bang Pa-in-Bang Na Road and carry vehicular traffic during the dry season, Suchatchavee, who is also the chairman of World Tunnel Congress 2012, said in an exclusive interview.

MUSTS has many advantages over above-ground solutions. It will require no or minimal land expropriation, was environmentally friendly, caused very little impact on local communities and was not prone to any land-encroachment problems, he said.

However, it would need an environmental impact assessment (EIA).

"All big projects should be subject to an EIA," he said.

"There will be the usual drainage system under the tunnel. Under normal circumstances, it can be open to traffic. However, if there is massive runoff from upstream provinces like this |year, it will be closed to traffic |and turned into a floodway," he said.

The water would be directed to the Bang Na area, where it would be easy to drain out to sea.

The mega-project will need up to five years to complete and likely cost about Bt200 billion, which might be considered too expensive.

"It depends on how you look at it. The tunnel can be in service for about 100 years. It can save the country's economy, which is worth Bt1.4 trillion. I think people should be able to decide on whether this project is worth the budget," he said.

Although mega-projects have drawn suspicion that foreign investors are pushing for them behind the scenes, the intrinsic value of the projects should be looked at objectively, he said.

"To be fair, it's good to propose something good … If the projects will deliver benefits to people, create jobs, improve the economy and are conducted with transparency, there will be fewer such comments," he said.

Bangkok's eastern flank is no longer protected by water-retention areas.

"The zone is now filled with Suvarnabhumi Airport, industrial parks and housing estates," he said. "If we are going to push runoff water into the eastern zone, we must do it via an underground system." MUSTS should be linked to the existing network of waterways, like canals and rivers, to expel runoff water efficiently into the ocean, Suchatchavee said.

It could also complement His Majesty's flood-prevention initiatives.

Hong Kong, Japan and the United States have long used such flood tunnels to avert disasters.

"Malaysia is going to build a SMART tunnel in Kuala Lumpur too," he said.

The MUSTS proposal has already attracted interest from some government agencies such as the Transport Ministry, which plans to study it in detail.

"If the government is interested, we are ready to provide further information on how the project can best be implemented," he said.

If the government completed the MUSTS tunnel and prepared other anti-flood measures well, Bangkok should be able to escape the wrath of raging floodwaters in the future, he added.

-- The Nation 2011-12-12

[richard10365]

Has Bangkok stopped sinking already?

[w11guy]

Of course it's a must for them because they will get huge amounts of money for building it. They would say it's a must have even if it wasn't. You can't really rely on the opinions of vested interests.

[jimbeam1]

I wish them well and hope they don't forget to maintain that big pump at the end?

jb1

[phiphidon]

Can somewhere out there tell me why the tunnel has vehicular traffic capability included - surely this would add to the cost, provision of ventilation, fire prevention installation, maintenance of the road surface ? If the vehicles can only use the tunnel in the dry season, they are just going to use the normal roads instead in the wet, so any enviromental gains would be small I would have thought. What other gains are there?

[whybother]

I thought KL had the SMART tunnel for a couple of years.

[Soutpeel]

provision of ventilation, fire prevention installation, maintenance of the road surface ?

.....ventilation no problem you can hold your breath

[ratcatcher]

provision of ventilation, fire prevention installation, maintenance of the road surface ?

.....ventilation no problem you can hold your breath

I sometimes wonder what kind of mind altering drugs these committees etc are using when these plans are discussed.

A short while ago we had the report of the "Grand Tunnel" 10 kilometers underground . (Jules Verne where are you?)

Now we have some plan that has a drainage cum road tunnel 100 km long.

The longest road tunnel in the world is the Laerdal road tunnel in Norway at 24km long.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_longest_tunnels_in_the_world)

There are some very long water supply tunnels in existence but 100 km is longer than all of them.

A water drainage tunnel would be a lot more realistic but the thought of allowing vehicles underground for 100km or so is frightening.

[Orac]

To be fair it is hardly surprising that the chairman of the Thailand Underground & Tunnelling Group came up with the idea of a tunnel being essential.

[billd766]

Just a silly thought.

What would happen in the tunnel if an other couple of bus drivers fell asleep and crashed into each other?

It is hard enough now on the surface roads for emergency vehicles to get to an accident. I dread the thought of something like that happening in the middle of the underground highway.

How many entrance and exits will there be and how far apart?

[Pib]

And one tunnel is going to equal/exceed the drainage capability of the eastern and western Bangkok areas where the majority of the water was diverted to save central Bangkok? I don't think so. This MUSTS pipe-dream is just a money-pit which will feed into many pockets.

[PoorSucker]

I thought KL had the SMART tunnel for a couple of years.

Correct

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMART_Tunnel

9.7 km is total length.

4 km is also used as express-way.

Total cost 10,9 billion baht, so 200 billion in Thailand includes 90 billion in tea money.

The simple sketch in the OP show a minor section open for traffic.

Edited December 12, 2011 by PoorSucker

[whybother]

I thought KL had the SMART tunnel for a couple of years.

Correct

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMART_Tunnel

9.7 km is total length.

4 km is also used as express-way.

You would think that the chairman of the World Tunnel Congress would know that.

[jimbeam1]

I just had a closer look at the drawing for the proposed tunnel. In all fairness it does just show the section for transport going under Bangkok. Still a scary thought, though If/when there is an accident.

jb1

[ExpatOilWorker]

Just a silly thought.

What would happen in the tunnel if an other couple of bus drivers fell asleep and crashed into each other?

It is hard enough now on the surface roads for emergency vehicles to get to an accident. I dread the thought of something like that happening in the middle of the underground highway.

How many entrance and exits will there be and how far apart?

Very good point. We will have to add escape doors so the bus drivers can run away..... :cheesy:

[KeyserSoze01]

The terms boondoggle and money-pit spring to mind.

[rakman]

And one tunnel is going to equal/exceed the drainage capability of the eastern and western Bangkok areas where the majority of the water was diverted to save central Bangkok? I don't think so. This MUSTS pipe-dream is just a money-pit which will feed into many pockets.

The current largest diameter TBM is 19.25 meters.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunnel_boring_machine

The 24 meter tunnel diameter listed in previous posts would need a new generation of TBM. Several 19.25 m tunnels would be pretty good.

I'd forgo the traffic tunnel and concentrate on not one but several flood tunnels from far up river drilled underground right into the Bay of Thailand. Yes, part of the tunnel will stay flooded in the sections below sea level, but who cares? Its for flood runoff and the tunnel walls are sealed. Then as necessary, flood gates could be opened at the higher elevation to divert water into the tunnels (with appropriate safety grates). If the ground is suitable to TBM use (grout injections can be done to assist, if necessary) they could use the same TBM to keep boring back and forth and making many tunnels. Just have to make turn around points at the ends (often the TBMs are parked underground and left, as was done in the Chunnel).

The OP shows a "sump pump" setup at the end. This is inefficient but necessary if a road is utilized. Forget the road, the tunnel will need to be too deep for safety. Bangkok is 1 to 2 meters above sea level. Any underground road deep enough to avoid infrastructure above would be susceptible to flooding for a long time after the flood.

[metisdead]

A post containing a link to Bangkok Post has been removed:

31) Bangkok Post do not allow quotes from their news articles or other material to appear on Thaivisa.com. Neither do they allow links to their publications. Posts from members containing quotes from or links to Bangkok Post publications will be deleted from the forum. Please note that this is a decision by the Bangkok Post, not by Thaivisa.com and any complaints or other issues concerning this rule should be directed to them. Quotes from and links to Phuketwan are also not allowed and will also be removed. In special cases forum Administrators or the news team may use these sources.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?app=forums&module=extras&section=boardrules

[IsaanUSA]

"There will be the usual drainage system under the tunnel. Under normal circumstances, it can be open to traffic. However, if there is massive runoff from upstream provinces like this |year, it will be closed to traffic |and turned into a floodway," he said.

The traffic part of the equation adds so much unnecessary complexity and cost.

First of all you're building a road that might only be used 9 months out of the year. (I mean, who really knows. Too many variables) Traffic lines would need to be repainted more often. It would need to be cleaned before automobile use because it would be covered in mud/dirt/sludge. Exit ramps every so often? Ventilation? Lighting? Emergency response for collisions?

Just build some water tunnels and lets forget the road part.

BTW, doesn't Thailand hold some record for longest elevated expressway? This seems like a better idea to deal with traffic during floods.

[hellodolly]

Maybe if Holland had volunteered to not only help them plan but point out where they could get further pay offs Thailand would have accepted their offer.

Are these so called experts the best Thailand has to offer?

If so start laying in the supplies for the next major flood and the one after that and the one after that.

Wouldn't be cheaper to clear all the water ways and keep them clear. Also not open up dams in the middle of the rainy season.

Last but not least let the water go do not try to stop it.

[FNQ]

I wish them well and hope they don't forget to maintain that big pump at the end?

jb1

You mean the one that be will be clogged up with pastic bags etc ?