Thai Irrigation Dept Confident In Flood Preparation Despite Early Arrival Of Rainy Season

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Irrigation Dept confident in flood preparation despite early arrival of rainy season

File photo: Helicopter survey of flooding in suburban Greater Bangkok, October 2011. Source: wikimedia

BANGKOK, 3 January 2012 (NNT) - The Royal Irrigation Department is confident that its preparation for possible flooding is sufficient to handle any circumstances, despite an early arrival of the rainy season.

Pheu Thai MP Sanguan Pongmanee, who chairs the Lower House committee on natural disaster prevention and mitigation, held a meeting on Thursday to update on the country's preparation for this year's floods.

The meeting was joined by Royal Irrigation Department (RID)'s Deputy Director-General Suthep Noipairoj.

The RID has estimated that the combined water volume from all dams will be as much as 69.2 billion cubic meters by the beginning of November, when the dry season usually begins. The estimates showed a big rise in water mass for this year, when compared with the 14 billion cubic meters recorded last year.

With that in mind, the RID is determined to release as much water as possible into the natural waterways, while detaining enough to be used by rice farms after the dry season is over, which is around May.

Mr. Suthep told the meeting that the RID is confident that its plan to release more water early on will help it efficiently cope with the rainy season, which may arrive earlier than usual in 2012.

He also affirmed the government's suggested plan to lower the water capacity at Bhumibol Dam and Sirikit Dam to no more than 45% in order to help prevent the repeat of the 2011 flood crisis.

However, he conceded that the current forecast stated that this year's rainfall will be less than last year's, but will still be higher than the 30-year average by 20-30%.

-- NNT 2012-02-03

[Thai at Heart]

The Thai government has it all under control.

Be afraid, very afraid.........

[CalgaryII]

The Thai government has it all under control.

Be afraid, very afraid.........

You shud have told Yingluck that, considering what she inheritted.

On balance however, Ms. Y. and Co. handled things pretty well once the breath of the disaster became apparent.

As opposed to the opposition claiming at every opportunity how the Govt. mishandled things, they fail to state what standard they are using.

Comparatively speaking when analysing other national disasters, be it Haiti, Pakistan, Burma,Japan, who can say they handled things better.

That also goes for the leadership...... Ms. Y's hard work, empathy and engagement exceeded anything I saw from other national leaders during similar disasters in their realm.

So anytime the Opposition criticises the handling of the disaster and criticise Ms. Y,...... I wonder who they are using comparatively to come to that concluson.

Edited February 3, 2012 by CalgaryII

[wxyz]

PM clone has it all under control, time to panic.

Edited February 4, 2012 by wxyz

[animatic]

The Thai government has it all under control.

Be afraid, very afraid.........

You shud have told Yingluck that, considering what she inheritted.

On balance however, Ms. Y. and Co. handled things pretty well once the breath of the disaster became apparent.

As opposed to the opposition claiming at every opportunity how the Govt. mishandled things, they fail to state what standard they are using.

Comparatively speaking when analysing other national disasters, be it Haiti, Pakistan, Burma,Japan, who can say they handled things better.

That also goes for the leadership...... Ms. Y's hard work, empathy and engagement exceeded anything I saw from other national leaders during similar disasters in their realm.

So anytime the Opposition criticises the handling of the disaster and criticise Ms. Y,...... I wonder who they are using comparatively to come to that concluson.

A tissue of illusion.