PM Yingluck's Adviser Proposes Tunnel From Salween River To Tak Dam

[webfact]

PM's adviser proposes tunnel from Salween River to Tak dam

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- An adviser to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is trying to revive a Bt200billion project to build an 88km tunnel linking Burma's Salween River and Thailand's Bhumibol Dam.

"The investment will be well worth it," Uthen Chatpinyo said yesterday. During the 2011 flood crisis, Uthen chaired the waterdrainage committee of the Flood Relief Operations Centre.

Uthen described the project as a solution to both flooding and water shortages.

He said water management at Tak's Bhumibol Dam should be adjusted and the reservoir's water level lowered in preparation for possible rainstorms throughout the year. The dam could then play a role as a waterretention area, he said.

Uthen said the tunnel, when built, would be able to send 3,000 cubic metres of water to the Bhumibol Dam per second. The volume should be large enough to generate electricity, he said.

The tunnel project won the green light from the Cabinet in 2004 during the administration of Yingluck's brother Thaksin. But the project was scrapped after Thaksin lost power.

Uthen plans to present the project for Yingluck to consider on Wednesday.

"If we don't act fast, Burma and China may invest in the Salween River instead, and Thailand will lose many opportunities," he said.

Meanwhile, Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday said he hoped the government would be able to answer his 10 questions about its water and floodmanagement policies.

One of them was about the accuracy of the mathematical model being used to develop an earlywarning system.

"The [governmentappointed] Strategic Committee for Water Resources Management has said the system will be ready by January. I would like to ask about the system now," Abhisit said.

He was speaking at a seminar held by the Democrat Party, as Yingluck's administration planned a tour of many provinces to tackle flood problems.

Chamadon Chomchoengphaet, an executive at tempuraflour maker Gogi, said at the seminar that he had not yet fully repaired Gogi's factory in Ayutthaya because he was worried that more floods may come.

"I hope the government will improve the earlywarning system," he said.

-- The Nation 2012-02-13

[hellodolly]

Is this tunnel going to double as a express way?

[Litlos]

"

Uthen said the tunnel, when built, would be able to send 3,000 cubic metres of water to the Bhumibol Dam per second. The volume should be large enough to generate electricity, he said."

So how does sending more water to Bhumibol dam ease flooding? Correct me if I am wrong but I thought the flooding problem was partly due to having to release water from the dam(s) as they reached maximum storage?

Cheers

[moe666]

How will adding water from another outside source help flooding, is this river in the Chao Praya water basin if it is then ok but if not then you are just adding more water to flood.

[David48]

I know that it's seemingly a rhetorical question (in Thailand) but has there been any thought to conducting a cost benefit analysis?

It could look at the following 3 things:-

1. The extra electricity able to be generated. The money generated (at a wholesale generation rate) vs the P and I payments on a 30 year loan at say what ever the Thai 10 year bond rate is current.
   
2. The benefits of the extra capacity of the proposed flood mitigration
   
3. The social impacts on those lands affected.
   

... I'm just dreaming!

[Thaddeus]

Another cretin pops up.

Never ceases to amaze me how some Thais think getting their name in print is the be all and end all, and the ludicrous statements they make to achieve that goal.

Bunch of court jesters.

[ResX]

From Water Management point of view, it is okay to do that provided the host country agrees with the proposal. Wait a minute. You see. Thailand has major problem to deal with 90-100 billion cubic meters of water per annum. Now it is talking about to raise the amount of water to be managed by the order of 25-75%.

It is a very narrow line can be drawn between "wise move" and "greed".

[khaowong1]

From Water Management point of view, it is okay to do that provided the host country agrees with the proposal. Wait a minute. You see. Thailand has major problem to deal with 90-100 billion cubic meters of water per annum. Now it is talking about to raise the amount of water to be managed by the order of 25-75%.

It is a very narrow line can be drawn between "wise move" and "greed".

How about the line between "wise move" and "stupidity" ?

[rubl]

During the 2011 flood crisis, Uthen chaired the waterdrainage committee of the Flood Relief Operations Centre.

Now that's a valuable character reference

[whybother]

With advisers like that, it's no wonder bad decisions are being made.

[animatic]

"

Uthen said the tunnel, when built, would be able to send 3,000 cubic metres of water to the Bhumibol Dam per second. The volume should be large enough to generate electricity, he said."

So how does sending more water to Bhumibol dam ease flooding? Correct me if I am wrong but I thought the flooding problem was partly due to having to release water from the dam(s) as they reached maximum storage?

Cheers

AN EXCELLENT POINT.

What it does do is allow someone to control more electricity profits,

and profit on the likely land aquisistions,

made long ago and now lying dormant.

[warfie]

Just trying to make some sense of the idea...

Perhaps if they had the option of opening a tap and bringing in more water if needed, it would not seem so necessary to hold on to so much water before the wet season.

I'm just guessing...