Ayutthaya Flood Work '40 Percent Complete'

[webfact]

Ayutthaya flood work '40% complete'

Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation

Ayutthaya

AYUTTHAYA: -- Flood prevention work in Ayutthaya province was on track to prevent any repeat of last year's disaster, according to the Water Resources Department.

Officials from the water agency, who visited Ayutthaya's Senah district yesterday to inspect the progress of flood prevention work in the area, found about 40 per cent of construction had been done.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra had instructed |the department to improve the water flow rate and water retention capacity in Ayutthaya and nearby areas by dredging canals and "monkey cheeks" retention areas.

About 22 projects were underway. They aim to reduce the amount of floodwater that flows into Amphoe Muang Ayutthaya, which was severely affected by flooding last year.

The Department expected that the 22 projects would prevent nearly 8 million cubic metres of water flowing into the city and down to Bangkok.

In Senah district, it has teamed up with the Defence Ministry to dredge seven canals, which could retain some 699,930 cubic metres of water. And 7,500 rai of paddy fields were earmarked to become one "monkey cheek" - or water retention area. This could hold about 200,000 cubic metres of water, they said.

The department will also install two water pumps to drain water out from the area. These machines were capable of draining 1,620 cubic metres of water per second.

"The construction work started in March and is expected to be finished by the end of this month," Teeravuth Pradith, chief of Water Resources Division 2, said.

After the work is finished, the water flow rate is expected to rise from 20 cubic metres a second to 40 cubic metres per second.

Senah district is inundated with water at least one metre deep from September to December every year.

Dares Youngnuk, a 46-year-old local resident, said his house |was flooded every year. But he |was familiar with this, as it |had been like that all this life - |so he had learnt how to adapt |and cope.

"Last year's flood was not the first time I've had to face a bad situation. I have experienced severe floods every year and now I know how to prepare myself to deal with flood situations," he said.

Every year, Dares prepares his things and moves them to higher ground. He has had to raise his house above the flood level. He also has two boats to travel in during the flood period.

Asked if he was confident about the construction work preventing a flood this year, he said he was not so sure about the plan.

"I've only seen local authorities dredging canals and the river near my house a few days ago," he said.

Suchart Karnlueksom, head of Ban Poh local council, said his agency wanted provincial officials to provide more rescue boats to save people's lives. His agency had only 10 boats to transport hundreds villagers in the area, he said.

-- The Nation 2012-06-12

[Ricardo]

I hope that the authorities are aware, that it's already raining up-North, and hope that 40%-complete thus-far will be sufficient, to avoid any floods again this year ... but I wouldn't bet the farm, that the normal annual-floods will not arrive in a couple-of-months' time.

Our rail-link to Bangkok was already reported as having been cut, only a few days ago, by local-flooding in the Den Chai area.

Edited June 12, 2012 by Ricardo

[theblether]

I think last years floods, which were extraordinary, were a serious wake up call for Thailand.

Hopefully there will be no repeat of the rainfall this year and people will see an improvement.

In the longer term though, they will have to ensure that the dredging and maintenance is kept up to date. That's the main worry.

[OzMick]

40% complete, so hopefully only 60% will flood. Does it work like that?

[OzMick]

"The Department expected that the 22 projects would prevent nearly 8 million cubic metres of water flowing into the city and down to Bangkok."

I've got news for them. They MIGHT stop into flowing into Ayuthya, but that won't stop it flowing down to BKK.

[theblether]

40% complete, so hopefully only 60% will flood. Does it work like that?

To be fair there was no way they could do all of the construction work on time, there had been too many years of scandalous neglect.

Maybe the legacy of Yingluck will be her being the politician that rammed through the policy change that solved the flooding problem.

Yingluck leaving a positive legacy??? I can hear some of my fellow members hitting the deck in shock already.

[Moruya]

What kind of pump can shift 1600 tonnes of water a second?

[OzMick]

What kind of pump can shift 1600 tonnes of water a second?

A bloody big one!

[apetley]

What kind of pump can shift 1600 tonnes of water a second?

Exactly what I was thinking. Something lost in translation I think.

Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect App

[just_another_guy]

Largest water pump in the world....

http://www.popsci.com/scitech/article/2009-08/saving-new-orleans-worlds-largest-water-pump

[boogerneil]

There are still many rivers in and around Ayutthaya that have not been touched since the floods. And many of them are around the industrial estates. I go past these rivers everyday. There is also the problem of the rice farmers blocking the rivers for enough water, but now there is enough water the rivers are still blocked. How can the water flow (and this is the probelm)?

[gand]

1,620 cubic metres of water per second = 427,958.7 gallons per second?

[ratcatcher]

I think last years floods, which were extraordinary, were a serious wake up call for Thailand.

Hopefully there will be no repeat of the rainfall this year and people will see an improvement.

In the longer term though, they will have to ensure that the dredging and maintenance is kept up to date. That's the main worry.

"............to ensure dredging and maintenance are kept up to date"

Maintenance, not something Thais usually consider AFAIK.

[Morakot]

What kind of pump can shift 1600 tonnes of water a second?

More than just embellishment! At least the propaganda department are doing a good job...

[gemini81]

What kind of pump can shift 1600 tonnes of water a second?

It's an "under the table" Shinawatra pump, which shifts liquidity into the family pocket from projects.

[gemini81]

What kind of pump can shift 1600 tonnes of water a second?

Exactly what I was thinking. Something lost in translation I think.

Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect App

Translations usually aren't too bad when comparing other local news, its usually EXAGERRATION that's the problem.

[steenasger]

Where is the planned new large diversion channel from Ayutthaya to the sea? Has the work on this one started already? A large diversion of water from Chao Phraya river upstream is the only available long-term solution to save Bangkok (and Ayutthaya) in the future.

[allan michaud]

1,620 cubic metres of water per second = 427,958.7 gallons per second?

According to this link the Thai's will have 2 pumps that are 3 times the size of the previous world's most powerful pumps! Maybe it was a more realistic 160 cubic meters a second.

http://gizmodo.com/5800072/the-worlds-largest-water-pump-moves-15-olympic+sized-swimming-pools-every-minute

[ginjag]

Did I get this wrong-or read it wrong. Thai officials (water board) were yesterday INSPECTING the progress of flood prevention.(Ayutthaya area) WHY the Hell is Yingluck INSPECTING ??? this proves that you leave the inspection to inspectors. If you want inspections of shopping malls, or transport arrangements made this gal is capable.

[OzMick]

Did I get this wrong-or read it wrong. Thai officials (water board) were yesterday INSPECTING the progress of flood prevention.(Ayutthaya area) WHY the Hell is Yingluck INSPECTING ??? this proves that you leave the inspection to inspectors. If you want inspections of shopping malls, or transport arrangements made this gal is capable.

And of course, all work stops for the day, everybody comes in their best work gear, because the PM is coming! For at least 2 days they've been cleaning up, ripping down the porno pictures and painting over the obscene graffitti.

When I was young, I worked at the blast furnaces for a year (my version of a gap year). When bigwigs were coming, they'd paint the handrails bright yellow. Place was a stinking, dirty, red iron-dust, shit-hole - but the handrails looked good for about 3 days.

[ginjag]

OzMick, that made my memory come alive--I worked on the blast furnace, and they whitewashed the coal heap before the Queen arrived. Graffitti was hardly known then. That was for Lizzie. Here for a normal officer in local government-the people do things like that + police escort and 4 mini buses.