Worries Return As Flood Projects Slow: Rainy Season In Thailand

[webfact]

RAINY SEASON

Worries return as projects slow

CHULARAT SAENGPASSA,

PONGPHON SARNSAMAK

THE NATION

Plan to raise roads in Nakhon Pathom falls behind, official says

NAKHON PATHOM: -- Although there has been much optimism about the government's plans for raised roads to combat flooding, many locals are getting worried as the projects have yet to begin.

"No construction has started in the area to date," Nanta Prasarnwong, a member of Nakhon Pathom's Ban Lan Tak Fha Local Administration Organisation, told The Nation during a recent survey trip to inspect the progress of flood-prevention projects by the Transport Ministry.

She said the Rural Roads Department (RRD) was behind in its schedule for raising the road level in front of her organisation.

"How will the government protect us from floods this year?" she asked. "The rainy season has already started."

Nanta, 42, said a construction firm was just named as the successful bidder for the project in her area and it would take a few more months for the firm to prepare machinery and equipment.

"I also have doubts about how authorities will drain flood water out of my village, which is located in the low-lying Thung Phra Pimol field. There is no barrier between the villages and any flood water that is pumped out from here can definitely flow back from other directions," she said.

Thung Phra Pimol field covers 275,000 rai (44,000 hectares) in Nakhon Pathom and Nonthaburi.

The government has budgeted Bt24 billion for floodwalls and raising the surface of some 500 kilometres of roads. The mega-projects cover Bangkok and adjacent provinces such as Samut Sakhon and Nakhon Pathom.

Chaiporn Promsuwan, the chief of the Royal Irrigation Department's Phra Pimol Water Distribution and Maintenance project, said the RRD planned to raise the level of three roads.

"These roads will help protect the residential and economic zones in Thung Phra Pimol field," Chaiporn said.

Under the plans, a 12km stretch of the Ban Kluai-Sai Noi road in Nonthaburi province will be raised about 20 centimetres and act as an embankment against water from Bang Bua Thong district. The two-lane road runs from the western part of Kanchanaphisek Road along the Phra Pimol canal.

Another road running 30km along the Phra Pimol canal to Mahasawat canal will be raised 80-90cm.

And barrier construction has been completed along some stretches of the Salaya-Nakhon Chaisi road in Nakhon Pathom, Chaiporn said.

The Phra Pimol project also calls for the installation of 69 pumps at 17 water stations, which would drain nearly 18 million cubic metres of water per day.

In a related development, the government has also planned to use Buddha Mondol IV and V roads in Nakhon Pathom as emergency canals, but construction has yet to start.

Suebpong Paisarnwattana, director of the Samut Sakhon Highway district, said the project has been categorised as not urgent.

He added that the Transport Ministry would only expand the width of Buddha Mondol IV and V roads from two to four lanes to alleviate traffic congestion.

-- The Nation 2012-07-25

[Moruya]

Water, water everywhere and Phua Thai can't think.

[rubl]

In the Netherlands when a new road is build in the muddy West, a canal is dug, sand dumped in till about two meters above ground level. Following we wait a year for things to settle after which we dump more sand and may or may not start with road foundations. Hightening existing roads standing on less solid underground requires a bit moe than just hightening. Any of this takes time. That's assuming you'd like the work to last a bit longer than just one or two seasons, that is.

[kartman]

In the Netherlands when a new road is build in the muddy West, a canal is dug, sand dumped in till about two meters above ground level. Following we wait a year for things to settle after which we dump more sand and may or may not start with road foundations. Hightening existing roads standing on less solid underground requires a bit moe than just hightening. Any of this takes time. That's assuming you'd like the work to last a bit longer than just one or two seasons, that is.

One or Two seasons tad optimistic i think, where i am road repairs last max 7 days normally leaving it in a state that would have taken 6 months if it had been left .

[kingstonkid]

when should we start the flood thread.

[SOTIRIOS]

...maybe they should reconsider the 'tablet giveaway' and invest in dinghies......

[Fookhaht]

Non-rainy season = out of sight, out of mind

[h90]

In the Netherlands when a new road is build in the muddy West, a canal is dug, sand dumped in till about two meters above ground level. Following we wait a year for things to settle after which we dump more sand and may or may not start with road foundations. Hightening existing roads standing on less solid underground requires a bit moe than just hightening. Any of this takes time. That's assuming you'd like the work to last a bit longer than just one or two seasons, that is.

That is plain silly!

That road will stay for many years and how can they get "commission" on the repair work if there is nothing to repair?

And if they don't get the money they wouldn't have the money for vote buying.

[cup-O-coffee]

Non-rainy season = out of sight, out of mind

That's right. Says the old hill-billy about that danged hole in the roof:

"Yesterday it was nice and sunny, so I wint fishin'. Today it's all rainin' and ah cain't fixit knowhow."

Here is a really nifty interactive flood map of Thailand. Enter the inches in rainfall and see the affected areas change. The accordion list at the left also shows the number of people displaced as you enter different numbers.