More Heat On Bangkok Administration As Flood Problems Mount

[webfact]

More heat on BMA as flood problems mount

THE NATION

Inmates from a prison in Pathum Thani pull buckets of waste out of a sewer in Bangkok

Govt says governor not doing enough to keep city dry; 235,00 now affected nationwide

BANGKOK: -- More than 235,000 people across the country have been struggling with floods, according to the latest updates from the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department.

Bangkok residents were not officially recognised as flood victims but in the wake of heavy rain, hundreds of thousand of them were stuck in bad traffic as floodwater swamped the surface of many roads in the Din Daeng, Ram-Indra, Huai Kwang, Ratchadaphisek and Rama VI areas last night.

Speaking before last night's flood woes, Deputy Government Spokesman Anusorn Iamsa-ard yesterday attacked the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) for failing to keep the city's roads dry on several days over the past week. He said at least 29 Bangkok roads were flooded, paralysing traffic and affecting hundreds of thousands of city residents.

"The Bangkok governor and his deputies should have done better," Anusorn said, adding that the BMA's explanation about the flooding being temporary and that it had been caused by heavy downpours was just not acceptable.

"You have to manage the situation better. The Bangkok governor has often said that the capital's water-drainage system is designed to deal with rainfall, not upstream run-off. But see what is happening in Bangkok now."

Anusorn was speaking one day after Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra publicly questioned BMA's efficiency in water management.

Meanwhile, Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra yesterday inspected a pump station in the capital and was said to be working closely with the Royal Irrigation Department to control the water situation in the capital.

In a related development, a House committee on science and technology yesterday summoned relevant officials to provide information on water-management and flood-prevention plans.

During the session, the panel's chairman Samut Prakan MP Prasert Chaikijdennapalai questioned why Bangkok's giant water-drainage tunnels only appeared to be working at 70 per cent of their capacity.

"Are these tunnels worth the huge sums spent on them?" he asked.

Prasert hails from the ruling Pheu Thai Party, while opposition Democrat Party member Sukhumbhand leads the BMA.

Speaking before the House committee, Sanya Sheenimit - the chief of the BMA's Drainage and Sewerage Department - said his office had already prepared water-drainage tunnels, pumps and ponds to deal with rainfall and prevent flooding.

"If water reaches the tunnels, it will be drained away very quickly," he insisted.

Sanya also explained that the total rainfall in Bangkok between September 14 and 16 stood at 382 millimetres, while Bangkok's water-drainage system was designed to accommodate just 60 millimetres of rainfall each day.

"This means that when it rains really hard, it will take a few hours to drain out the water," he said.

Speaking separately, Deputy Bangkok Governor Vallop Suwandee called on central government officials to inspect the capital's giant water-drainage tunnels for themselves.

Sa Kaew province appeared to be bearing the brunt of the disaster yesterday as thousands of students struggled through floodwaters well over 2 metres high. The Office of the National Water and Flood Management Policy (ONWFMP) announced that the situation was "severe".

Locals in 11 remote border villages in Aranyaprathet district's Tambon Takham complained that they had to scrape by without very much to eat or drink before flood-relief finally arrived yesterday.

When the team led by Colonel Prawee Chakrabhand from the Burapha Force's 12th Ranger Taskforce arrived with relief items, the locals expressed strong - if mixed - emotions. Some were overjoyed to finally get some help, while others were resentful that they had been left on their own for days.

Floods first hit Sa Kaew on Monday, and Governor Sanit Naksuksri said he had mobilised more than 500 rescue workers, soldiers and policemen to help those affected.

According to the ONWFMP, the situation in the province is worse than in 15 other disaster-hit provinces, where the situation was described as "moderate or minor". These provinces are Ang Thong, Suphan Buri, Phichit, Sukhothai, Phitsanulok, Chai Nat, Chon Buri, Saraburi, Chaiyaphum, Nakhon Pathom, Pathum Thani, Prachin Buri, Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon Nayok and Ayutthaya.

-- The Nation 2012-09-21

[CelticBhoy]

"Sa Kaew province appeared to be bearing the brunt of the disaster yesterday as thousands of students struggled through floodwaters well over 2 metres high."

They have some very tall students in that neck of the woods then!

[tominbkk]

With the animosity we see beween city and government officials now, you can be assured that the same political infights will result in no cooperation when the big water comes, and we may face the same situation as last year.

[LucidLucifer]

Here we go again........

[Moruya]

Just a PTP smoke screen to deflect some of the useless performance further north

[dcutman]

I believe I read that these tunnel's all in cost 20 to 25 billion baht, and they are working at 70% efficiency. The Yingluck Govt pocketed spent 120 billion baht with what seems as 0% efficiency.

Hmm, they might want to find a better diversionary tactic, this one is going to blow up in their face.

[asiawatcher]

In the post yesterday using the same photo here it was declared the existing tunnels were sinking at 10 cm per year. If we are already at sea level, water cannot flow uphill. Bangkok, the Venice of the East in 10 years or less.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I gotta laugh about the PTP government spokesman attacking the BMA because some of the major ROADS in BKK got flooded during heavy rain downpours.

The current government's water management policies, by various reports, contributed substantially to much of the COUNTRY, not just some roads, flooding for months last year. And then once the country was flooded, doing precious little of any effectiveness to lessen the disaster or help those hundreds of thousands (millions???) who were chest or knee deep in floodwaters for weeks. Other than to likely line their own pockets in the process.

And these same folks now have the gall to complain because some roads in BKK were temporarily flooded???

I'm not saying the BMA is great or perfect, because they're clearly not. But comparing the BMA and the central government is kind of like comparing a stubbed toe with a heart transplant operation.

Ohh ya...

--Thailand won't flood this year.

--Thailand probably won't flood this year.

--Thailand won't flood this year unless there are a lot of big storms.

--Well, now that parts of Thailand already are flooded, let's blame the BMA for flooded roads in BKK.

Edited September 21, 2012 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[IMA_FARANG]

"If water reaches the tunnels, it will be drained away very quickly," he insisted.

---------------------

Precisely.

However, the fact that the rain water is NOT reaching the tunnels is EXACTLY the problem.

There are three reasons for this.

1. The storm drains are clogged with trash. Therefore rain water doesn't flow unobstructed into the storm drains.

2. In many intersections pedestrian overpasses, pavements, building construction, and entrances/exits to and from parking lots are slightly higher than the center of the roads....particularly at four way intersections.This means the CENTER of intersections is often LOWER than the storm drains supposed to drain the water from heavy rains. Since that center of the intersections is the lowest point, that's where the rain water pools.

3. In some areas the soi leading into the main road is also slightly higher than the main road. Again, the water from storms pools on the slightly lower main road.

In short, putting storm drains a mere 10 centimeters higher than the lowest point of the road you're intending to drain simply means you provide a convienent place for 10 centimeters of water to pool.

Even in Thailand water does not naturally flow uphill.

[Mosha]

In the post yesterday using the same photo here it was declared the existing tunnels were sinking at 10 cm per year. If we are already at sea level, water cannot flow uphill. Bangkok, the Venice of the East in 10 years or less.

Bangkok was already called the Venice of Asia in the70/80s

[MunterHunter]

So let me get this right... a city built on the low lands/marsh lands/flood plains gets a few hours of surface water after a very heavy rain storm and then central government starts blaming and accusing the BMA of not doing its job...

11 provinces further north have been flooded for a week or so... perhaps the governments energies would be better directed dealing with that mess first? Don't you think?

Lastly, barely a puddle this morning in the areas of Bangkok i travel in, and last night there were several cm's of surface water... justsayin.

[drdoom6996]

I gotta laugh about the PTP government spokesman attacking the BMA because some of the major ROADS in BKK got flooded during heavy rain downpours.

The current government's water management policies, by various reports, contributed substantially to much of the COUNTRY, not just some roads, flooding for months last year. And then once the country was flooded, doing precious little of any effectiveness to lessen the disaster or help those hundreds of thousands (millions???) who were chest or knee deep in floodwaters for weeks. Other than to likely line their own pockets in the process.

And these same folks now have the gall to complain because some roads in BKK were temporarily flooded???

I'm not saying the BMA is great or perfect, because they're clearly not. But comparing the BMA and the central government is kind of like comparing a stubbed toe with a heart transplant operation.

Ohh ya...

--Thailand won't flood this year.

--Thailand probably won't flood this year.

--Thailand won't flood this year unless there are a lot of big storms.

--Well, now that parts of Thailand already are flooded, let's blame the BMA for flooded roads in BKK.

+1

[khunken]

It's called a diversionary tactic. 15 provinces are flooded - some badly - so we must blame the BMA. It's a bit like some well known posters here: hit the 'but the BMA.....' key.

[joseph49]

just cancelled visit to hua hin ---now go to viet-nam.....

[hellodolly]

With the animosity we see beween city and government officials now, you can be assured that the same political infights will result in no cooperation when the big water comes, and we may face the same situation as last year.

For sure the PT will use it as an excuse to cover up there huge bundles of money spent on flood relief projects that have not yet materialized.

[moe666]

Bangkok has flooded for years from heavy rains nothing new about that, PTP trying to re-invent the wheel

[473geo]

Just a PTP smoke screen to deflect some of the useless performance further north

And here was me thinking the smoke was coming out of the ears of the stranded and delayed Bangkok motorists.........

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Bangkok has flooded for years from heavy rains nothing new about that, PTP trying to re-invent the wheel

That's certainly true... For those who haven't been around so long, it's always kind of interesting to see the old photos of Sukhumvit Road during the rainy seasons in the 70s and maybe even 80s where the whole road indeed looks like a real river. For the most part, nowadays isn't anything compared to what it was like back then. Even last year, most of Sukhumvit remained pretty clear.

[chotthee]

No one can criticize this Bangkok government.

He is above the law.

Go Wiki his name to find out.

[MunterHunter]

No one can criticize this Bangkok government.

He is above the law.

Go Wiki his name to find out.

Seems most of PTP feel they are above the law as well... nothing new in Thai politics