Plodprasop's Floodwall Faces Test

[Lite Beer]

Plodprasop's floodwall faces test

Sayan Chucham,

Thanatpong Khongsai

The Nation on Sunday

BANGKOK: -- Science and Technology Minister Plodprasop Surasawadi, while inspecting the Phichit flood situation yesterday, said he had come up with a new idea of using plastic sheets to keep flood water out, which will be tested today in Sukhothai's Kong Krai Las district.

Plodprasop, who chairs the Water and Flood Management Commission, said following the Sukhothai situation of water seeping through the floodwall, he had got the idea of using plastic mixed with fibreglass sheets, each 3.50 metres wide, as floodwall base before piling sandbags, and then folding the plastic sheets up. He said it should help prevent water seeping through rather than using only sandbags or "big-bags".

He said he would test it in Kong Krai Las district today. He also urged all provincial governors to make a list of flood prevention tools and supplies at their disposal and conduct a flood drill to ensure the tools were ready for us.

He also affirmed that despite protests the government would go ahead with the Yom river basin dam construction and if the name "Kaeng Seu Ten Dam" gave people a heartache, it could be changed.

Phichit Governor Suwit Watcharothayangkul told Plodprasop that Phichit's Sak Lek, Wang Sai Poon and Thab Khlor districts were hit by the Phetchabun Mountain Range forest run-offs. The situation had returned to normal now, while Yom River overflows flooded low-lying areas in Sam Ngam district, Pho Prathab Chang and Beuang na Rang districts. He asked for a Bt330-million budget to build the Ban Tha Hae sluice gate, a Bt180-million budget to build a reservoir in Pho Prathab Chang district to slow down Yom River and store water for the dry season, and the construction of six structures to direct water, each costing Bt30 million.

The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department reported that there were more than 163,000 flood-affected people in Sukhothai, Phitsanulok, Phichit, Uttaradit, Tak, Nakhon Sawan, Suphan Buri, Angthong, Ayutthaya, Nakhon Pathom, Prachin Buri, Sa Kaeo, Nakhon Nayok and Chaiyaphum. Public Health Minister Wittaya Buranasiri said 25,369 flood-hit people had fallen ill between September 9 and Friday.

In Phitsanulok's Bang Rakham district, people evacuated their homes to camp along the highway, as Yom River rose and sent overflows to low-lying villages, while the Phitsanulok Irrigation Office reported 50,000 rai of farmland in Bang Rakham were inundated.

Flood water had started to recede at Sa Kaew's Aranyaprathet district hence residents had begun to clean up their homes and shops.

The Songkhla Provincial Administrative Organisation has set a Bt40-million budget to prevent floods in some 100 villages prone to floods.

Forest flood water from Sa Kaew poured into Prachin Buri's Kabin Buri district, causing a one-metre-deep flood in tambon Kabin market, while Kabin Buri Prison saw 1.8 metres-deep water, prompting the evacuation of 400 inmates.

Meanwhile, Assawat Apaiwong, the adviser to deputy governor Theerachon Manomaipibul, yesterday said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) had acted according to the Interior Ministry's regulation in asking the Bangkok Council for Bt1.1 billion flood assistance money for those who had been left out in the previous flood victims' list. He said the city had also submitted this request for approval to the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department on August 24. His comments followed remarks by Interior Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit that the BMA had not acted as per budget request regulation hence it could not be paid.

-- The Nation 2012-09-23

[arthurboy]

Plodprasop, who chairs the Water and Flood Management Commission, said following the Sukhothai situation of water seeping through the floodwall, he had got the idea of using plastic mixed with fibreglass sheets, each 3.50 metres wide, as floodwall base before piling sandbags, and then folding the plastic sheets up. He said it should help prevent water seeping through rather than using only sandbags or "big-bags".

He also could have said that, 'Because the flood walls are already in place, we will first have to dismantle them, before laying in the miracle plastic sheets - but only after we have set up a procurement committee to administer the bid process and award the contract, after which we will rebuild the flood wall.

As this will take time, we will issue wellington boots and buckets and spades to the residents of Sukhothai, so they can pile up small mounds of earth and sand around the leaks, but only after we have set up a procurement...'

Shambles, utter shambles.

[dcutman]

WOW! Plod that is a great Idea, Its hard to believe nobody else has come up with this idea. Not sure what this country would do without you. Surely you will get some sort of international recognition for this.

How much do you need to implement this plan. 200 thousand Million baht? will that be enough?

[Thai at Heart]

Me, myself and I. Pure genius.

[Soutpeel]

Plastic sheeting/fiber glass stops water ingress/egress !....wow did not know that, what an innovation, they should nominate him for a noble prize, Yingluck should make him science and technology minister, the world needs to know about this...you never know based on this cutting edge technology we may be able to develop fiber glass hulled boats wouldnt that be something ?

Edited September 23, 2012 by Soutpeel

[asiawatcher]

Plodprasop, who chairs the Water and Flood Management Commission, said following the Sukhothai situation of water seeping through the floodwall, he had got the idea of using plastic mixed with fibreglass sheets, each 3.50 metres wide, as floodwall base before piling sandbags, and then folding the plastic sheets up. He said it should help prevent water seeping through rather than using only sandbags or "big-bags".

He also could have said that, 'Because the flood walls are already in place, we will first have to dismantle them, before laying in the miracle plastic sheets - but only after we have set up a procurement committee to administer the bid process and award the contract, after which we will rebuild the flood wall.

As this will take time, we will issue wellington boots and buckets and spades to the residents of Sukhothai, so they can pile up small mounds of earth and sand around the leaks, but only after we have set up a procurement...'

Shambles, utter shambles.

And just another reason to request more billions of baht to skim from... it is so transparent it is laughable.

[MEL1]

I've just come up with the idea of cycling to the moon.

I'm chuffed, as I bet nobody else has thought of such an amazing initiative, and I'll try anything ad hoc just to get to the moon. (If it lines my wallet, that is!)

-mel.

[cloudhopper]

Plodprasop - a national treasure.

[MikeOboe57]

And now, Khun Plodprasob, let's test your water-pushing machines.

[jonclark]

Seriously. This man is not the full baht.

[Payboy]

he had come up with a new idea of using plastic sheets to keep flood water out

Waterproof plastic ! What a novel idea !

[MESmith]

Seriously. This man is not the full baht.

Not the full baht? I imagine his baht is overflowing

[GentlemanJim]

Seriously. This man is not the full baht.

Indeed. A sandwich short of a picnic.

[Moruya]

Seriously. This man is not the full baht.

He's nowhere near the full satang!!

[Pib]

Next Minister Plodprasop will come up with the inventive idea of using pumps to help control the flooding...a man ahead of the times...pure genius.

[Thai at Heart]

So hes making a pond.

Better patent that one. What a breakthrough, outstanding, thinking outside the box.

[fareastguy]

1 Year on & Billions of Baht spent & still asking for millions more... his best response to date :-

Plodprasop, who chairs the Water and Flood Management Commission, said following the Sukhothai situation of water seeping through the floodwall, he had got the idea of using plastic mixed with fibreglass sheets, each 3.50 metres wide, as floodwall base before piling sandbags, and then folding the plastic sheets up. He said it should help prevent water seeping through rather than using only sandbags or "big-bags".

The nation holds it's breath.. Yingluk will probably go for it as an excellent idea & sign the cheque first thing tomorrow.

I've stopped laughing now & started to cry!!

[bigbamboo]

Plodradsop is 'officially' the richest man in the PTP administration.

Can only be due to his genius.

[ron1964]

He said he would test it in Kong Krai Las district today. He also urged all provincial governors to make a list of flood prevention tools and supplies at their disposal and conduct a flood drill to ensure the tools were ready for us.

urged , wouldn't a directive or a command be more appropriate in a serious situation such as the floods ?

Hope the flood prevention tools & supplies were not meant to be purchased by the flood funds , might be some serious deficiencies !!

[fareastguy]

Maybe I should have thought ahead & opened a sandbag company for this years floods..

or is that a "farang" restricted occupation ??

[Moruya]

First they were going to build super floodways to the sea - then they built a few walls.

First they were going to put monitoring cameras at all waterways then they put in measuring sticks.

Now we're at the stage where sandbags and plastic sheeting is the norm again. We are 350 Billion Baht further forward but several steps back.

[Payboy]

Seriously. This man is not the full baht.

Indeed. A sandwich short of a picnic.

That's being generous, considering he's one bread slice short of a sandwich.

[zydeco]

What all this proves, once again, is it is better just not to read or pay any attention to these people. Nothing is ever going to change--and, in many ways, that is a good thing, just not when it comes flooding half the country and killing hundreds of people. Really, it's best just to keep your head down, enjoy life here, and be thankful I'm not back where I came from, where it might be "safer" but it's a thousand times more miserable.

[doctormann]

And just how is this remarkable invention going to stop water seeping underneath the barrier which, as I understand it, was the main problem in the first place? This could even make matters worse as the magic plastic sheeting will offer less resistance to water flow than sandbags placed directly onto the ground!

DM

[cloudhopper]

What all this proves, once again, is it is better just not to read or pay any attention to these people. Nothing is ever going to change--and, in many ways, that is a good thing, just not when it comes flooding half the country and killing hundreds of people. Really, it's best just to keep your head down, enjoy life here, and be thankful I'm not back where I came from, where it might be "safer" but it's a thousand times more miserable.

Good insight and advice Zydeco but we're just doing it for sport. No real dumbshits are actually ever harmed on this forum.

[patjem]

and remember to choose a home on higher ground.

[FOODLOVER]

Another misunderstood evil scientist.

[awayego]

Poor old Plod - everyone getting at him.

It's not his fault he can't cope - after all, this amount of rain and flooding is totally unprecedented.

We have never seen the like since The Great Floods of, er, last year?!

[awayego]

No, wait a minute!

In the words of the great Baldrick "I have a cunning plan!"

Instead of paying out billions of baht to corrupt officials, wouldn't the cash be put to better use (in small denominations) in forming floodwalls. Paper money would be very effective - first of all soaking up water then preventing 'seepage', with the help of plastic sheeting of course.

Of course there would have to be armed guards.

Not the police, naturally. Or politicians. Or poor people. It would have to be guarded by people who are so rich that it just wouldn't be worth them stealing it.

"Mr Thaksin? Mr Thaksin! It's time for you to come back and serve your country again. How are you with a Kalashnikov?"

Maybe not!

But, wait, another cunning plan!

Shoot all the corrupt officials and use their bodies to build floodwalls (with plastic sheeting of course). It would be solving two problems at one time.

There would be enough to do the whole of Thailand.

And Burma.

And Laos.

Wait, I'm still thinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[hellodolly]

Plastic sheeting/fiber glass stops water ingress/egress !....wow did not know that, what an innovation, they should nominate him for a noble prize, Yingluck should make him science and technology minister, the world needs to know about this...you never know based on this cutting edge technology we may be able to develop fiber glass hulled boats wouldnt that be something ?

I liked your post a lot it just rocked my boat.

What a bunch of chowder heads and they get the big bucks for this innovative thinking.

Rumor is they are busy working on a project that they say will change the world. When they get it done they are going to call it a wheel.