Eight Bangkok Areas Face Flooding

[webfact]

Eight Bangkok areas face flooding

JANJIRA PONGRAI

THE NATION

Tropical Storm Gaemi to be followed by two more heading for North; capital may be hit by run-offs

BANGKOK: -- Eight key areas in Bangkok could be under as much as 30 centimetres of water for up to two weeks this month, especially when Tropical Storm Gaemi brings in torrential rain this weekend, a Bangkok seminar on flood prevention was told yesterday.

The volume of rain brought by the storm could average 800 millimetres this month alone, compared with Bangkok's annual average of 1,500mm, said Associate Professor Sujarit Khoonthanakulwong, from Chulalongkorn University's faculty of engineering. The faculty hosted the seminar.

In addition to Gaemi, two more storms are believed to be heading to northern Thailand via Vietnam, which could bring huge volumes of rain in the North and the upper Central region.

"The resulting torrential rain will increase the volume of water in the North and Central regions, prompting floods in Bangkok," he said.

Because of the many flood-prevention measures put in place, Bangkok is safer from widespread inundation but is still vulnerable because the heavy downpours could result in rainfall levels exceeding 100mm per day, while Bangkok's drainage capacity stands at 60mm.

"Widespread flooding for longer periods in Bangkok is not beyond expectation if it cannot be drained in the first hour," Sujarit said.

In the lower North, especially the Bang Rakam plain in Phitsanulok province and low-lying Ayutthaya province in the Central region, there is a possibility for the floods to continue into November. To extend the farming season, water should not be released until early December.

Phaisal Santithammanont, another speaker from the faculty, said a new network of ground control-point stakes, used as references to measure the mean sea level to help with flood prevention, would have to be built because they are either damaged or worn out. He said this could cost as much as Bt100 million, because there are at least 1,000 stakes in Bangkok alone.

The Science and Technology Ministry's project to reinstall stakes, initially in Bangkok, will also allow untrained members of the public to read mean sea levels themselves, and this might lead to misunderstanding, he added.

Provincial authorities and irrigation officials in Samut Prakan said yesterday that Bang Phli, Suvarnabhumi Airport and other key business areas in the province should not be flooded this year thanks to the preventive measures put in place. The areas were flooded last year because they are lower than Bangkok and Nakhon Nayok and ended up getting run-offs from both provinces.

Senior irrigation official Surach Thanoosil said he could provide 100-per-cent assurance because a large number of pumps were ready for the job and that waterways and sewers had been dredged.

"The toughest period will be this weekend when Gaemi arrives in Thailand, because Samut Prakan is only vulnerable to rainwater, not run-offs from the North," he said.

-- The Nation 2012-10-04

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

Chainat June 13, PM Yingluck promised no flooding in Thailand in 2012.

Was this one more white lie?

[webfact]

Bangkok floods may continue next month

BANGKOK, Oct 4 – Tropical storm Gaemi will cause flooding in Bangkok for at least two weeks, or perhaps be prolonged into next month, a water resources expert warned today.

Sucharit Koontanakulwong, chief of the Chulalongkorn University Water Resources Engineering Department said this year’s average volume of rainfall is 120 per cent which is higher by 40 per cent than last year.

September was recorded as having the heaviest rainfall, unusual in that it mostly rained downstream from the dams, he said. Water was released from most dams since early this year.

The upper central region will not flood like last year, but the lower central region, including the Ayutthaya watershed, including the the Pasak and Thachin rivers, will be inundated until early next month.

This year’s rainfall is high in Nakhon Pathom province, 60km west of Bangkok, and Kabin Buri district of Prachinburi province, 190km east of Bangkok, he said, adding that excess water will flow from the two provinces to Chachoengsao, adjacent to Bangkok on the East.

Water is building up in Bangkok’s western canals: Klong Tawee Wattana, Pityalongkorn, Bang Waek and Rajmontri.

If tropical storm Gaemi brings more rainfall, floods will be inevitable in areas on both sides of Klong Tawee Wattana which is currently 1.31 metres higher than mean sea level, he said.

He said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration will need to dredge canals and improve the drainage system due to heavier rains in the future. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-10-04

[ratcatcher]

"He said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration will need to dredge canals and improve the drainage system due to heavier rains in the future. (MCOT online news)"

<deleted> have these people been doing all year with all that money?

Heavier rains in the future? Really?

Quite unbelievable.

[rucus7]

Chainat June 13, PM Yingluck promised no flooding in Thailand in 2012. Was this one more white lie?

More like a media sound bite and some wishful thinking.

[Ricardo]

So the usual annual floods arrive, which comes as no surprise to anyone, except the poo-yais in government.

But how to blame the dems, this time round ?

[cloghead]

"In addition to Gaemi, two more storms are believed to be heading to northern Thailand via Vietnam, which could bring huge volumes of rain in the North and the upper Central region."

Could the esteemed Professor Sujarit please name these storms? According to www.usno.navy.mil/JTWC/ they don't exist. Or maybe he's been told to make this announcement to help cover the government's ass when the floods occur again...

[Thai at Heart]

a new network of ground control-point stakes, used as references to measure the mean sea level to help with flood prevention, would have to be built because they are either damaged or worn out. He said this could cost as much as Bt100 million, because there are at least 1,000 stakes in Bangkok alone

Did he keep a straight face. Its a painted concrete stick right?

[rubl]

a new network of ground control-point stakes, used as references to measure the mean sea level to help with flood prevention, would have to be built because they are either damaged or worn out. He said this could cost as much as Bt100 million, because there are at least 1,000 stakes in Bangkok alone

Did he keep a straight face. Its a painted concrete stick right?

A stick as reference to measure mean sea level in Bangkok ? Either something got lost in translation or I really need to buy a boat.

I can imagine setting up reference points with an exact known position and use GPS or the like to record possible movements. Such would also allow for relating to mean sea level.

With labour costs at 300 Baht/day or more I can understand that positioning a single concrete pillar may well cost THB 100,000

[Orac]

I would be interested to know what was actually said rather than what is reported here - did he say that "Eight key areas in Bangkok could be under as much as 30 centimetres of water for up to two weeks" as in the first article or was it " flooding in Bangkok for at least two weeks" as per the second article.

It is a reminder that virtually everything that is said by officials here is in Thai and therefore subject to translation by the english language press when reported so is subject to both translation errors and sensationalisation depending on what words are chosen by the reporter rather than the actual speaker.

[Thai at Heart]

a new network of ground control-point stakes, used as references to measure the mean sea level to help with flood prevention, would have to be built because they are either damaged or worn out. He said this could cost as much as Bt100 million, because there are at least 1,000 stakes in Bangkok alone

Did he keep a straight face. Its a painted concrete stick right?

A stick as reference to measure mean sea level in Bangkok ? Either something got lost in translation or I really need to buy a boat.

I can imagine setting up reference points with an exact known position and use GPS or the like to record possible movements. Such would also allow for relating to mean sea level.

With labour costs at 300 Baht/day or more I can understand that positioning a single concrete pillar may well cost THB 100,000

You may know more about this than me, but that seems a tad pricy to me. i put an extra concrete pole up for new electric line, grand cost 8 k and i was probably ripped off. Now precision costs, but paint, gps, concrete fitting. Its shouldn't hopefully even be a very long pole.

Bangkok is only 1m above Sea level.

[coma]

But I thought that Yingluck promised the people that there would be NO flooding in Thailand this year ??

[sjjmmi]

here we go anyagain unreal

[Roachiebkk]

a new network of ground control-point stakes, used as references to measure the mean sea level to help with flood prevention, would have to be built because they are either damaged or worn out. He said this could cost as much as Bt100 million, because there are at least 1,000 stakes in Bangkok alone

Did he keep a straight face. Its a painted concrete stick right?

A stick as reference to measure mean sea level in Bangkok ? Either something got lost in translation or I really need to buy a boat.

I can imagine setting up reference points with an exact known position and use GPS or the like to record possible movements. Such would also allow for relating to mean sea level.

With labour costs at 300 Baht/day or more I can understand that positioning a single concrete pillar may well cost THB 100,000

You may know more about this than me, but that seems a tad pricy to me. i put an extra concrete pole up for new electric line, grand cost 8 k and i was probably ripped off. Now precision costs, but paint, gps, concrete fitting. Its shouldn't hopefully even be a very long pole.

Bangkok is only 1m above Sea level.

But wait, there's more........................

"The Science and Technology Ministry's project to reinstall stakes, initially in Bangkok, will also allow untrained members of the public to read mean sea levels themselves, and this might lead to misunderstanding, he added."

so this guy doesn't want any stakes because then untrained members of the public will obviously panic because they can't possibly understand the measurement.

[Sayonarax]

Evolution sure is slow.

[happynthailand]

latest on Gaemi

[gl555]

So when the floods come, what's the PTP excuse this time? They had one year to do something. Well I guess what's important is that someone got rich from the flood funds that were supposed to be used to prevent this from happening again.

[Thai at Heart]

a new network of ground control-point stakes, used as references to measure the mean sea level to help with flood prevention, would have to be built because they are either damaged or worn out. He said this could cost as much as Bt100 million, because there are at least 1,000 stakes in Bangkok alone

Did he keep a straight face. Its a painted concrete stick right?

A stick as reference to measure mean sea level in Bangkok ? Either something got lost in translation or I really need to buy a boat.

I can imagine setting up reference points with an exact known position and use GPS or the like to record possible movements. Such would also allow for relating to mean sea level.

With labour costs at 300 Baht/day or more I can understand that positioning a single concrete pillar may well cost THB 100,000

You may know more about this than me, but that seems a tad pricy to me. i put an extra concrete pole up for new electric line, grand cost 8 k and i was probably ripped off. Now precision costs, but paint, gps, concrete fitting. Its shouldn't hopefully even be a very long pole.

Bangkok is only 1m above Sea level.

But wait, there's more........................

"The Science and Technology Ministry's project to reinstall stakes, initially in Bangkok, will also allow untrained members of the public to read mean sea levels themselves, and this might lead to misunderstanding, he added."

so this guy doesn't want any stakes because then untrained members of the public will obviously panic because they can't possibly understand the measurement.

Just use colloquial measurements, flooded, really flooded and f*****d.

[robblok]

Yingluck and the PTP are liars but everyone knows that. Anyway there are provinces flooded already even though there were promises it would not happen. Now parts of BKK are to flood while that was promised not to happen.

I just hope i escape it this year, seems different as last year but i did buy wading gear to be safe. There is a big chance that i wont have to use it as this year the big dams did not release their water. So i guess im ok. But i rather prepare.

Should have had a print on it.. saying "I believe in Yingluck"

[asiawatcher]

"He said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration will need to dredge canals and improve the drainage system due to heavier rains in the future. (MCOT online news)"

<deleted> have these people been doing all year with all that money?

Heavier rains in the future? Really?

Quite unbelievable.

Silly question - working hard laundering the money, cash gets very dirty you know.

[laislica]

Yingluck and the PTP are liars but everyone knows that. Anyway there are provinces flooded already even though there were promises it would not happen. Now parts of BKK are to flood while that was promised not to happen.

I just hope i escape it this year, seems different as last year but i did buy wading gear to be safe. There is a big chance that i wont have to use it as this year the big dams did not release their water. So i guess im ok. But i rather prepare.

Should have had a print on it.. saying "I believe in Yingluck"

By Jove - you seem to have lost a little weight he he

[tomross46]

So when the floods come, what's the PTP excuse this time? They had one year to do something. Well I guess what's important is that someone got rich from the flood funds that were supposed to be used to prevent this from happening again.

Are you telling us that politicians are corrupt. We all know we can believe the PM, she is Thaksins sister, and he does not have forked tongue.

[Roachiebkk]

Yingluck and the PTP are liars but everyone knows that. Anyway there are provinces flooded already even though there were promises it would not happen. Now parts of BKK are to flood while that was promised not to happen.

I just hope i escape it this year, seems different as last year but i did buy wading gear to be safe. There is a big chance that i wont have to use it as this year the big dams did not release their water. So i guess im ok. But i rather prepare.

Should have had a print on it.. saying "I believe in Yingluck"

By Jove - you seem to have lost a little weight he he

Funny I thought he was taller

[Roachiebkk]

Yingluck and the PTP are liars but everyone knows that. Anyway there are provinces flooded already even though there were promises it would not happen. Now parts of BKK are to flood while that was promised not to happen.

I just hope i escape it this year, seems different as last year but i did buy wading gear to be safe. There is a big chance that i wont have to use it as this year the big dams did not release their water. So i guess im ok. But i rather prepare.

Should have had a print on it.. saying "I believe in Yingluck"

"There is no LUCK without YING"

Edited October 4, 2012 by Roachiebkk

[Scorpio1949]

Chainat June 13, PM Yingluck promised no flooding in Thailand in 2012.

Was this one more white lie?

She had a wrong date on her computer she meant 2013 / 2014 and please understand that i's hard to convert Thai years to western years

[ResX]

So scary. Especially some areas in central region and BKK. Some of the areas are fully exposed and defenceless. Pray you get very good dam operators. The ones that cool and calm to face the coming floods. Otherwise they might abandon you by making premature releases even they are not truly under duress since they know they can always put the blame of the consequences on the rainfalls.

[otherstuff1957]

The Science and Technology Ministry's project to reinstall stakes, initially in Bangkok, will also allow untrained members of the public to read mean sea levels themselves, and this might lead to misunderstanding, he added.

Actually, they just need to let people know that the - sign before the elevation means that this area is below sea level.

Needless to say, the stakes will vanish as soon as a property developer starts to build near any of them. We wouldn't want potential buyers to know that their new house is at or below sea level now!

[Narratio]

Okay I can see that the Dem's can be blamed for the 'wear and tear' on the painted concrete sea level markers, after all, last years flood was thier fault...

I can see how it could cost 100,000 Baht per marker, once you factor in satelite time ensuring exact GPS locations, special solar powered lights so that members of the untrained public can read them in the dark, a committee to review alternate methods of marking, competative bids by a minimum of 5 qualified suppliers of painted concrete poles. Another committe to allocate the painted concrete poles into areas of politcal significance plus photo ops for thier placement and reporters day out trips to manufactuers on airconditioned buses...

It all adds up you know.

[jaiyenyen]

A fair amount of the money has been spent on building a solid concrete flood wall around around Don Meuang airport and the adjoining Royal Thai Airforce base.

Great news if you're an aeroplane, but not so good if you have a home in the surrounding area.

[techboy]

So when the floods come, what's the PTP excuse this time? They had one year to do something. Well I guess what's important is that someone got rich from the flood funds that were supposed to be used to prevent this from happening again.

There ya go!!! Jeez, I wisht' I was smart like you and could figure out how you get yer facts about folks getting rich offa dis.