Thai water-management scheme: Construction may be 'a waste'

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WATER-MANAGEMENT SCHEME
Construction may be 'a waste'
Chularat Saengpassa,
Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation



Academic warns work could be useless if modules are not integrated

BANGKOK: -- Constructions under the government's costly water-management and flood-prevention modules could end up being useless structures because of a total lack of integration between key modules, a leading academic at Kasetsart University (KU) has warned.

The Cabinet, however, yesterday approved the Water and Flood Management Commission's (WFMC) proposal that the government seek a Bt314-bilion loan to finance the nine modules and supplementary projects.

The modules alone will cost Bt284.75 billion, although the chosen bidders have already agreed to lower their bid prices. The initial budget for the nine modules was Bt291 billion.

"The overall price for the nine modules is down by a few per cent," Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi said yesterday in his capacity as WFMC chairman.

He believes the commission will be able to choose consulting firms for the nine modules within 45 days, and that construction of the flood-diversion channel will commence within a few months.

Bancha Kwanyuen, dean of the Faculty of Engineering at KU's Kamphaeng Saen Campus, said he could not see any linkage at all among modules A1 to A6.

Moreover, module A5 also threatens to direct serious flooding to provinces where extensive floods had never previously been experienced, he said.

"These provinces are Uthai Thani, Suphan Buri, Kanchanaburi and Phetchaburi," he added.

Bancha said academics and the Engineering Institute of Thailand (EIT) would wait to see how the Central Administrative Court rules on these controversial modules. The court is scheduled to deliver its ruling on June 27.

"If the court does not put a brake on these modules, we will closely monitor their implementation and give information to affected people," said Bancha, who is also a member of the EIT.

Stiff resistance expected

Meanwhile, Suwattana Jitraladakorn, chairman of the EIT's water-resources engineering sub-panel, expects strong opposition from locals regarding the implementation of many of the modules.

The construction of dams and a flood-diversion channel in modules A1, A5 and B1, in particular, will face stiff resistance, he said, adding, "Implementation will require land expropriation and the relocation of a huge number of people."

Suwattana also pointed out that none of these modules had yet had environmental health impact assessments.

In his opinion, the planned water-diversion channel would significantly lower the level of the Chao Phraya River, as it would take in 1,200 cubic metres of water per second from the Ping, which is one of its four main tributaries.

"Impacts can be serious during the dry season," he said.

Water diversion from the Ping during the rainy season would also increase the amount of water in the Ta Chin and Mae Klong rivers, which would inundate areas along these two waterways.

Suwattana said he was also very worried about modules A2 and B2, which were about land use and planning.

"What's done in one area can have impacts on other areas," he pointed out.

On the A3 water-retention-area module, he said locals could find it hard to adapt when their neighbourhoods had to hold run-off water.

"The module will require some land expropriation, too, and the compensation will likely be high," Suwattana said.

Regarding modules A4 and B3, which concern main-river and embankment improvement as well as the improvement of a drainage canal in Songkhla, he warned that embankment construction could increase the speed of water flow and adversely affect downstream areas.

The EIT has also expressed much doubt about the ability to achieve the A6/B4 module, which promises an integrated early-warning and forecast information centre.

Suwattana said it seemed the successful bidders had solid expertise in hardware and/or construction, but not in software.

"The water and flood information system centre is not only about hardware, but software as well. We are not confident about the companies' true understanding of flood issues," he added.

He also emphasised that the water and flood information system centre, once established, must offer people up-to-date and accurate information.

"That's the crucial part of the module," he said.


-- The Nation 2013-06-19

[Neilly]

Construction may be 'a waste'

Sounds like the only planning that has gone into this is how much they can skim off

[rametindallas]

80% planning on projects that would have the best 'skim'/20% planning on engineering and effectiveness. Priorities, don't ya' know.

[cup-O-coffee]

'Been reading the headlines since this first began.

'Seems that tree they started out with is gettin' to look like a toothpick.

Won't be long now.

Always the same;

...arguing, planning, researching, meetings, expert opinions, warnings, may be's, could be's, should be's, would be's, might-have-been's, accusations, indignation, fighting, delaying, quarreling, bickering, refusing, back to the drawing board, scrapping, new approaches, criticism, lawsuits, allegations, preparations, reparations, and so on and so on and so on. Thais of higher learning and education sure do know how to take procrastination to a scientific level that defies the human imagination.

When the smoke clears, they should have just enough for a few sand bags; don't know about the sand to go in the bags, though.

Edited June 19, 2013 by cup-O-coffee

[SOTIRIOS]

.one has to conclude that the objective never has been to put in place a solution.....just to redirect a pile of money.....

(....which, according to Banks in Hong Kong, Singapore and U.S.A......money being wired out of Thailand....has surpassed acceptable levels.....)

.....go figure.....

[LuckyLew]

The Gov;t will never admit it being a waste with a nice 30 - 40 % off the top

[Pib]

Hopefully the projects will help water management/flood control in Thailand, but I expect for the next 5 years or so there will be continued strong resistance to the water management plan by affected residents and the constant drum beat of corruption possibly associated with the plan. But for the most part the apathetic Thai population as a whole will think its a good thing...and hopefully it will a good thing for the country. I mean it couldn't be any worst than the govt's rice pledging scheme, could it?

[GentlemanJim]

.one has to conclude that the objective never has been to put in place a solution.....just to redirect a pile of money.....

(....which, according to Banks in Hong Kong, Singapore and U.S.A......money being wired out of Thailand....has surpassed acceptable levels.....)

.....go figure.....

I think those in the know are getting ready to cash in on the inevitable large depreciation of the baht.

This water plan is just another scam. The last flood was engineered to happen, they kind of over did it a bit though. With competent professional management of the existing dams there is little chance of floods and no need for drought.

[iancnx]

.one has to conclude that the objective never has been to put in place a solution.....just to redirect a pile of money.....

(....which, according to Banks in Hong Kong, Singapore and U.S.A......money being wired out of Thailand....has surpassed acceptable levels.....)

.....go figure.....

I think those in the know are getting ready to cash in on the inevitable large depreciation of the baht.

This water plan is just another scam. The last flood was engineered to happen, they kind of over did it a bit though. With competent professional management of the existing dams there is little chance of floods and no need for drought.

I am no expert, but I agree the existing network of Dams sould be looked at. Hire an independent professional international flood management consultancy to study and make recommendations. New drainage channels or pipelines to disseminate water across the country may well be a cheaper option don't ya think? Proper evaluation and analysis if what is already in place may cut megaprojects down to a few instead of 9.

[culicine]

It's a bit much given it may not flood again like that in the next 50 years. Bangkok could well have sunk into the mire by then:)

[ChrisY1]

Plodrasop..... engineering and design specialist......now scammer to add tis resume!!

[surangw]

to me, the term scheme seems to fit in this instance.

[monkeycountry]

I think the academics and engineers should be quiet on this matter. The government has already asked 10 million farmers, none of whom know anything about flood management, economy, integration or anything else that has any relevance for the projects, and they all agreed that it is a great plan!

Edited June 19, 2013 by monkeycountry

[iancnx]

It's a bit much given it may not flood again like that in the next 50 years. Bangkok could well have sunk into the mire by then:)

Again I am no expert, but if BKK is destined to sink, no amount of engineering will save such a huge sprawling metropolis. Maybe a network of dykes could save the city centre and the heritage sites and the sacred temples, but who will decide on the demarcation? For once in history the British will not be responsible for slicing up the map!

[Markaew]

I would say all their "schemes" are a waste.