Thai flood: Chon Buri estate 'still operating'

[webfact]

FLOOD
Chon Buri estate 'still operating'
The Nation



Firm denies shutdown; SGWA wants govt water plan suspended

BANGKOK: -- AS FLOODWATERS reached Chon Buri's Amata Nakorn Industrial Estate yesterday, only two factories on the estate had been forced to shut down, and only for two days, the estate's chief of operations, Viboon Kromadit, said. He insisted flooding had not hit the estate's 200 factories and forced them to close, as some news reports claimed.

Meanwhile, the Stop Global Warming Association (SGWA) will today file a lawsuit with the Central Administrative Court seeking an urgent session and an injunction suspending the government's upcoming public forum over the Bt350-billion water- and flood-management scheme.

Viboon said surrounding areas of the two factories were under 10cm-deep floodwater, inconveniencing workers trying to get to work, but the estate's other 200 factories had not shut down. The estate covers 20,000 rai with 600 businesses and 400,000 workers. It was prepared for a flood emergency with fast-installing flood barriers and three water-pushing machines from the Royal Thai Navy.

The Labour Ministry yesterday launched a flood-victim assistance centre and said 11 establishments had been forced to temporarily close and 731 workers were affected. Acting permanent secretary for Labour Jeerasak Sukonthachart said 606 business establishments in Nakhon Nayok, Surin, Si Sa Ket, Ubon Ratchathani, Buri Ram, Chachoengsao and Chon Buri had been affected by floods.

Besides the 11 closed establishments, 439 workplaces involving 3,114 workers were indirectly hit by floods in surrounding areas and routes used by labourers to get to work. He said the ministry's inspector-general would visit flood-hit people in Nakhon Ratchasima's Phimai and Chum Phuang districts at the weekend.

They would also ask hospitals under the Social Security Office (SSO) network to treat SSO subscribers without charge while also asking employers to let workers have days off or arrive at work late until the situation was resolved. They would also organise activities to help victims - such as repairing electric appliances and vehicles - to help people find jobs and to ask for employers' cooperation in not laying off workers, he added.

SGWA president Srisuwan Janya claimed the government's public forum did not comply with the Central Administrative Court's previous verdict, which ordered the government to conduct the public event and collect opinions over its mega water project.

Moreover, the government had violated the Constitution's Articles 57(2) and 67(2), he said. According to the court's order issued on June 27, the government should seek public opinion about the water-management master plan - not projects under the plan, he said. The government will conduct a public forum in 36 provinces that will be affected by the scheme. The first forum will be held in Lamphun on October 15.

In the meantime, floodwaters hit 150 riverside homes near Arun Amarin Bridge in Bangkok's Bangkok Noi area, as the Chao Phraya River rose to 1.97 metres above sea level. The flood barrier connecting Khlong Namtan sluice gate is not yet complete. Bangkok City's drainage office head Adisak Khanthee said the unfinished construction was abandoned by a contractor and the city was gathering evidence to sue them for compensation.

He said the city was still monitoring the flood situation, particularly at the eastern side of Bangkok, because the Pasak Jolasid Dam's water level was high and Bangkok was continuing to brace for heavy rains.

In Ayutthaya's Muang district, Fine Arts Department workers built two-metre-high earthen dikes to protect ancient sites and key temples along the Chao Phraya River, after Wat Maheyong and Wat Kudi Dao were partially flooded.

Buri Ram's Noen Din Daeng district saw overflow from the Lam Nang Rong Dam flood the downstream area with a one-metre-deep flood. On Tuesday night, 130 families in two villages were evacuated. In Nakhon Ratchasima's Pak Thong Chai district 400 homes in seven sub-districts were submerged. Lamphraphloeng Dam's overflow yesterday flooded another 100 homes in the municipality, while residents were warned of more high water at 8pm last night.

In Ratchaburi's Ban Kha district, forest runoff on Tuesday night blocked the entrance to Phachi River Wildlife Sanctuary, marooning 130 Benjamarachutit School students and teachers camped there since Monday. Officials and volunteers set up a wooden bridge to take them to safety yesterday.


-- The Nation 2013-10-10

[klubex99]

I suppose the pictures my wife showed me on the internet yesterday of dozens of factories standing in water, were just cleverly photoshopped by the media?

I wonder for what purpose?

[NongKhaiKid]

Yeasterday threre was an excellent post, complete with pictures, of an industrial area that looked like it was trying to be the new Lost City of Atlantis yet according to a spokesman it was operating normally.

You have to hand it to Thai officiadom as no matter how many eye witnesses and photographic evidence is avaiable if they say something is or isn't happening it's set in stone and don't dare suggest otherwise.

[klubex99]

Yeasterday threre was an excellent post, complete with pictures, of an industrial area that looked like it was trying to be the new Lost City of Atlantis yet according to a spokesman it was operating normally.

You have to hand it to Thai officiadom as no matter how many eye witnesses and photographic evidence is avaiable if they say something is or isn't happening it's set in stone and don't dare suggest otherwise.

Those factories build submarines.

Car manufacturers have wind tunnels.

Same same

[marcusd]

Ok it is NOT a problem to the Thai Government YET.... but if the FACTORIES decide to say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH what will they cleverley construe then??

[pj123]

The CEO of Amata promised they would construct a flood wall back in 2011.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Amata-woos-firms-with-floodwall-promise-30168364.html

Since that date Amata Nakorn has continued to expand eastwards into an area with a history of flooding.

Here is my overlay of Amata Nakorn over the historical flood map at http://flood.gistda.or.th/.

Edited October 10, 2013 by pj123

[thhMan]

Are there any newspapers that actually investigate news and not just go on hearsay?

Or will they go to jail if they do?

Thais will only fear floods and demand action if one of the soapies has a flood in part of its story/plot

[indyuk]

I understand that the major flood protection project is designed to minimise the risk of serious inundations of high value real estate.

The flood prevention project is expected to take five years to complete. When it is finished it will be fit for purpose which is to prevent the inundation flooding of high value real estate and especially major manufacturing areas.

The completed project will not eradicate flooding in Thailand, that is actually impossible because the whole country, apart from the highlands, occupies a natural flood plain.

Just sayin' cos some people have unrealistic expectations for the water management capital Project.

[HAL9000]

Public opinion? Isn't that why we hire experts?

[hammered]

The CEO of Amata promised they would construct a flood wall back in 2011.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Amata-woos-firms-with-floodwall-promise-30168364.html

Since that date Amata Nakorn has continued to expand eastwards into an area with a history of flooding.

Here is my overlay of Amata Nakorn over the historical flood map at http://flood.gistda.or.th/.

Exactly. The country's largest industrial estate is still virtually fully operational but the expansion areas are at risk. Oddly enough in 2011 Amata Nakhorn escaped flooding and has reaped rewards from that into these lower lying areas. That the floods this time are based more on heavy rain compared to dams overfilling in 2011 also makes a difference in where is affected.

[tingtongteesood]

Between the government's idiocy, broken promises and perpetual 'crackdowns' against foreigners and constant messing around with visa laws, seems like Thailand is trying it's best to get rid of those pesky foreigners it doesn't want here...

[esprit]

The CEO of Amata promised they would construct a flood wall back in 2011.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Amata-woos-firms-with-floodwall-promise-30168364.html

Since that date Amata Nakorn has continued to expand eastwards into an area with a history of flooding.

Here is my overlay of Amata Nakorn over the historical flood map at http://flood.gistda.or.th/.

Exactly. The country's largest industrial estate is still virtually fully operational but the expansion areas are at risk. Oddly enough in 2011 Amata Nakhorn escaped flooding and has reaped rewards from that into these lower lying areas. That the floods this time are based more on heavy rain compared to dams overfilling in 2011 also makes a difference in where is affected.

Not just Dam capacity at that time but the incompetence or woeful behavior of politicians attempting to divert the water from "their patch" with disastrous consequences for the normal folk and business.

[AleG]

I understand that the major flood protection project is designed to minimise the risk of serious inundations of high value real estate.

The flood prevention project is expected to take five years to complete. When it is finished it will be fit for purpose which is to prevent the inundation flooding of high value real estate and especially major manufacturing areas.

The completed project will not eradicate flooding in Thailand, that is actually impossible because the whole country, apart from the highlands, occupies a natural flood plain.

Just sayin' cos some people have unrealistic expectations for the water management capital Project.

No more floods was one of PTP election promises, just saying...

[MikeOboe57]

[...] three water-pushing machines from the Royal Thai Navy.

No further questions...