Ground-water use behind subsidence rate increase
THE NATION

Parts of Southeast Bangkok sinking by up to 28mm a year, seminar told

BANGKOK: -- Due to extensive use of groundwater, land subsidence in Bangkok has reached a worrying level with instances more than doubling in neighbouring Samut Prakan, a seaside province, which is also losing land at an unusually high rate to coastal erosion, a Chulalongkorn University seminar was told yesterday.

Assoc Prof Itthi Trisirisattayawong, of the Faculty of Engineering, said the average sudsidence rate in Samut Prakan was around 10mm a year, but had reached 20.1mm, and even 28mm in areas connected to Thepharak and Srinakarin roads, and in the western parts of Bang Phli and Bang Bo districts.

In the north of Bangkok, areas along the Rangsit-Nakhon Nayok Road and branches of the Rangsit-Nakhon Nayok Canal in neighbouring Pathum Thani also faced subsidence of around 20-30mm per year - almost double the rate a decade ago. In neighbouring Samut Sakhon southwest of Bangkok, Itthi said affected areas included Om Noi, Omnai and - next to those areas - the Bangkok district of Nong Khaem.

There is no information on how the continued use of groundwater will affect the problem of subsidence in the long term. However, Itthi said a US study had found that subsidence in an unspecified valley had reached nine metres over a 50-year period.

Anek Suksamran, a local politician in Samut Prakan who attended the seminar, said that in six years, coastal erosion could eventually reach Sukhumvit Road - the region's coastal road - which is currently a few hundreds metres from the coastline.

'Too many houses'

Ithi said the rapid growth of housing estates in Bangkok's suburbs and the expansion of small businesses relying on groundwater was aggravating the problem. Groundwater was easy to access and there were no laws against using it, he added.

Despite certain government controls over the use of groundwater, factors such as urban development and the building of high-rises and large-sized structures, such as bridges and expressways, were contributing to the problem of land subsidence in Bangkok, Itthi said.

However, he said there was no scientific research that could be used to estimate how far Bangkok would sink over the next 50 to 100 years.

"The control and state-sanctioned use of groundwater is the key to the pace at which land subsidence in Bangkok will occur," he said.


-- The Nation 2013-11-15

They won't do a damn thing about it. If they do, it will be too late or totally inefficient and a waste of money.

I am talking about the current government. A future government totally unrelated to this lot, may actually attempt something. But their options are very limited, which is why I think apathy will rule the day.

Wouldn't you be over the moon if you had borrowed money against one of these moibhan houses and they announced that in 5 years it would be 10cm lower.

What's this house going to be worth in 30 years time? Nothing

Unless there is a return to monsoon rains in Bangkok then the central part of the metropolis is relatively safe. Its the outer North , south bangphli district and out west Bangkae thats a problem.

Anyone who buys one of those stupid new houses for 2 -15 million baht is nuts. They keep on building them.

Bangkok sinking could be a blessing in disguise.

The som-tam lady, fount of knowledge on all matters Thai, says that this news is not a problem, as the government will simply announce plans to land-fill the affected areas/provinces.

Why do I find this strangely believable, it's almost as crazy as using boat-propellers to push water uphill, and reverse the flow of rivers, isn't it ?

Maybe when Bangkok sinks into the sea and becomes part of it, the Thais can rely on the Philippines to reciprocate all of Thailand's generosity, military support, and goodwill that was forthcoming with the Haiyan typhoon tragedy. Thailand was so concerned about the Philippines when it was washed over with 10,000 dead and a million displaced that it would be no surprise that Filipinos would rush to Thailand's aid with a Bangkok sinking emergency. What goes around comes around.

We certainly see this problem in Pakkret

However, he said there was no scientific research that could be used to estimate how far Bangkok would sink over the next 50 to 100 years.

Time to buy Burberry stocks for the kids. Guess the sales of their boots will make 'em rich when they finished school.

I expect this will help the flood prevention budget, we need more pumps to pump the water, I don't know to any where that is not Bkk I guess

They've known this was an issue for ages. Nothing done about it whatsoever.

It's noticeable that many more of the new private houses being built will infill the plot with anything up to half a metre before they start pile-driving.

Great.. that means that it will be 5.6 meters underground & under water by 2033, I always hated "Hell city Bangkok". "So adieu Bkk good riddance"

There is a very old prophecy by a man during the reign of the first Chakra king that states that the ocean would rise up and that the area of Siam where BKK now sits would be swallowed and be no more.

He made other prophesies that were later fulfilled, and some still "pending", but since they involve a subject matter than is not to be discussed, I can't go into them here.

aaaah the new venice of aisa...but to make it authentic thai..added plastic bags floating by .....or the biggest floating market in the universe.the hub of markets...

Don't buy property in Bangers, is all I'm saying.

Would be very sad to see the City of Angels sinking down into the ocean. I have some very fond memories of this city that I don't wanna miss.

One here said that Bangkok going under would be "a blessing in disguise"... Well, all I can say to that would be that Washington - along with its "change" and "yes we can!" babbling, warmonger president liar and his cronies - sinking into a bottomless pit would be a much greater blessing in disguise the rest of the so-called civilized world would very much appreciate.

They won't do a dam_n thing about it. If they do, it will be too late or totally inefficient and a waste of money.

I am talking about the current government. A future government totally unrelated to this lot, may actually attempt something. But their options are very limited, which is why I think apathy will rule the day.

My money says the government to do some thing about it is far in the future. Their leader might not be born yet. By the time they do some thing about it Bangkok will have either relocated of be known as the Venice of the east. Can you see it now waterways filled with wall to wall Gondolas.

There is a very old prophecy by a man during the reign of the first Chakra king that states that the ocean would rise up and that the area of Siam where BKK now sits would be swallowed and be no more.

He made other prophesies that were later fulfilled, and some still "pending", but since they involve a subject matter than is not to be discussed, I can't go into them here.

Nothing wrong with naming books or articles you have read.

Would be very sad to see the City of Angels sinking down into the ocean. I have some very fond memories of this city that I don't wanna miss.

One here said that Bangkok going under would be "a blessing in disguise"... Well, all I can say to that would be that Washington - along with its "change" and "yes we can!" babbling, warmonger president liar and his cronies - sinking into a bottomless pit would be a much greater blessing in disguise the rest of the so-called civilized world would very much appreciate.

I think most, if not all, of us will be well and truly dead, before Bangkok sink below the waves. You have nothing to fear....

Dont be surprised when the Govt announces that Foreigners are soon to be allowed to buy land, in Bangkok.

With the global warming, rise of sea level and the sinking of bangkok, we should all be already 1 meter under water.

On top of it we are all blind like the sheeps in Australia from the Ozone gap....

Or they are all alarmists and they just made up the numbers.

There is a very old prophecy by a man during the reign of the first Chakra king that states that the ocean would rise up and that the area of Siam where BKK now sits would be swallowed and be no more.

He made other prophesies that were later fulfilled, and some still "pending", but since they involve a subject matter than is not to be discussed, I can't go into them here.

and a million others worldwide equally crap

With the global warming, rise of sea level and the sinking of bangkok, we should all be already 1 meter under water.

On top of it we are all blind like the sheeps in Australia from the Ozone gap....

Or they are all alarmists and they just made up the numbers.

gotta get more funding somehow....

My brother is currently residing in samutprakarn area. Given the current situation, I guess capital has to be relocated elsewhere. Soil around Chao Phraya river is too soft, thus more susceptible to erosion.

Bkk " journey to the centre of the earth,

Its all that fat falangs walking about in Bangkok thats causing the sinking problem at least when we are under the sea it should ease the road congestion by a little bit, and the Thais defiantly wont need any outside help with flood barriers or anything else to prevent flooding or sinking because our superb intellect will solve this small problem with free amulets to all Bangkok citizens.

Its all that fat falangs walking about in Bangkok thats causing the sinking problem at least when we are under the sea it should ease the road congestion by a little bit, and the Thais defiantly wont need any outside help with flood barriers or anything else to prevent flooding or sinking because our superb intellect will solve this small problem with free amulets to all Bangkok citizens.

With the global warming, rise of sea level and the sinking of bangkok, we should all be already 1 meter under water.

On top of it we are all blind like the sheeps in Australia from the Ozone gap....

Or they are all alarmists and they just made up the numbers.

gotta get more funding somehow....

global warming scam (produce in China instead of America and Europe to fight global warming) works well. Sure there is also a lot money in the Bangkok sinks scam.

Bangkok sinking could be a blessing in disguise.

Not likely. They.d start moving to Chiang Mai, and in time, turn that into a 2nd Bangkok.