Sukhothai and Ayutthaya hit hard by floods

[Lite Beer]

INUNDATION
Sukhothai and Ayutthaya hit hard by floods
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- The flood situation in Sukhothai and Ayutthaya remains critical with hundreds of homes inundated, while a flash flood hit Chiang Rai's Muang and Mae Sai districts yesterday morning.

Meanwhile, ML Sukhumbhand Paribatra, who resumed as Bangkok governor after the Court of Election Appeals dismissed an election fraud charge against him, yesterday checked progress of the city's flood-prevention measures.

In Sukhothai, which has five districts declared as flood disaster zones, the situation remained critical yesterday, especially in Sri Samrong and Muang districts. The Yom River, taking in northern run-off at 1,400 cubic metres per second, continued to rise, while a 100-metre section of a flood wall in tambon Pak Kwae in Muang district broke and many areas of this tambon were under two-metres of water. Troops on flat-bottom boats helped evacuate residents at risk in Sri Samrong to safer ground.

The situation looked unlikely to improve this weekend, as the Meteorological Department said a strong monsoon trough covering the upper part of Thailand would remain there.

Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department chief Chatchai Phromloet said that the state had put flood-mitigation measures in place and he was confident the disastrous floods of 2010 would not be repeated this year.

Many farmers in water-retention areas in Bang Ban district in Ayutthaya hastily harvested their rice paddy in a bid to prevent more flood damage by northern run-off, Tambon Bang Ban Mayor Chukiat Boonmee said.

Farmer Phang Khunwan, 51, whose rice crop was not yet ripe, said he harvested the paddy out of fear that all would be lost.

In Phachi and Uthai districts, villagers lamented that off-season rice paddy in flood-hit fields would be ruined if the situation didn't improve within five days.

In Uttaradit's Tha Pla district, 80 homes and farmland near Huay Nam Mhan canal were flooded by forest run-off yesterday.

Strong torrents destroyed a bridge, a spillway and brought down several power poles, which led to a blackout in six villages in tambon Nam Mhan. This prompted residents to prepare to evacuate, as it brought back memories of a flood in 2006 when the area was also hit by a landslide.

In Angthong's Pa Moke district, flood-prone tambon Phong Pheng has again been inundated, affecting 3,000 villagers. A flood aid centre was opened yesterday, with some 200 police, Army and provincial administrators, 20 flat-bottom boats, and four Humvees deployed to assist people hit by the flood.

Up North, residents and business owners in Chiang Rai's Mae Sai district moved belongings to higher ground after parts of the Thai-Myanmar border, especially the Tambon Mae Sai municipality, was hit by a 30cm flood. A flash flood also caused inundation in many parts of Muang district.

In Bangkok, BMA Department of Drainage and Sewerage director Adisak Khantee reported to Sukhumbhand that the city would have heavy rain in several areas over the weekend, while seasonal seawater inflows were expected at the end of the month.

Adisak said the city had prepared to handle the situation with 166 water pump stations, 217 sluice gates, and seven drainage tunnels.

He said city workers had cleared almost 100 per cent of waterways and sewage pipes. A total of 520 water pumps were installed at flood-prone spots, while staff at relevant facilities were on alert.

Sukhumbhand said the situation was not worrisome because the Bhumibol, Sirikit and Pa Sak Jolasid dams were still at 30-40 per cent capacity. However, he urged Adisak's office to monitor the rainfall in order to handle any flooding in a timely manner. He said the city, being more equipped than the Highway Department and the Rural Roads Department, had received the National Council for Peace and Order's permission to handle Bangkok's flood-hit roads.

Sukhumbhand later inspected the Bang Sue tunnel, which is under construction and slated for completion in September 2016. He said the Bt2.4 billion, 5.4m-wide tunnel, which can drain water into the Chao Phraya River at 60 cubic metres per second, would help prevent flooding in Chatuchak, Bang Sue, Huai Khwang, Ratchathewi, Phaya Thai and Lat Phrao.

The Royal Irrigation Department urged residents in low-lying areas near the Chao Phraya who are outside flood barriers, to brace for flooding due to rising water levels.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Sukhothai-and-Ayutthaya-hit-hard-by-floods-30242701.html

-- The Nation 2014-09-07

[surinderek]

Remember those famous word, IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN ?

[BillyBobThai]

The man in the picture, can still put on a smile. Good for him.

[Sena Dave]

This is the normal flood . The reporting is a bit sensationalist. I live in Ayutthaya , nothing out of the ordinary at the moment

[jacky54]

No ploblum not Bangkok

[NCC1701A]

never a dull moment...

[MaxLee]

No ploblum not Bangkok

Well, not yet,.... but com-MMMING soon

[tezzainthailand]

The man in the picture, can still put on a smile. Good for him.

This is why we come to Thailand.

[Khonper]

So what is the junta doing to prevent? They been sitting 4 months now. If YS was ruling it would have been 10 pages with bashing now.

[DinoSabanovic]

So what is the junta doing to prevent? They been sitting 4 months now. If YS was ruling it would have been 10 pages with bashing now.

You do it then

[Nuddy]

The man in the picture, can still put on a smile. Good for him.

He has saved his child and his shirt is still dry.

Easy to smile now.

When it gets to the 3 or 4 metres deep he may give up the smile.

[henry15]

So what is the junta doing to prevent? They been sitting 4 months now. If YS was ruling it would have been 10 pages with bashing now.

At least they give a warning so people can prepare themselves, and they don't hide the truth.

[janpoo]

What did he said? DON'T WORRY BE HAPPY.

[seajae]

So what is the junta doing to prevent? They been sitting 4 months now. If YS was ruling it would have been 10 pages with bashing now.

maybe thats because yl said Bangkok would not flood and then spent billions on , well nobody knows, like the rice stock piles the flood prevention work/money seems to have disappeared, more corruption and until the junta knows what they were supposed to have done/said they done and where the money actually went they cant really do anything about it, can they. At least they are warning people and not giving them false hope, yl and crew just kept lying to them until they were neck deep in water.

[callaway]

Miss seeing YL in ankle deep water for photo opportunities in her Gucci waders

[The Deerhunter]

Is it anywhere near the car plants up there yet? I remember photos of acres of (was it Hondas & Mazdas???) that were destroyed in the flood 2 years ago & I was not in Thailand at the time but I remember from International press reports that YL had to promise the Japanese Govt on behalf of it's car makers that she would make sure it never happened again. If I remember rightly the car plants are located there, not at the wish of the Japanese but as regional development initiatives of the Thai government. Surely from the manufacturers' point, somewhere in Chonburi, as close as possible to the ports would have been most advantageous preferred location. They'd better not get swamped up there again or the Japanese will rightfully be seriously p'ed off!!!

[taff33]

What sort farmer harvests his crops before 'they are ripe',it's mind boggling I just can't under stand it.

[CantSpell]

The man in the picture, can still put on a smile. Good for him.

He is laughing at his own mistake....

He just realized he was supposed to put the water INSIDE the pool, did it wrong