Bangkok: – The city administration plans to seek the military intervention in order to locate an exit for water drainage tunnel designed for flood prevention in the capital.

The 6 billion baht construction project has stalled because of bureaucratic squabble for the tunnel’s exit site, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration official Kangwal Deesuwan said.

Upon completion, the tunnel is expected to divert northern run-off water from two irrigated waterways, Khlong Prem Prachakorn and Rangsit Khlong 2 to drain into Chao Phraya River.

The tunnel would prevent flooding in northern Bangkok by speeding up the drainage of run-off water. Presently, the run-off water can only be drained into Bangpakong River.

When planning to build the 13.5-kilometer tunnel, the BMA expects to negotiate with the Rural Roads Department for the use of its plot near Rama VII Bridge for the construction of drainage exit.

Subsequently, the department has refused the BMA request on grounds that it appropriated the land for traffic-related construction.

The Council of State backs up the department saying the water drainage could not be construed as the construction for road traffic.

Kangwal said the BMA considers its drainage tunnel to ease road snarls caused by overflowing water. Therefore it has legitimate cause to use the department’s plot, he said.

He went on to state that the BMA could not use a nearby plot which is too small to build the water pumping station to speed up the water flow.

In order to resolve the bureaucratic dispute, the BMA would petition the intervention of the National Council for Peace and Order, he said.

The drainage tunnel may not directly be for the use of motorists but will eventually benefit road traffic as it would help to tackle road inundation in a speedy manner, he said.

The mind boggles. Only in Thailand would they start digging a tunnel without knowing where the exit would be.

Where does it say they've started digging already?

The mind boggles. Only in Thailand would they start digging a tunnel without knowing where the exit would be.

We have a plan:

Where does it say they've started digging already?

Good thing, there are still some people around that don't suffer from "foot in mouth" disease and can read and understand English

The mind boggles. Only in Thailand would they start digging a tunnel without knowing where the exit would be.

We have a plan:we have a plan.jpg

JOC, is this supposed to be funny?

Please, explain, as I'm not in a very good mood today and I need a laugh.

Why does the Rural Roads Department need land in Bangkok?

Assuming the tunnel exit is in the vertical plane, why can't they build a road on top of it?

If the problem is, that there's nowhere suitable at ground-level for the tunnel-exit, just make it on floor-2 or floor-3 of some convenient building !

Simples !

Why does the Rural Roads Department need land in Bangkok?

Assuming the tunnel exit is in the vertical plane, why can't they build a road on top of it?

Don't be mistaken that Thai officials cannot think beyond 3D.

Such decisions and refusals boil down to budget and control, and those things under a table...

me thinks that the contractors have not been paid , so just downed tools. Very common in Geece

I think this story is like many, commenting on the thing prematurely, could they not have negotiated the solution before public comment.

Airing their dirty laundry in public again.

Anyway why are there problems still, bring in Mr Fixit his name is Art 44.

"The city administration plans to seek the military intervention"

Why not go to the Minister of the Interior or the PM - oh, same-same. The Junta.

When you have a highly centralized government ruling with absolute power, no one in the rank and file of government will take any initiative to solve problems. There's too much risk of punishment. So "Not my pay grade" reaction.

Where does it say they've started digging already?

Good thing, there are still some people around that don't suffer from "foot in mouth" disease and can read and understand English

Some people however are too lazy to do research before they comment:

http://tunnellingjournal.com/news/bangkok-implements-giant-tunnels-project/

Has any one notice that one person comments. On ever topic really

How many inches above sea level will it exit?

I am thinking they need the military to take the land they need. The owners will not give it up. Just look at the expressway above 34. They can not finish because land owners say no .

How many inches above sea level will it exit?

As long as the INLET is above sea level, it will allow flow even if the exit is BELOW (ignoring friction). As a pumping station is mentioned in the OP..........

"The city administration plans to seek the military intervention"

Why not go to the Minister of the Interior or the PM - oh, same-same. The Junta.

When you have a highly centralized government ruling with absolute power, no one in the rank and file of government will take any initiative to solve problems. There's too much risk of punishment. So "Not my pay grade" reaction.

Or you could look at it as 2 departments' squabbling being cut short by central authority. But that would be positive.

OK I got it wrong in assuming that the tunnel had been started. All that was required was the word 'proposed' to have been inserted before 'tunnel construction'. Lousey Thai journalism at it's best.

Has any one notice that one person comments. On ever topic really

If it bothers you, there is an 'ignore' function in you account details.

We don't want an exit tunnel were we live. Flood the whole damn place. That is advanced Thainess.

And I hoped I would never use that word.

The mind boggles. Only in Thailand would they start digging a tunnel without knowing where the exit would be.

We have a plan:we have a plan.jpg

JOC, is this supposed to be funny?

Please, explain, as I'm not in a very good mood today and I need a laugh.

Mr Costos, the joke can be seen two ways; first, if you can see the diagram it's a total nonsense. Second; If you canniot see the diagram it's still very funny because it's so subtle as in...."we have a plan" and then nothing, zero! It's a way of showing that there wasn't any planning to begin with it's merely a plan to get their hands on 6 billion baht!!!!!

How many inches above sea level will it exit?

As long as the INLET is above sea level, it will allow flow even if the exit is BELOW (ignoring friction). As a pumping station is mentioned in the OP..........

But pump to where? I would suggest the sea or it just moves one flood to another place.

"The 6 billion baht construction project has stalled" It was underway.....then it stalled! And because of this delay it will end up costing 7 billion!

So why is the Thai economy stalling at the moment?

Someone’s knuckles are dragging on the ground again.

I would have thought the priority is to fix the leak first and then deal with the traffic issue. At least this way you should have an idea which way the water will go?