Damming up fears of a tragedy in Kanchanaburi

[webfact]

BIZ BUZZ
Damming up fears of a tragedy

BANGKOK: -- Fears that two large dams in Kanchanaburi will crumble and cause a catastrophe continue to persist, even though the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand has always brushed aside the fears.

Even though Nepal is 2,000 kilometres away from Thailand, fears of a dam tragedy have returned after Smith Dharmasaroja, a disaster expert famous for his warnings about the 2004 tsunami, said last week that he was worried the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Nepal on April 25 may be the catalyst for a second tsunami hitting Thailand and could also result in the Srinakarin and Vajiralongkorn dams collapsing because both are situated on fault lines.

If the dams crumbled, the meteorologist warned that Kanchanaburi could be hit by a 22-metre high wall of water.

In response, Egat said that a study it undertook in conjunction with Kasetsart University confirmed both dams were built based on high standards that would resist a 7.0-magnitude earthquake.

"Furthermore, if the epicentre [of the quake] is at least 60 kilometres away from the dam, there will be no impact," it said.

The fears of a 22-metre-high wall of water were based on the unlikely scenario that the dam walls would completely collapsed, Egat said, adding that no dam wall anywhere in the world had completely collapsed. Based on a simulation, a disaster at Srinakarin dam could cause floods 3.2-metres high, with the water taking 15 hours to reach Kanchanaburi's city centre, Egat said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Damming-up-fears-of-a-tragedy-30259752.html

-- The Nation 2015-05-11

[AlQaholic]

The article suggest that Smith warned about the 2004 Tsunami before it happened. That is not true.

[DGS1244]

The article suggest that Smith warned about the 2004 Tsunami before it happened. That is not true.

Agreed, he only became 'involved' after the event.

[Oziex1]

The dams are on fault lines, Realy?

[quandow]

Two trains of thought here:

1. OMG, OMG, the sky is falling!

2. The dams were built by Thai engineers and Thai labor?

Hmmmm . . .

[ExPratt]

Egat said that a study it undertook in conjunction with Kasetsart University confirmed both dams were built based on high standards that would resist a 7.0-magnitude earthquake.

And I'm sure they were all built to specification and Building Standard using the correct Materials

Nothing to worry about

[nakhonandy]

Might be a better idea to read this

http://www.dmr.go.th/main.php?filename=fault_En

Disaster expert!!

After the fact, uncanny precience!

[Carl64]

No problems, the expert say it's been built to high standards and it won't fail.

That's code for run for the hills.

[harveyw]

They knowingly built dams on a fault line .wow

[lvr181]

I know a country that sits on top of two tectonic plates (has many earthquakes) and many dams within the country that have withstood such earthquakes for years. So it can be done IF CONSTRUCTED PROPERLY!!

It would be wonderfully reassuring if Thai authorities can confirm proper construction (being earthquake resistant) of their dams Or am I a dreamer?

[wabothai]

The dam is built all right, but it just starts walking.

[northernphil]

I live over the Maechan fault. Do I worry ............. well yes a bit . I wake up some nights thinking the next 'quake is here only to find it is the wife giving her arse a good scratch. Will keep you all up to date ( one night I will give my arse a good scratch that will set her off to the nearest temple )

[moe666]

They knowingly built dams on a fault line .wow

O please I know a country that built a nuclear reactor on a fault line.

[cookee68]

What a croc of shit, from an expert who became more known after the fact, but I guess he dreamt it before the fact.

[BSJ]

My prediction are pretty accurate too. I predict that tomorrow at 4.30am the wifes alarm will go off........and at 4.31 an I 'll be doing something to her I can't discuss here!

[manarak]

Egat said, adding that no dam wall anywhere in the world had completely collapsed.

he may want to read up on what happened in 1959 in Malpasset in France, and 1928 at St. Francis in California.

[fareastguy]

Two trains of thought here:

1. OMG, OMG, the sky is falling!

2. The dams were built by Thai engineers and Thai labor?

Hmmmm . . .

Actually mostly Myanmarese labour.... maybe a cause for concern

[FangFerang]

The reason the people in Kanchanaburi worry is that the dams were already cracked over a year ago, with no repairs. The govt told them they had run tests, but for some reason the Thai people seem not to trust the Thai government very much...

[JohanB]

The dams are on fault lines, Realy?

They knowingly built dams on a fault line .wow

Yes, the controversal, not yet built Mae Wong Dam, is meant to be located right over a fault line in the Moei Fault lines area.

You can see the fault line from next to right upper corner down to the left.

The proposed building site is just above the straight SW to NE part of the river in the in the middle of the picture.

You have the coordinates in the bottom of the photo.

Probably the contractors don't live downstreams or even don't care, as long as the fat brown envelopes keep comming....

Johan

[AlQaholic]

Might be a better idea to read this

http://www.dmr.go.th/main.php?filename=fault_En

Disaster expert!!

After the fact, uncanny precience!

Thanks for the link, interesting reading.

Just took a quick look at the world tectonic plate movements, looks pretty scary for Thailand actually. Apparently the Earthquake in Nepal comes as clockwork every 75-80 years or so.

Looks like the Sundan plate which Thailand is on is being squeezed by several major plates against the Eurasian plate. Something is bound to snap at some point.