NCPO to help fight floods in Bangkok

[webfact]

BANGKOK
Junta to help fight floods
Tanatpong Kongsai
The Nation

PM brushes off call for Bangkok chief to be sacked

BANGKOK: -- PRIME Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha has brushed off a request for him to sack the Bangkok governor over alleged failure to prevent recent flooding, saying it was up to "the people" to decide on the fate of their elected city chief.

Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra cut short a work trip to the Netherlands in the wake of the flash floods that hit Bangkok on Monday, which got him into hot water.

"The people have to decide themselves on what to do (with the city governor). People have voted him into the post," Prayut said yesterday.

On Monday, the Stop Global Warming Association (SGWA) called for Prayut or Interior Minister General Anupong Paochinda to replace Sukhumbhand, his deputies and some other executives of the city administration with someone more competent in flood prevention.

The move happened after millions of city commuters faced a traffic nightmare |following a long pre-dawn deluge on Monday.

Prayut said yesterday that in addition to the huge rainfall, Monday's hours-long flooding in the capital also stemmed from management or preparation problems.

He said the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), which he chairs, would set up a centre to monitor flood situation in Bangkok and beyond.

"If the Bangkok governor can't tackle flood threats efficiently, the Bangkok city clerk or the Interior Ministry will be entrusted with the mission instead," he said.

NCPO spokesman Colonel Winthai Suvaree said Prayut had now instructed the NCPO to provide help in areas affected by floods caused by big downpours.

"The NCPO and armed forces will develop emergency-response plans particularly for urban zones where heavy rain may cripple traffic," he said.

Sukhumbhand is due back in Bangkok this afternoon, after cutting short his trip to the Netherlands. His team was initially scheduled to observe wastewater systems and attend an international conference in Netherlands between June 6 and June 12.

However, after the flash floods hit Bangkok, Sukhumbhand decided to head back out of concern about the situation in Bangkok, an informed source said.

"Some of his team members will stay on in Netherlands to take part in the scheduled press conference," the source added.

Bangkok City Clerk Sanya Sheenimit stressed yesterday that the city's water-drainage system could deal with rainfall of up to 60 millimetres per downpour only.

"If the rainfall goes over 100 millimetres (like on Monday morning), it will take time to drain water away," he said. Litter discarded by city people was another part of the problem.

"Each day, the BMA can collect about 1,000 tonnes of garbage and weeds from its water-drainage system. During the rainy season, the amount grows by hundreds of tonnes," he said.

Sukhumbhand's adviser Wasan Meewong, meanwhile, hit back at the SGWA. "Apart from lodging complaints and petitions, what actual work the SGWA has done?" he said.

Drainage system explained

BANGKOK city's flood-prevention measures are mainly flood |barriers along Chao Phraya River, and the Bangkok Noi and Mahasawat canals; water drainage system comprising seven active large tunnels covering 19 kilometres and with combined capacity of 155.5 cubic metres per second (five more tunnels are currently under construction).

- one-metre-wide, 1.1-km-long tunnel in Sukhumvit Soi 26 drains at four cubic metres per second and covers the area from Sukhumvit Soi 22-28;

- 3.4-metre-wide, 1.88km-long tunnel in Klong Premprachakorn area drains at 30 cubic metres per second and covers Bang Sue, Chatuchak, Lak Si, Bang Khen and Don Muang districts;

- 2.4-metre-wide, 1.9-km-long tunnel in Phayathai district drains at 4.5 cubic metres per second and covers Phya Thai, Soi Phaholyothin 5-11 and a part of Rama VI Road;

- 1.8-metre-wide, 1.32-km-long tunnel in Sukhumvit Soi 36 drains at 6 cubic metres per second;

- 1.8-metre-wide, 1.1-km-long tunnel in Sukhumvit Soi 42 drains at 6 cubic metres per second;

- 4.6-metre-wide, 5.98km-long tunnel in Beung Makkasan area drains at 45 cubic metres per second and covers Wattana, Pathumwan, Ratchathewi, Phayathai, Huai Kwang and Din Daeng areas;

- 5-metre-wide, 5.11km-long tunnel in Klong Saen Sab and Klong Lat Phrao drains at 60 cubic metres per second and covers Huai Kwang, Bang Kapi, Bung Kum, Wattana, Wang Thong Lang, Lat Phrao areas;

The city's drainage system could drain up to 60 millimetres of rainfall within two hours. Water would go through pipelines totalling 6,400 kilometres , 1,682 canals covering 2,600 kilometres (75 per cent of which were dredged) and 605 pump stations with combined capacity of 1,153 cubic metres per second.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Junta-to-help-fight-floods-30261984.html


-- The Nation 2015-06-10

[Robby nz]

Its all the fault of the voters of BKK if they had voted for the PT power pole instead he would have been able to stop the rain. Failing that he had direct access to the countries top drainage expert Plodprasop Suraswadi of boat propeller fame.

[berybert]

What is the point of sacking him ? you will only get his 2nd in command who also has not a clue how to deal with the situation to take charge.

I do wonder what the boss is doing in Holland tho. Holland does not have flash floods nor a rainy season.

What they do have is a low lying city that has spent fortunes developing dames and cannels that stop the city from flooding.

In Thailand they are doing the exact opposite.

[ldiablo]

He didn't actually say that "The people have tobdecide themselves on what to do." "People have voted him into the post.". The governor must be a close friend of the general seeing as it never stopped him from having a coup on the government that was voted in by the people.

Edited June 9, 2015 by ldiablo

[Srikcir]

"The people have to decide themselves on what to do (with the city governor). People have voted him into the post,"

That's pure hypocrisy coming from an unelected PM. Accountability applies to everyone else but not to him.

Furthermore, flood infrastructure improvement projects funded during the Yingluck regime were the first programs to be SCRAPPED by the Junta when it grabbed power. It has instead focused on transportation infrastructure and Chao Phraya riverfront landscaping. See how well a train works under a meter of water or landscapping in river currents.

[Prbkk]

Ridiculous suggestion that he be sacked. He's part of the elite and consequently immune from any sanction.

[Praematura]

What is the gov of Bangkok doing in Netherlands in the first place. I can see a national representative or even at the provincial level but at the city level? What's next the mayor of Pattaya at the crap tables in Vegas?

[Lupatria]

I wonder if they already created a new super board with 100 experts surfing in posh hotel resorts on the idea to ban monsoon.

[stephenterry]

I second that. What's up with them

[NongKhaiKid]

What will the NCPO do, have PM Canute go out and order the flood waters back using Art 44 ?

[ICECOOL]

What is the gov of Bangkok doing in Netherlands in the first place. I can see a national representative or even at the provincial level but at the city level? What's next the mayor of Pattaya at the crap tables in Vegas?

Don't know exactly what he was doing in the Netherlands but PERHAPS as the Netherlands is light years ahead in flood mitigation he may have been getting insight into their methods and ideas?

[Eric Loh]

Is this some kind of cruel joke that the junta is playing? They suspended the 350M B flood mitigation project which include Bangkok and now try to salvage a bad decision by appearing to be helpful. Why is this government always behind the curve and consistently doing damage control. The BMA after the big flood has already planned a mitigation project which include drainage tunnels, repairing the dykes, better pumps etc. That was a full 3-4 years ago and yet no urgency by the government to approve the project. Now that Bangkok is being flooded twice, he offer to help. Pathetic that what it is and goes for just about everything happening now.

[toybits]

"The people have to decide themselves on what to do (with the city governor). People have voted him into the post," Prayut said yesterday.

But in other cases, such does not apply? Metro Bangkok is doomed but people still do not accept that. With rising seas, this problem will only get worse with each passing year. It is time to decongest Bangkok and transfer services to safer grounds. Unfortunately many of the historical infrastructure such as Palaces and Temples cannot easily be moved.

[mmh8]

the real issue will be the drought, only a few days of rain have happened this rainy season and

[ratcatcher]

What is the gov of Bangkok doing in Netherlands in the first place. I can see a national representative or even at the provincial level but at the city level? What's next the mayor of Pattaya at the crap tables in Vegas?

Perhaps, like all good tourists to the lovely low countries, he was examining the Amsterdames.

As berybert mentioned.

"What they do have is a low lying city that has spent fortunes developing dames and cannels that stop the city from flooding."

[ratcatcher]

Typical of this government. Giving all the rain to the elites in Bangkok, who don't need it, while the Isaan farmers look at their dusty ricebowls.

[torpedo1970]

What is the gov of Bangkok doing in Netherlands in the first place. I can see a national representative or even at the provincial level but at the city level? What's next the mayor of Pattaya at the crap tables in Vegas?

Don't know exactly what he was doing in the Netherlands but PERHAPS as the Netherlands is light years ahead in flood mitigation he may have been getting insight into their methods and ideas?

you think???

Since when have ANY Thai taken advice from a foreigner, since Thailand is the best in the world.....

Most likely he was on a European "holiday" with all his family and friends... covered as a work trip to the Netherlands

[Reigntax]

What is the gov of Bangkok doing in Netherlands in the first place. I can see a national representative or even at the provincial level but at the city level? What's next the mayor of Pattaya at the crap tables in Vegas?

Don't know exactly what he was doing in the Netherlands but PERHAPS as the Netherlands is light years ahead in flood mitigation he may have been getting insight into their methods and ideas?

The issues affecting the Netherlands and Bangkok are completely incomparable. One is a country that has reclaimed land and lies below sea level. The other is a city built on a river delta with a catchment area of several 100,000 sq kms through which all water from this catchment must eventually flow.

If he didn't realise the difference before he left, he was obviously not the right person to have any involvement in a solution. When will Thailand realise that the one size fits all approach wont work.

[ratcatcher]

What is the gov of Bangkok doing in Netherlands in the first place. I can see a national representative or even at the provincial level but at the city level? What's next the mayor of Pattaya at the crap tables in Vegas?

Don't know exactly what he was doing in the Netherlands but PERHAPS as the Netherlands is light years ahead in flood mitigation he may have been getting insight into their methods and ideas?

The issues affecting the Netherlands and Bangkok are completely incomparable. One is a country that has reclaimed land and lies below sea level. The other is a city built on a river delta with a catchment area of several 100,000 sq kms through which all water from this catchment must eventually flow.

If he didn't realise the difference before he left, he was obviously not the right person to have any involvement in a solution. When will Thailand realise that the one size fits all approach wont work.

A large part of the problem is that the catchment areas east of the city are now used to land large aircraft and house industry. It's not called Swampy for no reason.

[JAG]

"The people have to decide themselves on what to do (with the city governor). People have voted him into the post," Prayut said yesterday.

But in other cases, such does not apply? Metro Bangkok is doomed but people still do not accept that. With rising seas, this problem will only get worse with each passing year. It is time to decongest Bangkok and transfer services to safer grounds. Unfortunately many of the historical infrastructure such as Palaces and Temples cannot easily be moved.

Ayutthaya would make a cracking place to build a new capital city, don't you think?

[coulson]

"The people have to decide themselves on what to do (with the city governor). People have voted him into the post," Prayut said yesterday.

But in other cases, such does not apply? Metro Bangkok is doomed but people still do not accept that. With rising seas, this problem will only get worse with each passing year. It is time to decongest Bangkok and transfer services to safer grounds. Unfortunately many of the historical infrastructure such as Palaces and Temples cannot easily be moved.

Ayutthaya would make a cracking place to build a new capital city, don't you think?

Already been tabled, but that will not actually happen until the problem becomes so widespread and unmanageable........

[phoenixdoglover]

What is the gov of Bangkok doing in Netherlands in the first place. I can see a national representative or even at the provincial level but at the city level? What's next the mayor of Pattaya at the crap tables in Vegas?

Don't know exactly what he was doing in the Netherlands but PERHAPS as the Netherlands is light years ahead in flood mitigation he may have been getting insight into their methods and ideas?

The issues affecting the Netherlands and Bangkok are completely incomparable. One is a country that has reclaimed land and lies below sea level. The other is a city built on a river delta with a catchment area of several 100,000 sq kms through which all water from this catchment must eventually flow.

If he didn't realise the difference before he left, he was obviously not the right person to have any involvement in a solution. When will Thailand realise that the one size fits all approach wont work.

The Rhine river, catchment area 170,000 km2, ends at Rotterdam.

The Dutch know a lot about how to stop river and ocean water from flooding low lying areas.

Disclaimer: I used to work for ARCADIS, a Dutch engineering firm that did this sort of stuff all over the world.

[h90]

There have always been floods in Bangkok.

At the big flood 2011 it wasn't the governors fault and he did what he could. It was the fault of the PTP which always wanted to remove the Bangkok governor.

While it could be better, Bangkok is a relative good managed city. Considering that the previous governments tried to cut the funds, delayed the skytrain, wanted to remove the skytrain company, etc etc

[coulson]

The issues affecting the Netherlands and Bangkok are completely incomparable. One is a country that has reclaimed land and lies below sea level. The other is a city built on a river delta with a catchment area of several 100,000 sq kms through which all water from this catchment must eventually flow.

If he didn't realise the difference before he left, he was obviously not the right person to have any involvement in a solution. When will Thailand realise that the one size fits all approach wont work.

Attending a global conference on management of water is not a step in the wrong direction.

Remember 2011? '....help? Nah..we got this.......'

[Reigntax]

What is the gov of Bangkok doing in Netherlands in the first place. I can see a national representative or even at the provincial level but at the city level? What's next the mayor of Pattaya at the crap tables in Vegas?

Don't know exactly what he was doing in the Netherlands but PERHAPS as the Netherlands is light years ahead in flood mitigation he may have been getting insight into their methods and ideas?

The issues affecting the Netherlands and Bangkok are completely incomparable. One is a country that has reclaimed land and lies below sea level. The other is a city built on a river delta with a catchment area of several 100,000 sq kms through which all water from this catchment must eventually flow.

If he didn't realise the difference before he left, he was obviously not the right person to have any involvement in a solution. When will Thailand realise that the one size fits all approach wont work.

A large part of the problem is that the catchment areas east of the city are now used to land large aircraft and house industry. It's not called Swampy for no reason.

Bangkok is an alluvial floodplain delta. It exists due to a build up of eroded deposits from the catchment area which have settled on the floodplain over 1,000's of years. If you were to take a soil core sample, you would find a defined layering of various soils and hydrocarbon matter deposited by the intensity of past flooding. In some areas this will vary as the river and other canals naturally change route.

Localised flooding will occur in any city during peak intensity rainfall. It is both uneconomical and impossible to design a drainage system to cope with this level of water.

This weeks floods are completely different the to the annual monsoon flooding which will determine flood heights depending on where, how and in what sequence areas in the catchment receive rain.

There is no feasible solution where Bangkok could remain flood free from any rain event and anybody who suggests otherwise, does not understand both hydrology and engineering.

[Reigntax]

What is the gov of Bangkok doing in Netherlands in the first place. I can see a national representative or even at the provincial level but at the city level? What's next the mayor of Pattaya at the crap tables in Vegas?

Don't know exactly what he was doing in the Netherlands but PERHAPS as the Netherlands is light years ahead in flood mitigation he may have been getting insight into their methods and ideas?

The issues affecting the Netherlands and Bangkok are completely incomparable. One is a country that has reclaimed land and lies below sea level. The other is a city built on a river delta with a catchment area of several 100,000 sq kms through which all water from this catchment must eventually flow.

If he didn't realise the difference before he left, he was obviously not the right person to have any involvement in a solution. When will Thailand realise that the one size fits all approach wont work.

The Rhine river, catchment area 170,000 km2, ends at Rotterdam.

The Dutch know a lot about how to stop river and ocean water from flooding low lying areas.

Disclaimer: I used to work for ARCADIS, a Dutch engineering firm that did this sort of stuff all over the world.

They maybe similar in catchment size but certainly different in expected rainfall intensity, river definition and elevation to induce flow velocity. And the Dutch don't try and discharge all the water through the centre of their cities with inadequate infrastructure and absurd ideas how to solve the problem.