Debris to blame for Phuket underpass flooding

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Debris to blame for underpass flooding

PHUKET: The Darasamuth underpass suffered its first serious flood last night, when the automatic pumping system failed to activate during a heavy downpour.

The underpass, which officially opened just over six months ago, became a lake after an accumulation of garbage blocked the automatic switch that turns on the pumps.

“We have three water pumps that work using a ball float. When water levels increase, the ball rises, automatically flipping the switch that turns on the machines,” Samak Luedwonghad, director of the Phuket Highways Office explained to the Phuket Gazette.

Full story: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Debris-blame-underpass-flooding/62304?desktopversion#ad-image-0

-- Phuket Gazette 2015-11-07

[sirineou]

plastic shopping bags??

[apetley]

Only one ball? Maybe they need two balls.

[NCC1701A]

"“We have three water pumps that work using a ball float. When water levels increase, the ball rises, automatically flipping the switch that turns on the machines,” Samak Luedwonghad, director of the Phuket Highways Office explained to the Phuket Gazette."

yeah, like a giant toilet.

[kmj]

Cheaper to pay someone 24/7/365 to switch it on when needed...

[Valentine]

The pumps are behind a caged door so how did debris get in there? I mean debris big enough to prevent the float from rising. Preventative maintenance would help. Someone there once a week to clean out any debris & test if the float (which also has a tendency to rust unless they splashed out on a stainless steel one) is working.

[clockman]

Third world, what else can we expect. Ball valves!

[Emster23]

Seems Thailand's fine citizens and leaders are loathe to clean up public areas on routine basis (or any other basis, come to think of it). Besides underpasses not being a really good idea for tropics... can't wait for Pattaya underpass to finish, if it ever will be finished....

[FangFerang]

We had a very expensive system confounded by common litter--but, hey!

The design was great!

[JoePai]

Thai engineering

[grumpyoldman]

I went through at 6AM, water up over the tires thought it might come in the door. People speeding in from the north were not able to see how deep it was until on top of it, surprised there were no accidents.

[whatproblem]

Maybe they forgot Thai dump rubbish everywhere they go

[LivinginKata]

Only one float switch that controls the 3 pumps? Surely each pump has it's own float switch ?

[Benmart]

Always an excuse for poor preparation.

[newnative]

I'm sure the same flooding will happen when the Pattaya tunnels are finished. They claim they will not flood--but I think Phuket claimed the same thing. They might be engineered not to flood if all systems are rigorously maintained--but when is anything ever maintained here--even in a slapdash manner? I'm convinced Pattaya's flooding would be less severe if all the storm drains were cleaned on a regular, ongoing schedule.

[keeniau96]

I have the same system on my sailboat, so does every other boat I know of. A key consideration is regular maintenance and checkup, along with meticulous effort to keep trash out of bilges because it could jam the floats. Maintenance is a weak point in every 3d world location, where they splash out on the big headline projects that are trashed out a short while later due to lack of maintenance. Add in the dumping trash out the car window and you have a guaranteed-to-fail situation.

[GAZZPA]

"“We have three water pumps that work using a ball float. When water levels increase, the ball rises, automatically flipping the switch that turns on the machines,” Samak Luedwonghad, director of the Phuket Highways Office explained to the Phuket Gazette."

yeah, like a giant toilet.

Exactly, like a giant reverse toilet,, ball comes up, water flushes away. Ironically calling it a giant toilet is probably apt considering the engineering work done on the underpass. No one thought to protect the mechanism that triggers the pump from debris carried in the water, dohh!

[hansgruber]

Can't make this stuff up. A ball valve is so primitive on this 800 million baht masterpiece.

Yet they blame the rubbish.

[hugh2121]

Cleaning out rubbish occasionally might help.

[hansgruber]

Someone from the government will come out and say it was planned this way to double as a reservoir for the water shortages.

Pat on the back everyone good job let's go to lunch.

[FredNL]

The cause is lack of maintenance !!!

Don't blame debris. If there was maintenance there wouldn't have been any debris. It would have been cleared of any debris.

[NamKangMan]

Where should the water have been pumped to?

Just moving the flooding.

[GAZZPA]

Can't make this stuff up. A ball valve is so primitive on this 800 million baht masterpiece.

Yet they blame the rubbish.

Agree, I can imagine the conversation..

"So, how we going to ensure the underpass does not flood during rainy season?",,,, ermm,,,,, "we have spent the 800 million already",,,, ermm ,,,,.. "I know, I got a few water pumps and a spare toilet at home,, Im sure we can rig something up" eureka !

[Mudcrab]

Oh dear.....they used the term Ball Float...not ball valve.

All you wannabe engineers need to learn to read and comprehend what is presented to you.

There are many other ways of initiating a sump pump operation of course but the ball float is a simple method and very reliable if kept free of debris and the moving parts are not allowed to deteriorate due to rust etc.

[NamKangMan]

Oh dear.....they used the term Ball Float...not ball valve.

All you wannabe engineers need to learn to read and comprehend what is presented to you.

There are many other ways of initiating a sump pump operation of course but the ball float is a simple method and very reliable if kept free of debris and the moving parts are not allowed to deteriorate due to rust etc.

"the ball float is a simple method and very reliable if kept free of debris and the moving parts are not allowed to deteriorate due to rust etc" - a very BIG emphasis on the word "IF."

[Cloggie]

Maybe install jet-skis......

[Doc46]

Only one ball? Maybe they need two balls.

Yea b a man av 2

[Doc46]

That's crap, How can you blame the debris? It's the Lazy People who don't clean the debris fault. Keep the drains clean ,Oh I forgot no one cleans debris/rubbish here

[farangmick]

Maybe they forgot Thai dump rubbish everywhere they go

Took the family to a little known waterfall across in Chaiyaphum. The final 300-400 metres was on foot through forest down a steep narrow path of mud and rocks. Could have felt like a 19th century explorer, except that the path was clearly marked on either side by discarded snack packets and water bottles. Dr Somchai Livingstone I presume.

[NamKangMan]

Only one ball? Maybe they need two balls.

No need for two balls - just one brain.