Private sector proposes digging of 5 roads to help push flood water into the sea

Private sector proposes digging of 5 roads to help push flood water into the sea

Mr Ninnart Chaitheerapinyo, an expert from the private sector, and his team have proposed to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra a plan to drain flood water into the sea via the eastern part of Bangkok. The plan involves dredging 5 roads namely Nimit Mai, Pracha Ruamjai, Rat U-Thit, Suwinthawong and Ruam Pattana, to open passageways for flood water to be released as much as possible.

When completed, the plan will be able to release 60 million cubic metres of water into the open sea per day. And when combined with the amount of water released from all of the canals existing on the east side of the capital, the capacity will be raised to 120 million cubic metres per day.

Expressing her support to the plan, the prime minister suggested that the Royal Irrigation Department and the Department of Highways jointly conduct an aerial survey of the roads involved prior to implementation, to make sure that industrial estates and citizens in the areas will be least affected by the plan.

Mr Ninnart commented that once the feasibility survey is completed, it will not take much time to complete the dredging of the five roads.

BANGKOK, 27 October 2011 (NNT) – Reporter : Boonyanut Chompan

News Date : 27 October 2011

Royal Irrigation Department warns of 20 cm higher water level above Chao Phraya Dam today

Royal Irrigation Department warns of 20 cm higher water level above Chao Phraya Dam today

Mr Dharongkorn Somton, Director of the Office of Royal Irrigation 12, revealed that following Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's order made at the recent meeting of water management officials, the Royal Irrigation Department has been assigned to control the amount of water flowing through the Chao Phraya Dam during the high tide period to protect the areas already flooded.

The Royal Irrigation Department has been instructed to keep the water level above the Chao Phraya Dam at +17.60 MSL (Mean Sea Level) during 26 - 30 October 2011. The procedure will cause the water level in the Chao Phraya River behind the dam to increase by 20 cm, after which the level will recede gradually. The effort will help protect the areas which were once flooded. Therefore, the residents along the course of the river are urged not to pull down the existing floodwalls including small earth dykes and sandbags, but to keep them at the same positions until the water level above the Chao Phraya Dam decreases to +16.50 MSL.

BANGKOK, 27 October 2011 (NNT) - Reporter : Boonyanut Chompan

News Date : 27 October 2011