Thread: Thailand: Smith warns of dam peril, fears grow of another massive flood disaster

I happened to be driving around Ulbonrat Dam reseviour, north of Khon Kaen, a few days ago and noticed it was at it's lowest level for the past 7 years.

Quite incredibly so low, that should the present water management program continue for another week or so, then one would be able to walk across to the Pattaya 2 resort from the dam side.

More danger of not being able to generate electricity than flooding this year perhaps.

Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

Subcommittee chairman Royol Jitdon said yesterday that by the end of July relevant agencies would be able to determine the amount of water and rainfall for this wet season.

Now i know why i came to Thailand, bloody experts around every corner. Weather forecasters who will apparently be able to advise the government precisely how much rain will fall during any given season.

Precisely the same people that gave out last years estimates no doubt.

It sounds like a good overall plan covering many important points.

Reforestation would definitely be a strong point. It helps water retention as well as soil retention.

Reservoirs can help reduce the pressure downriver if properly managed.

Dredging existing rivers seems more sensible to me than building additional canals to help flow of excess water into the sea. It may make channeling money flow into the right pockets more difficult though.

Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

The main point of interest that will surely generate heated opposition is the Kaeng Sua Ten reservoir on the Yom River with a capacity of 1.17 billion cu m at tambon Sa-iap, Song district, Phrae. This will increase the area of irrigated farmland by about 774,200 rai.

I don't know any specifics on this project, naturally. Building and correctly managing dam projects of this magnitude is difficult. And there are always people who lose their land. A reservoir this size sounds like there could be opportunity to build a large power plant too.

'Core water management system needed' - The Nation

'Core water management system needed'

Henry Lewis,
Pratch Rujivanarom
The Nation July 14, 2012 1:00 am

Thailand should focus on crafting an integrated system where all mechanisms for water management come under one ruling body to combat flooding more effectively, Dutch architect Cornelius Dijkgraaf suggested at a seminar.

He said 26 per cent of the Netherlands was below sea level and a complex system of dams and canals was needed to keep the country dry. He explained that in his country, the Transport, Public Works and Water Management ministries worked together to control all water-related issues, unlike in Thailand where there is no central control.

"Here, if you travel from the North to the sea, you go past about 30 or 40 different authorities. One is opening the screw and the other is closing it," Dijkgraaf said.

Scientists met at the seminar on Thursday to discuss the steps that Thailand should be taking to prevent a repeat of last year's flood crisis. The seminar was held soon after the government announced that it was earmarking more than Bt300 billion for water management.

Surajate Boonya-Aroonnet, a researcher from the Hydro and Agro Informatics Institute, told the seminar of the government's efforts to share information about water levels and rainfall with the public via a website, ThaiWater.net.

The authorities have also positioned cameras on bridges to monitor water levels, are employing unmanned aircraft to examine dams, and have started using boats to push water out to sea.

He also said there had been fewer major storms and less rainfall so far this year compared with the same period last year. "Things are better this year."

Speaking at the same seminar, Komsan Malesee, from King Mongkut's University of Technology's civil engineering department, blamed the 2011 flooding on bad planning and said everybody needed to work together in the face of future crises.

"There was insufficient communication among different organisations and information wasn't passed along, " he said. "Even villagers did not work together because they didn't know what to do. That's why it's important for this knowledge to be out there."

The seminar, held at King Mongkut's University in Bangkok, included residents from the city's Lat Krabang district who suffered a lot from the crisis, and it appears the forum was held to allay their fears.

However, Dijkgraaf warned the audience that this problem would not go away soon, especially since Bangkok is sinking by 2.5 centimetres every year.

"That's a lot. In 50 years, it will be a metre. The sea is also rising," he said, adding that people had to find long-term solutions. "But they first have to understand how serious it is."

PM defends bid process on flood projects - The Nation

PM defends bid process on flood projects

Piyanart Srivalo,
Prapasri Osathanon
The Nation July 13, 2012 1:00 am


Countering allegations that a Bt350-billion flood and water-management project and its ongoing bidding process lacked transparency, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said yesterday she welcomed outside inspection of the plans, adding that the e-auction process had been open to all bidders and terms of reference (TOR) details had been made public.

She repeated a key principle of the government's policy - that foreign companies with expertise in the field were needed for long-term implementation of projects, along with consultancy and policy-making input in the future.

"Spending money [on such companies] will be useful for long-term implementation and integration under overall flood and water management," she said.

The overall management would include linkage of 25 river basins and subsequent construction of relevant infrastructure, including floodways and catchment areas, under the royally advised frameworks and key guidelines designated by a government policy committee, Yingluck said. The bidding process had been inspected by relevant agencies and the winners would be verified according to the regulations, she added.

Science Minister Plodprasob Surassawadee, responding to allegations made by Opposition Leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, said the TOR tender had been widely available and that he was ready to deliver it to Abhisit once he asked for a copy. He accused Abhisit of unfairness in saying that the minister had attempted to hide something in the bidding process, and in Abhisit's call for the government to make public everything relating to the bidding and TOR conditions.

At a makeshift reception desk set up at Government House, bidders from many foreign countries have registered for TOR documents. Members of the press, upon learning from Plodprasob that TOR documents were being made available, received sets in both Thai and English-language versions marked "Press Only".

Updating the progress of the projects, Plodprasob said additional flood-prevention plans had been submitted by the Bangkok city administration, a progress report had been made by the Transport Ministry on the construction of floodwalls, and an anti-flood scenario and simulation conducted by the government committee.

Democrat Party leader Abhisit, speaking during a tour to inspect projects in Pathum Thani yesterday, called on the government to be transparent about the colossal and expensive project at every step. If the government did not handle flood-prevention efforts correctly, there could be massive flooding this year, he said.

"I am worried about all the work not being completed in time, because if the projects are not processed or approved lawfully, they will be under public scrutiny and investigation by relevant agencies, which would lead to disputes and lawsuits at various courts," he said. "The government is playing up large-scale projects, at a cost of more than Bt300 billion, with taxpayers knowing little about them," Abhisit said.


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Many industrial estates still not flood-proof - The Nation

Many industrial estates still not flood-proof

The Nation July 11, 2012 1:00 am


Barriers at key sites in Ayutthaya, Pathum Thani not finished

Concern is mounting at many industrial estates in Ayutthaya and Pathum Thani, with construction of floodwalls around the compounds not yet completed ahead of the rainy season.

Local business operators and estate officials are preparing contingency plans for factories in case construction is not completed in time to protect against a repeat of heavy rains that brought last year's devastating floods.

Last year's flood crisis caused havoc at many industrial estates, particularly those in Ayutthaya and Pathum Thani, many of which are still recovering from the disaster.

Veerapong Chaiperm, governor of the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT), said construction of floodwalls at certain industrial estates such as Saha Ratna Nakorn, had been behind schedule for months. He said construction was unlikely to be completed by the due date of August 31.

"About 10 per cent of operators in the Saha Ratna Nakorn Industrial Estate are worried about possible flooding this year," Veerapong said.

He said those operators asked the IEAT to acquire land outside the industrial estate for possible relocation of their factories if necessary.

Prayoon Tingthong, Ayutthaya's chief industry official, blamed the delay in wall construction at Saha Ratna Nakorn on management problems.

He said the government provided Bt200 million to build concrete floodwalls around Saha Ratna Nakorn, adding that the IEAT would take over construction supervision if the estate's management were found to have no clear plans for flood prevention.

After the delay, many business operators inside the industrial estate had expressed fears about possible flooding again this year, said Prayoon. They have requested that the IEAT prepare for possible relocation of their factories to areas in Prachin Buri, Chon Buri and Chachoengsao.

Construction of floodwalls in five industrial estates in Ayutthaya and Pathum Thani is 50-60 per cent completed, with all work expected to be completed on August 31, according to the official. He added that the Ministry of Industry remained confident there would be no problems involving the construction.

However, among those voicing concern was the operator of a small factory at the Nava Nakorn Industrial Estate in Pathum Thani.

"The factory operators all have a Plan B. We do not want to rely on the executives of the industrial estate," he said, adding that factory machines would be relocated if there were any signs of a flood in the area.

In Ayutthaya, construction of 99 kilometres of floodwalls surrounding the industrial estates of Bang Pa-in, Hi-Tech and Rojana is about 70-per-cent completed.

Only the Factory Land estate has seen completion of construction, said Prayoon.

The walls are about 50 centimetres higher than the highest levels reached by flood water last year.

European firms' 'bids being ignored' - The Nation

European firms' 'bids being ignored'

JANJIRA PONGRAI,
ANAN WIJITPRACHA
THE NATION August 30, 2012 1:00 am


Companies refusing to offer kickbacks not considered in flood-prevention plan

The government's Bt350-billion water-management projects look set to stay out of reach for European companies that cannot offer commissions without issuing receipts, a seminar was told yesterday.

"I have received complaints from these firms," National Disaster Warning Council chairman Smith Dharmasaroja said at a seminar on the 2011 flood crisis and flood-prevention plans.

Held by the Anti-Global Warming Association and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the seminar attracted more than 200 people, including academics.

In the wake of the 2011 crisis, the government approved a massive budget for flood-prevention and water-management plans, but many are concerned this money might end up being wasted.

"Firms from China, South Korean and Japan have offered to help Thailand develop its water-management infrastructure, but these countries have also suffered fatal flooding," Smith pointed out.

He said companies from Netherlands and France, meanwhile, had barely been given any attention by the government and their representatives have said this is because they would not offer commissions without issuing receipts.

Deputy Bangkok Governor Theerachon Manomaipiboon also said the flood crisis could be partially blamed on the government's inefficient water management and its decision to heed the advice of people who did not really know much about this issue.

"The government listened to some politicians from the House 111 [referring to 111 politicians ordered to serve a five-year political ban]," Theerachon said, adding that the authorities should learn a lesson and stop listening to people who do not have real knowledge about water management.

Theerachon also dismissed the plan to use boats to speed up the flow of water into the sea. "From an engineering point of view, this operation does not work at all," he said.

NHRC commissioner Parinya Sirisarakarn said he hoped the government would spend the Bt350 billion earmarked for flood prevention well.

Meanwhile, Democrat MP Satit Wongnongtaey said that as per World Bank figures, last year's flooding had caused about Bt1.4 trillion in damages, while the Thai Chamber of Commerce estimates the damage at Bt1.7 trillion or more.

"These damages were caused not because the disaster came suddenly, but because the government had time to manage the floods but failed," Satit said.

He added that the Royal Irrigation Department admitted that it had stored far too much water and that there was a coordination problem among the many committees being set up manage the water situation.

"Now, the government is storing too little and it looks like there will be a serious drought this year," he said.

Science Minister Plodprasob Surassawadee, in his capacity as chair of the Water and Flood Management Committee, said he would announce the national flood-prevention plan tomorrow, adding that the procedure of draining water in Bangkok will be rehearsed between September 5 and 7.

"We will test our new water-drainage models," he said.

Stop the flood arguing, solve this dam mess | Bangkok Post: opinion

COMMENTARY

Stop the flood arguing, solve this dam mess

• Published: 31/08/2012 at 01:52 AM
• Newspaper section: News

Flood or drought. Dams overflowing or no water left in the dams. Nothing is scarier than seeing the country's water management heavyweights engaged in a war of words instead of working together.

It began with former Royal Irrigation Department chief Pramote Maiklad who commented last weekend that the Pheu Thai government was mismanaging water resources by draining excessive amounts of water from dams for fear of flooding. This could lead to one of the worst water shortage crises this coming dry season, he said.

The cause of the alleged mismanagement was because Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra had put the wrong man in the wrong job, Mr Pramote said, referring to Science and Technology Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi, who chairs the Water and Flood Management Commission (WFMC). Mr Plodprasop, a former Fisheries Department chief, has no knowledge of water management and only knows how to manage the water in his fish pond, Mr Pramote was quoted as saying in a Thai daily.

The outspoken Mr Plodprasop quickly hit back: "Such criticism reflects the speaker's stupidity."

"A person who knew anything wouldn't talk about drought when we're in the rainy season," Mr Plodprasop said on Monday and suggested Mr Pramote also learn to show some respect for other people.

Then came another former Royal Irrigation Department chief Kijja Pholphasi.

Hours after Mr Plodprasop hit back at Mr Pramote, Mr Kijja got in on the act by calling on Ms Yingluck to remove Mr Plodprasop as WFMC chairman.

Mr Kijja said there are many officials at the Royal Irrigation Department and the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry who are much better at water management than him.

Mr Plodprasop, according to Mr Kijja, doesn't know how to deal with such a technical and complicated matter as water management.

Mr Kijja is a member of the Strategic Formulation Committee for Water Resources Management (SCWRM), an advisory panel of the National Water Resources and Flood Policy Committee (NWRFC) chaired by the prime minister. He added that he has decided to "fade away" from the SCWRM because "there's something fishy [inside the committee]."

Unfortunately, he would not say what those fishy things are.

This war of words between three such prominent figures has made me feel pretty hopeless.

It's the latest evidence showing that the country's water management work is in a real mess.

In this time of crisis when we have yet to fully recover from last year's floods and are facing another flood threat, with a possible drought in store, it's a desperate thing to see the government and experts become foes.

This is a highly inappropriate time for senior officials and experts to be verbally attacking each other in the public. It's time to put one's ego aside, work together, listen to each other, and come up with constructive criticism.

The public has been confused enough with the plethora of committees _ such as the NWRFC, SCWRM, WFMC, and ONWF _ set up by the government to work on water management. They also fear the 350 billion baht water management scheme will be open to massive corruption and that the water projects, to be implemented by foreign companies, will do more harm than good to our water resources.

Daily reports about floods in the North, drought in the South and Northeast, and a rapid decrease in water storage capacity in some major dams have brought even more worries. In this situation, what we want to see most is close cooperation, not squabbling, between government authorities and water management experts.

I remember when bird flu first struck the country in late 2003. Although the government was criticised for covering up the outbreak and handled the flare-up at the beginning poorly, the authorities and experts tried very hard to work together to contain the disease afterwards. As a reporter who covered the outbreak at the time, it was good to see government authorities and experts from various fields join hands to contain the disease. They had conflicts, they argued, but they still worked together to achieve the goal of stamping out bird flu and safeguarding Thailand's poultry exports.

Judging from the current situation, it's unlikely that such collaboration will take place among the state agencies and experts dealing with water management ...and it's time for us to prepare for the worst.

Kultida Samabuddhi

Historic Ayutthaya on alert for this year

Historic Ayutthaya on alert for this year’s floods

วันศุกร์ ที่ 31 ส.ค. 2555



AYUTTHAYA, Aug 31 – Thailand’s leading historic site, the former Siamese capital of Ayutthaya, 76km north of Bangkok, has been busily protecting its ancient remains for inundation after last year’s massive floods that submerged the province.

Saharat Poomtitirat, a senior official of the Thai government’s Fine Arts Department in Ayutthaya, said Thursday that flood prevention work for 96 historic remains are 80 per cent finished.

If this year’s floodwater level does not exceed 2.2 metres, Ayutthaya should be safe, he said.

With an allocated budget of Bt167 million, workers have have busily strengthened the bases of the 96 designated historic remains, especially at major temples such as Wat Chai Wattanaram, Wat Mahatat, Wat Phra Sri Sanpetch and Wat Rajburana.

At the most revered Wat Chai Wattanaram, a concrete wall has yet to be erected on the west side. During last year’s massive floods, the temple suffered an influx of water after the previous wall was damaged by floods.

Ayutthaya Governor Vittaya Piewpong led a group of officials to cruise the Chaophya River to inspect dredging which is now 80 per cent finished and should be complete by Sept 15.

The dredging will enable the river to carry at least two million cubic metres of water, boosting its capacity from the previous 1.6 million cubic metres. (MCOT online news)

Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

Stop the flood arguing, solve this dam mess | Bangkok Post: opinion

COMMENTARY

Stop the flood arguing, solve this dam mess

• Published: 31/08/2012 at 01:52 AM
• Newspaper section: News

Flood or drought. Dams overflowing or no water left in the dams. Nothing is scarier than seeing the country's water management heavyweights engaged in a war of words instead of working together.

Slush? It began with former Royal Irrigation Department chief Pramote Maiklad who commented last weekend that the Pheu Thai government was mismanaging water resources by draining excessive amounts of water from dams for fear of flooding. This could lead to one of the worst water shortage crises this coming dry season, he said.

The cause of the alleged mismanagement was because Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra had put the wrong man in the wrong job, Mr Pramote said, referring to Science and Technology Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi, who chairs the Water and Flood Management Commission (WFMC). Mr Plodprasop, a former Fisheries Department chief, has no knowledge of water management and only knows how to manage the water in his fish pond, Mr Pramote was quoted as saying in a Thai daily.

The outspoken Mr Plodprasop quickly hit back: "Such criticism reflects the speaker's stupidity."

"A person who knew anything wouldn't talk about drought when we're in the rainy season," Mr Plodprasop said on Monday and suggested Mr Pramote also learn to show some respect for other people.

Then came another former Royal Irrigation Department chief Kijja Pholphasi.

Hours after Mr Plodprasop hit back at Mr Pramote, Mr Kijja got in on the act by calling on Ms Yingluck to remove Mr Plodprasop as WFMC chairman.

Mr Kijja said there are many officials at the Royal Irrigation Department and the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry who are much better at water management than him.

Mr Plodprasop, according to Mr Kijja, doesn't know how to deal with such a technical and complicated matter as water management.

Mr Kijja is a member of the Strategic Formulation Committee for Water Resources Management (SCWRM), an advisory panel of the National Water Resources and Flood Policy Committee (NWRFC) chaired by the prime minister. He added that he has decided to "fade away" from the SCWRM because "there's something fishy [inside the committee]."

Unfortunately, he would not say what those fishy things are.

This war of words between three such prominent figures has made me feel pretty hopeless.

It's the latest evidence showing that the country's water management work is in a real mess.

In this time of crisis when we have yet to fully recover from last year's floods and are facing another flood threat, with a possible drought in store, it's a desperate thing to see the government and experts become foes.

This is a highly inappropriate time for senior officials and experts to be verbally attacking each other in the public. It's time to put one's ego aside, work together, listen to each other, and come up with constructive criticism.

The public has been confused enough with the plethora of committees _ such as the NWRFC, SCWRM, WFMC, and ONWF _ set up by the government to work on water management. They also fear the 350 billion baht water management scheme will be open to massive corruption and that the water projects, to be implemented by foreign companies, will do more harm than good to our water resources.

Daily reports about floods in the North, drought in the South and Northeast, and a rapid decrease in water storage capacity in some major dams have brought even more worries. In this situation, what we want to see most is close cooperation, not squabbling, between government authorities and water management experts.

I remember when bird flu first struck the country in late 2003. Although the government was criticised for covering up the outbreak and handled the flare-up at the beginning poorly, the authorities and experts tried very hard to work together to contain the disease afterwards. As a reporter who covered the outbreak at the time, it was good to see government authorities and experts from various fields join hands to contain the disease. They had conflicts, they argued, but they still worked together to achieve the goal of stamping out bird flu and safeguarding Thailand's poultry exports.

Judging from the current situation, it's unlikely that such collaboration will take place among the state agencies and experts dealing with water management ...and it's time for us to prepare for the worst.

Kultida Samabuddhi

Slush anyone?

Thailand Determined to Prevent Flooding This Year - ABC News

Thailand Determined to Prevent Flooding This Year



BANGKOK August 31, 2012 (AP)

Thailand's prime minister says she is determined to prevent a repeat of the disastrous flooding that hit Thailand last year, submerging crops, factories and leaving nearly 800 people dead.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra unveiled her government's flood protection measures Friday, as the rainy season gets under way and flooding concerns mount.

She said the government has built more flood barriers to protect important economic zones, installed more pumps and removed obstacles from rivers and canals to reduce water flow. It also plans to invest $11 million in a long-term water management system.

She said: Through "concrete measures and massive investment we are determined to protect our people and communities, our industry and economy from the threat of floods."

Last year's floods were the country's worst in half a century.

http://61.19.244.31/centerweb/newsen...T5508310010006

DDPM: Flash floods to hit most of Thailand on Sep 2-5



Date : 31 สิงหาคม 2555

BANGKOK, 31 August 2012 (NNT) - The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) has issued a warning for residents in the North, Northeast, East and central region to brace for flash floods, forest runoffs and heavy rain during September 2-5.

DDPM chief Wiboon Sanguanpong said widespread heavy rains and scattered thunder showers across most of the country could trigger flash floods, wild floods and mudslides.

Residents living near hillsides and waterways are advised to closely follow the weather forecasts and alerts as well as to be prepared to evacuate as soon as the floods hit.

Mr Wiboon said the department is coordinating with local DDPM offices nationwide in preparing rescue and emergency gear as well as closely monitoring the situation.

Flood victims are urged to contact their local DDPM office or to call their 1784 hotline for further assistance.

I think in the fotos shes saying My brother feels flush. Now wash your lands please

BBC News - Has Thailand learned from last year's floods?

4 September 2012 Last updated at 00:17 GMT

Has Thailand learned from last year's floods?

By Jonathan Head
BBC News, Bangkok


Ayutthaya has recovered from the damaging effects of one of the floods

The monsoon rains have started falling heavily in Thailand again, and everyone is wondering: are we in for a repeat of last year?

The flooding that swamped central Thailand last year was the worst the country had experienced in half a century. It killed nearly 800 people, and, according to the World Bank, cost the country an estimated $45bn (£28bn).

The entire global supply chain for some consumer electronics and automobiles was disrupted, because factories operated by multinational companies near Ayutthaya were under water.
Fortunately, the forecast is more encouraging this year.

"I can guarantee that this year the flood will not be like last year," said Dr Seri Suphratid, the director of Rangsit University's Climate Change and Disaster Centre. "The level in the main reservoirs is much less. They can hold a lot more water."

But few people are in any doubt that Thailand will have to cope with similar levels of water again in the near future. Will it cope any better next time?

Flood wall


Honda re-started production in March after six months

The government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra was caught unprepared by last year's floods, and criticised for its disorganised response.

Since then it has launched a series of flood-prevention initiatives. Canals are being dredged, and new floodwalls constructed, or strengthened where they already exist.

A new "super-committee" - the Water and Flood Resources Management Committee, chaired by Science and Technology Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi, has been set up to oversee all the various flood preparations.

The government has put long-term water management projects worth more than $9bn up for tender to Thai and multinational companies, with a promise to ensure the tender process will be fair and transparent.

It is also proposing the creation of new flood-retention zones - huge areas of low-lying land, upstream and around Bangkok, that can be flooded in years of excessive rain - to prevent the costly disruption to strategically important areas experienced last year.

The industrial estates around Ayutthaya are not waiting for the government. Their losses were so heavy last year they are taking drastic action now, not least to dissuade their main Japanese manufacturers from moving elsewhere.

At the Rojana estate, home to household names like Honda, Canon and Nikon, they are building a 77 km-long (47 mile-long) concrete wall encircling the estate and, they hope, sealing it off from any future flooding.

At the Honda assembly line, one of the company's largest, production was re-started in March, after a six-month halt, and workers are putting in as much overtime as they can to fill a backlog of many thousands of orders for new cars.

I asked Nobuyuki Shibaike, vice-president of Honda Thailand, whether the company was considering relocating from Ayutthaya, where it was one of the earliest and biggest investors.

"Frankly speaking, at this point we haven't thought about that. We've received a lot of warm support from the Thai people. Our sales continue to grow very well, and we are actually considering expanding our output," he said.

"However this factory was severely damaged by the floods, so, if we do decide to increase production, we would have to think about setting up another factory somewhere else."

Long-term concerns

The wall may protect Rojana, but what effect will it have elsewhere?

"It may protect them this year, next year, but in the long term, we cannot know what will happen," said Dr Seri Suphratid. "Every community will do the same thing - build a wall. So where will the water go? It will have to go somewhere, and that will make places downstream like Bangkok more vulnerable."


A concrete wall is being built at the Rojana estate

At the Thai Boat Museum, near the Chaophraya River in Ayutthaya, manager Kanok Khaomala is already worried about the likely impact of all these floodwalls on his low-lying neighbourhood.

He is having his old teak house raised by 80cm (31 inches) from its already elevated position on stilts.

Bigger questions surround the government's lavish flood prevention plans.

"They should continue with their short-term projects [floodwalls, dredging canals] - we have no worries about those," said Suwat Chaipricha, president of the Engineering Institute of Thailand, "but we are concerned about their long-term plans."

"The government cannot just look at a map and designate an area to let the floodwater flow, saying this is urgent, and that it has no time to do preliminary assessments. It must study the environmental impact of these plans, and talk to the people affected, otherwise they will never co-operate."

There is a real risk now of rivalry between different government departments over who gets to run the lucrative flood defence construction undermining the effectiveness of the plans.


Unskilled workers are replacing ancient bricks with new ones

Nearly 300 companies have bid to win contracts; the losers are likely to challenge the decision in the courts.

I saw some of the problems at first-hand, on a small scale, in the 15th century Phra Si Samphet temple in Ayutthaya, part of the Unesco World Heritage site in the city.

Last year the temple was under a metre of water for months, which caused some of the old brick walls and chedis to subside. But there was much less damage than Unesco had feared, and its experts say there is little repair work needed.

But already teams of unskilled workers are on the site, smashing out ancient bricks and replacing them with brand new ones, which, said one expert, would cause far more damage than the floods.

The rush by Thailand's authorities to be seen to be responding to last year's disaster could end up doing more harm than good.

Flood leaves Phimai Khmer ruins undamaged

Flood leaves Phimai Khmer ruins undamaged

วันอังคาร ที่ 04 ก.ย. 2555



NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Sept 4 – Heavy rains accompanied by flooding has not damaged the ancient Phimai Khmer sanctuary in the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima, according to provincial fine arts authorities.

Dusit Tummakorn, head of the Phimai historical park in the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima said that heavy rain caused flooding at many spots within the Phimai Khmer sanctuary, the main historic site in the province.

However, according to an initial survey, there has been no damage to the Khmer ruins from flooding, he said.

Ten pumps are operating to drain water from the site to prevent any damage to the bases of the stupas.

The historic site remains open for visitors, but there may be some inconvenience. The situation is expected to return to normal if there is no more rain today. (MCOT online news)