Bangkok Will Escape Flooding: Yingluck

Bangkok Will Escape Flooding: Yingluck - Bloomberg

Bangkok Will Escape Flooding: Yingluck

By Suttinee Yuvejwattana and Supunnabul Suwannakij - Oct 14, 2011 7:42 AM GMT+0700

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Residents sit in a boat as they are evacuated from their homes during floods in Pathum Thani province, suburban Bangkok, Thailand. Photographer: Pornchai Kittiwongsakul/AFP/Gettty Images

Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said Bangkok will be spared from floods that have killed almost 300 people and devastated areas north of the capital after defenses on the Chao Phraya river were bolstered.

“Bangkok is safe,” Yingluck told reporters yesterday, after inspecting the city’s defenses by helicopter. “But we can only say that for the area within the flood barrier. For the area outside, they may still face floods.”

The three-month-old disaster has crippled manufacturing hubs in central provinces and destroyed more than 10 percent of rice farms in the world’s biggest shipper of the grain. To save Bangkok from the same fate, Yingluck ordered the army to widen canals to drain water toward the Tha Cheen river west of the capital, relieving pressure on the swollen Chao Phraya.

“I can start to smile today because we found another route to drain water,” Yingluck said, adding that it may take five days to widen canals that empty into the Tha Cheen.

That may ease concerns for Bangkok’s 9.7 million residents, who have been hoarding rice, instant noodles and bottled water, and buying sandbags to protect their homes as floodwaters threatened to break through the city’s defenses.

Water breached a flood barrier in Pathum Thani province near Thammasat University’s Rangsit campus, though won’t threaten the inner city, Pracha Promnog, head of the government’s flood center, said late yesterday.

Industrial Estates

While Bangkok may avoid widespread damage, floodwaters continue to threaten cities and industrial estates in provinces north of the capital.

“The damage hasn’t stopped,” Deputy Prime Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong said yesterday. “It has spread widely. The government and all agencies involved are working to limit damage to the manufacturing sector and the economy.”

At least 289 people have been killed as monsoon rains and floods have swept across the country since July 25, according to data from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation. About 26 of Thailand’s 77 provinces are still affected by floods, the agency said today on its website.

Yingluck said about 200 soldiers are working to bolster defenses around the Hi-Tech Industrial Estate in Ayutthaya, a base for manufacturers including Hana Microelectronics Pcl (HANA), the country’s biggest semiconductor packager.

Floodwaters have already swamped the neighboring Rojana Industrial Estate, crippling operations of Japanese manufacturers including Nikon Corp. and Pioneer Corp.

A “huge amount of water” flowing from northern provinces and peak tides predicted from Oct. 14-17 and Oct. 28-31 will still test barriers defending Bangkok, the government’s flood center said on Oct. 12.

Rising Costs

Costs are likely to rise from an earlier estimate that indicated the disaster may pare economic growth by 0.6 percentage point to 0.9 percentage point, Kittiratt said.

The damage bill may increase to 156.7 billion baht ($5.1 billion) and curb growth by 1.3 percentage points to 1.5 percentage points, the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce said yesterday.

The university, a private institution established by the chamber, now expects the economy to grow by 3 percent to 3.5 percent this year. Consumer confidence declined to a four-month low in September, a separate report showed yesterday.

“The central bank can help the economy by holding its key interest rate on Oct. 19,” Thanavath Phonvichai, an economist at the university, said today. “Consumer confidence is on a downtrend. If they can cut the key rate, that will help boost the economy next year.”

Thailand’s gross domestic product rose 2.6 percent in the second quarter from a year earlier, the slowest pace since 2009. A faltering world recovery also poses a threat to expansion.

Bangkok Post : Next flood victims prepare for worst

Next flood victims prepare for worst

SPECIAL REPORT: The government has decided to drain floodwaters through the eastern and western sides of Bangkok, so many around the capital know trouble is heading their way

• Published: 14/10/2011 at 12:00 AM
• Newspaper section: News

A last-minute race against time has begun in areas surrounding Bangkok after the government resolved to drain water to the sea through the western and eastern sides of the city.

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Map provided by the flood centre shows the plan to keep inner Bangkok dry by diverting floodwaters around the capital.

Rising sea levels predicted this weekend have fuelled fears of severe flooding, but residents have no choice but to prepare for the worst. Narong Ouiyaharn, 45, head of Moo 5 village in tambon Ban Bor in Muang district of Samut Sakhon, said local authorities had distributed 20-30 sandbags to each household in his village to cope with the arrival of floodwater, which is expected next Thursday.

Tambon Ban Bor is one of the flood drainage areas for Bangkok and the central provinces.

Sunak Hon Canal, a major canal linking the Tha Chin River with the Mae Klong River, will drain water from the Mae Klong into the sea, said Mr Narong. All residents are preparing or are prepared for flooding.

"What worries us most is rising sea levels during the arrival of the floodwater. If this happens, the Maha Chai area will certainly be flooded. The situation will be worse than the big flood of 1995," Mr Narong said.

In previous floods, the highest water levels usually experienced in Ban Bor were 50cm. However, the community can handle floods of up to 1m, he said.

Panya Chorthongdee, 45, head of Moo1 village in tambon Ban Bor, said locals are keeping a close watch on the water levels in Bangkok. If there is a huge amount of water in the capital, his community will be badly hit, he said.

However, if the area is inundated, the floodwater will eventually drain into the sea, he added.

Kittipong Meesuk, 33, a Moo 1 villager, said his canalside house was knee-deep in flood water in 1995.

Floods in the area depend on sea levels. To prepare for the latest inundation, he has put sandbags in front of his house.

Mr Kittipong said he was not worried about water drainage from Bangkok.

Meanwhile, Bangkok residents living near Rama IX and Ramkhamhaeng roads near the Saen Saeb canal have rushed to stockpile dried food, instant noodles and drinking water.

Many vendors are worried that their livelihoods will be badly hit if floods ravage the area.

Natthapong Thapolkhan, 35, a roadside coffee vendor at Soi 31 on Rama IX Road, said many street vendors would have no money to support their families and pay loans if floods arrived.

In Bangkok's Rarm Intra area, residents of the Nives housing community were confident their community would be saved from the flooding.

A retired government official living in the community said most residents were not worried about floods as there were canals to drain water.

However, they were not complacent. Many were closely monitoring news about the flooding, he said.

Bangkok MP Pollaphum Wipatphumprathet urged residents in Kannayao and Bung Kum districts not to panic about the flooding. Water levels in major canals were not high at the moment, he said.

http://www.google.org/crisismap?cris...land_floods_en

Flood risk areas....Google map.

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Flood risk with "severely flooded areas, urgent help needed" (the blue points)

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TAN_Network TAN News Network

Royal Irrigation Dept chief assures BKK won't be flooded as water situation better than expected #ThaiFloodEng

Bangkok Post : PM moves to soothe flood panic

PM moves to soothe flood panic

• Published: 14/10/2011 at 11:32 AM
• Online news:

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra moved Friday to reassure Bangkok's 12 million residents over the looming flood crisis, after one of her ministers briefly sparked panic with an false-alarm evacuation warning.

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Residents walk through floodwater inundating a street in Pathum Thani province, suburban Bangkok. Thailand's premier moved Friday to reassure Bangkok's 12 million residents over a looming flood crisis, after one of her ministers briefly sparked panic with an evacuation warning.

Science and Technology Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi rushed out of a flood briefing late Thursday to announce that several areas in Bangkok's northern suburbs were at risk of being submerged by up to one metre of water after a dyke gate burst.

But the authorities quickly backtracked, causing confusion for residents who were already braced for floodwaters to reach the capital after causing havoc across northern and central Thailand.

Ms Yingluck said Friday the situation was under control.

"The water level is stable and not increasing. So I would like to ask people not to panic," she told reporters.

"Minister Prodprasob wanted to update the people about the situation because he was concerned that they were anxious about it," Ms Yingluck explained.

"So he just reported on the possibility of what might happen to the people, and nothing happened. Everything was normal."

Unusually heavy monsoon rains have killed at least 289 people, destroyed crops, inundated hundreds of factories and damaged the homes and livelihoods of millions of people in Thailand, according to the government.

About 110,000 people around the country have sought refuge in shelters.

Currently 26 out of 77 provinces are affected, but conditions in inner Bangkok and at most of Thailand's top tourist destinations remain normal.

The capital is, however, bracing for a large amount of run-off water to reach the city along with seasonal high tides that will make it harder for the flood waters to flow out to sea.

Bangkok residents have thronged supermarkets in the capital to stock up on instant noodles and other non-perishable food, while flashlights have been flying off the shelves.

Sandbags have been piled in front of homes and businesses in preparation for possible inundation, while some residents have opted to leave their vehicles in multi-storey carparks in the city to avoid possible flooding.

Central Bangkok is protected by flood walls and the authorities have piled sandbags along the Chao Phraya River to try to keep water out of nearby areas, whose residents are no strangers to seasonal floods.

The authorities have said they will dredge and drain canals in the capital to allow more water to flow through.

The floods have dealt a heavy blow to Thailand's economy, leaving hundreds of factories under water.

Japanese automakers including Toyota have suspended production in the kingdom due to water damage to facilities or disruption to parts supplies.

The ancient city of Ayutthaya, about 80 kilometres upriver of Bangkok, has been badly affected and the UN cultural organisation Unesco said it would send a team to the World Heritage site to assess the impact.

Biz_TheNation Biz_TheNation

Pornthep urged all BKK residents not to be panic, following hoarding of consumer products driven by social media frenzy

BKK deputy governor: water level below flood barriers. Possible overflows, but they are monitored by 5000 men

Flood centre (FROC): BKK suburbs - pathum thani, nonthaburi, chachoengsao - will be affected, though to save the capital.

BKK is safe, as water level in Chao Phraya will be only 2.3-2.4m on Oct 15, the dept announced.

TAN_Network TAN News Network

Justice Minister Pracha, as head of Flood Operation Center, says he will take charge of press conferences by himself; assures BKK spared

Defence Minister Yutthasak says military ready for evacuation via helicopter and military hospitals will take in flood victims

Trisdee Trisdee na Patalung

Live: Sukhumvit soi 33. 12:35 pm. Getting flooded: twitpic.com/70057u

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(this is localised flooding due to a huge thunderstorm going on right now I presume...not runoff from the floods elsewhere)

tulsathit tulsathit

TR [at]Kom_chad_luek: Chao Phya levels (in Bkk) have surpassed last year's records.

RT [at]Neaw_NBC: Bkk governor: I'll tell you by myself which area is under threat. #ThaiPBS

Flood Relief Operations Centre head assures city residents Bangkok safe from flooding

Flood Relief Operations Centre head assures city residents Bangkok safe from flooding

วันศุกร์ ที่ 14 ต.ค. 2554

Flood Relief Operations Centre head Pracha Promnog assures city residents Bangkok safe from flooding, levee strengthening at Rapeepat canal to finish in 2 days

Bangkok rushes to dig canals to prevent flooding | Asian Correspondent

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Bangkok rushes to dig canals to prevent flooding

By AP News Oct 14, 2011 12:44PM UTC

BANGKOK (AP) — Soldiers, public works crews and volunteers raced to repair a key barrier protecting Bangkok’s northern suburbs from approaching waters Friday, part of a desperate bid to defend Thailand’s capital from the country’s worst floods in decades.

Repair work to the Khlong Ban Phrao Floodgate was being expedited and area residents were asked to remain on alert for flooding. Gov. Peerasak Hinmuangkao of Pathum Thani province, just north of Bangkok, said the gate would be repaired by the end of the day.

Erroneous reports Thursday said that flood waters had broken through the gate, leading the government to order residents to urgently evacuate. The Flood Relief Center later apologized for the “misinformation,” saying the evacuation order had been reversed and that damage to the gate had been overestimated.

At least 283 people have been killed in Thailand since late July by floods and mudslides that have devastated rice crops and shut dozens of factories.

Bangkok has been mostly spared so far, but some surrounding areas have been inundated and authorities fear that flood waters rushing from the north will combine with rains and high tides in the next few days to flood the city.

Buildings in many areas of the capital have stockpiled sandbags, while others have built protective walls from cement and cinderblocks.

Government spokesman Wim Rungwattanajinda said the main canals east and west of Bangkok will be dredged by Friday to allow more water to flow from flooded northern provinces. He said authorities are also digging canal shortcuts to help drive water to the sea.

“This is the best method at the moment” to protect Bangkok, Wim told The Associated Press. “We are all working against time.”

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said the operations will allow the water to exit through three major rivers instead of just one — the Chao Phraya River which flows through Bangkok — as the government initially planned, and will therefore relieve the impact on the capital.

Some 8.2 million people in 61 out of the country’s 77 provinces have been affected by the flooding, which has also halted production at many major factories north of Bangkok. Nervous residents have been stocking up on bottled water, rice, instant noodles, medicine and other essentials.

Thai PM confident Bangkok will escape worst of floods | Reuters

Thai PM confident Bangkok will escape worst of floods


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By Panarat Thepgumpanat
BANGKOK | Fri Oct 14, 2011 12:27am EDT

(Reuters) - Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra tried to reassure residents of Bangkok on Friday that the capital should largely escape the flooding that has devastated a third of the country since July, as work to strengthen its defences continued.

The north, northeast and central plains of Thailand have been worst hit and Bangkok -- much of it only two meters (6.5 ft) above sea level -- is now in danger as water overflows from reservoirs in the north, swelling the Chao Phraya river.

At least 289 people have been killed around the country by heavy monsoon rain, floods and mudslides since late July.

"Bangkok may face some problems in areas that are on the outer sides of the irrigation dikes but water levels will not be too high. But inner Bangkok has extremely high defences," Yingluck told reporters.

"In conclusion, Bangkok should still be considered safe," she said.

Run-off water from the north will arrive in the Bangkok area at the weekend at the same time as high estuary tides hamper the river's flow into the sea. This may also coincide with storms and heavy rain.

"During October 15 to 18, it may be a dangerous time because water from the north will be coming in ... But I confirm it has not reached a crisis stage as of this moment," Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra told reporters.

He said the level of the Chao Phraya river could rise to 2.20 meters from 2.13 meters over the next few days and some riverside communities should think of evacuating.

Embankment walls along the river in much of inner Bangkok are 2.50 meters or higher.

Despite the reassurances, residents have stocked up on bottled water and foodstuffs such as instant noodles.

The central bank has advised the finance sector to take precautions and told commercial banks to make sure they have enough cash. It said 104 bank branches had closed because of flooding, mainly in the central region.

Bangkok accounts for 41 percent of the economy and contains some heavy industry, as well as extensive service, banking and tourist facilities.

In comparison, the central region, which has been badly flooded, causing several huge industrial estates to close, accounts for 8 percent of GDP. The eastern region, with its international car plants and refineries, accounts for 16 percent but has barely been affected by the flooding.

FALSE ALARM

Late on Thursday, residents in an area covering a northern Bangkok suburb received a warning to evacuate from the government's crisis control center after a sluice gate had supposedly burst, but it turned out to be a false alarm.

Kittirat Na Ranong, deputy prime minister in charge of the economy, told reporters on Thursday that the flood damage was estimated at more than 100 billion baht ($3.2 billion), over 1 percent of GDP, and could get worse.

He broke into tears as he spoke with workers at the flooded Hi-Tech Industrial Estate in Ayutthaya province.

At least three big industrial estates in the province have shut temporarily. A Nikon Corp digital SLR factory and a Honda Motor Co Ltd assembly plant have closed.

Consumer confidence fell in September because of the floods and could plunge in October, according to economists at the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce.

Last week, the university cut its forecast for GDP growth this year to 3.6 percent from 4.4 percent but it cut it again on Thursday to 3.0-3.5 percent.

The Finance Ministry has cut its growth forecast to 3.7 percent from 4.0 percent.

Bangkok Post : Pracha: Bangkok won

Pracha: Bangkok won’t be flooded

• Published: 14/10/2011 at 01:37 PM
• Online news:

Bangkok will not be affected by the widespread flooding, Deputy Prime Minister and director of the Flood Relief Operation Centre Pracha Promnok said at a press conference on Friday.

The government’s flood war room has given the highest priority to the protection of inner areas of the capital. It is working hard to drive the overflow out to the sea through the Chao Phraya River, cannels in the western and eastern parts of Bangkok, Pol Gen Pracha said.

“The runoff from the North is now under control and Bangkok will not be inundated”, the justice minister reaffirmed.

Chalit Damrongsak, director general of the Royal Irrigation Department, took the same tone.

He insisted that Bangkok will not be severely flooded because the amount of water running down from the North into the Chao Phraya River in Nakhon Sawan and Chainat was lesser than earlier projected.

The flow was only 3,600 cubic metres per second, lower than earlier expected at 3,800 cubic metres. Moreover, several dams have now released lesser amount of water than before, he added.

“The level of the flow in Chao Phraya which will arrive in Bangkok on October 15-16 would not be higher than 2.3 to 2.4 metres. But the floodwalls in Bangkok is 2.5 metres high, therefore, Bangkok is safe”, said Mr Chalit.

Okay, so everyone now says Bangkok wont flood...so emergency over, crisis averted. Nothing to see here, on your way....

^ the more they say won't, the more worrying it becomes...

They just don't know; the tides, the release of water from the reservoirs, the lack of proven experience of water routes, new canals, broken gates and walls, last but not least, rainfall. It is clear that the 'system' is at or very close to breaking point, and it's likely to be more luck than judgment at this point just how bad the flooding will be.

One very big downpour, a problem with one main water diversion route, floodwater changing course or some kind of 'suckback' effects, any of these could be the catalyst for massive flooding throughout most of Bangkok over the next few days...

TAN_Network TAN News Network

MRT closes off some exits as flood prevention; if roads submerged under 50cm of water, MRT will have to suspend services #ThaiFloodEng

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Bangkok Post : Pakkret water level reported stable

Pakkret water level reported stable

• Published: 14/10/2011 at 12:42 PM
• Online news:

The Chao Phraya water level in Pakkret Municipality is stable, within about one centimetre difference from yesterday's noon level as measured against the marker, an eyewitness told the Post.

Yesterday's official report stated that the Chao Phraya river level in Bangkok was about 2.08 metres. Bangkok's flood wall is 2.50 metres.

So the water level at Pakkret, North of Nonthaburi, should provide some comfort that today and tomorrow will not see any significant rise in the water level in Bangkok from the run-off from the North, reports said.

Tulip_Oum 25 mins 18 secs ago
Twitter
MRT's station exits to be closed for installing water barrier at 2:30pm, here's the list. yfrog.com/h8wo9pp


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Overflowing Chao Phraya reaches record high

Overflowing Chao Phraya reaches record high

October 14, 2011 2:03 am

The water level at Chao Phraya River on Friday rose to 2.13 meters, breaking the last year's record high of 2.10 meters, Bangkok Drainage Office said.

The water flow at Ayutthaya's Bang Sai was at 4,250 cubic meters per second. The safety flow for Bangkok is at 3,500 cubic meters per second.

Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Baripatra said the capital had not plunged into a flood crisis as speculated.

The Nation

TAN_Network TAN News Network

Lower Central, East, BKK to face heavy rain on Sun-Mon; army speed up construction of canal in eastern BKK #ThaiFloodEng

HarveyBKK Rachel Harvey

Woman living near pathum Thani bridge says running out of food and no help from authorities. Water in area chest deep #ThaiFloodEng

Flood prevention measures in Bangkadi Industrial Park, Pathum Thani

Flood prevention measures in Bangkadi Industrial Park, Pathum Thani - YouTube

ASEAN Newsroom report

Having possibly the storm of the year in Bangkok right now. My street is flooded to a depth of 8 inches plus....not good.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

Having possibly the storm of the year in Bangkok right now. My street is flooded to a depth of 8 inches plus....not good.

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Yes, I'm glad they've built all those nice flood walls to keep the water *in* Bangkok, thus protecting those of us who live just outside. :) :bunny3:

Bangkok Post : PM Yingluck: Floods now under control

PM Yingluck: Floods now under control

• Published: 14/10/2011 at 04:59 PM
• Online news: Local News

The floods threatening Bangkok are now under control and water levels are starfting to fall, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said on Friday.

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Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra

Ms Yingluck said that important economic locations had to be protected but her government would not forget ordinary flood victims. She sought cooperation from the people who protested against the closure of a water gate on the Rangsit Khlong 1 canal in Pathum Thani province, saying the government had to complete floodwalls to contain the damage.

After inspecting flood prevention in tambon Lak Hok in Pathum Thani, Ms Yingluck said floodwalls there were important because it would affect the amount of water in Khlong Prem Prachakorn and Khlong Prapa in Bangkok.

She gave an assurance the government's Flood Relief Operation Centre (FROC) and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) were trying their best to protect Bangkok from floods.

Justice Minister and FROC director Pracha Promnok said the floodwater was 50 centimetres below the top of the dykes in Lak Hok area. He had ordered them increased in height by 50 centimetres.

Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra said flood prevention measures in Lak Hok were strong. He explained that there were two lines of floodwalls there -- one line of sandbags and a soil dyke. It had been made as strong as possible, he said.

Lt Gen Yodyuth Boonyathikan, chief of the Army Air Defence Command who is responsible for flood prevention in Lak Hok, said the sandbag dyke was 1.50 metres high and the soil wall stood behind it. If the flood prevention line collapses, the floodwater would enter Khlong Prem Prachakorn and Rangsit canals.

Currently, the level of Rangsit canal was 2.5 metres higher than Khlong Prem Prachakorn canal, Lt Gen Yodyuth said.

Pathum Thani governor Peerasak Hinmuangkao said repairs to the Ban Phrao water gate would be completed by 6pm today.

Earlier today, FROC chief Pracha said Bangkok city would not be affected by the widespread flooding.

The government's flood war room had given the highest priority to the protection of inner areas of the capital. It was working hard to drive the overflow out to the sea through the Chao Phraya River and canals in the western and eastern parts of Bangkok, Pol Gen Pracha said.

"The runoff from the North is now under control and Bangkok will not be inundated," the minister reaffirmed.

Royal Irrigation Department director-general Chalit Damrongsak took the same tone.

He said Bangkok will not be severely flooded because the amount of water running down from the North into the Chao Phraya river in Nakhon Sawan and Chai Nat was below earlier projections.

The flow was only 3,600 cubic metres per second, lower than earlier expected 3,800 cubic metres. Moreover, several dams have now reduced the amount of water being released, he said.

"The level of the flow in Chao Phraya which will arrive in Bangkok on Oct 15 to 16 will not be higher than 2.3 to 2.4 metres. The floodwalls in Bangkok are 2.5 metres high, therefore, Bangkok is safe," said Mr Chalit.

Drainage and Sewarage department chief Sanya Cheenimit said the water level of the Chao Phraya river in Bangkok was 2.13 metres above its normal level this morning, breaking last year's record at 2.10 metres.

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Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra

The amount of water in the Chao Phraya river flowing past Ayutthaya's Bang Sai's district was measured at 4,250 cubic metres per second. The rate had increased but the situation remained under control, Mr Sanya said.

Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand said evacuation plans must be prepared for 27 communities in flood risk areas and authorities cannot be at ease because of the rising water level.

"I've instructed district chiefs to warn people in 27 communities along the flood barricades to get ready to evacuate for their own safety. If the water level rises above 2.30 metres, people might not be able to stay in their homes and they must evacuate immediately," MR Sukhumbhand said.

People should stay alert from Oct 15 to 18 because there would be high tides, he said.

BMA executives will meet every six hours - 8am, 2pm, 9pm and 2am - to assess the flood situation on a daily basis, he said.

The governor called on district chiefs to reconsider the plan to allow people to park their cars on expressways, as other people might need to use them during an emergency.

Each district would have to find proper places for people to take refuge and store their belongings, he said.

Asked about the science minister's premature flood evacuation alert on Thursday night, M.R Sukhumbhand said only that such announcements could lead to confusion.

"I would like the people to closely follow the situation as reported by the BMA. If an evacuation is necessary, I'll be the one to announce it," the Democrat Party core member said.

"I ask the BMA executives and district chiefs not to be panic or be disturbed by the situation. We must be determined to solve the problem using our leadership skills because the country right now has a leadership vacuum. The BMA must be the main pillar for the people."

Bangkok Post : Yingluck: Centre, BMA not in conflict

Yingluck: Centre, BMA not in conflict

• Published: 14/10/2011 at 07:50 PM
• Online news:

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said that the government's flood relief operation centre works well with BMA, and there is no conflict, while inspecting flood gates/dykes in Pathum Thani.

BMA governor requested the centre to send forces to protect water gates and sandbag dykes, reiterating that run-off water would not flow into inner Bangkok.

Bangkok Post : Pathum Thani Municipality under water

Pathum Thani Municipality under water

• Published: 14/10/2011 at 09:41 PM
• Online news:

Run-off water from the North breached several dykes in Pathum Thani, subverging several housing estates yesterday.

Today, the run-off water has now innundated the municipality centre, making it hard for residents to come out to buy food and supplies says TV news report.

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Bangkok Post : Evacuation order for outlying areas

Evacuation order for outlying areas

• Published: 14/10/2011 at 09:27 PM
• Online news:

The government's flood relief centre and BMA may issue evacuation order, TV news report says.

If the high tide from the sea during October 16-18 coupled with run-off water from the North raises Chao Phraya level much higher than today's, the flood relief centre and BMA may be forced to issue an evacuation order for 27 communities, especially children and old people outside the flood prevention walls to move to temporary shelters.

Friday Night Storm

Posted on October 14, 2011 by admin

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(Photo: 2Bangkok.com)
Above: Friday Night Storm – 18:13, October 14, 2011
Another big storm hits Bangkok at dusk on Friday night.

Widespread rain predicted – Bangkok Post, October 14, 2011

great picture.
this storm and the high tide will see ying
with egg on her face
me thinks.
get your snorkels out. :)

Military wants PM to declare state of emergency in capital

Military wants PM to declare state of emergency in capital

The Nation October 15, 2011 11:41 am

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Military leaders were forming a consensus yesterday to ask the prime minister to declare a state of emergency in order to increase the efficiency of efforts to protect the capital from flooding, a source said.

The move came after angry residents, particularly in Pathum Thani, which is immediately upriver from Bangkok, destroyed walls of sandbags built to protect important areas.

Runoff from upstream provinces flooded Pathum Thani's business district yesterday, with some areas submerged under a metre of water.

The flood level on Pattana Samphan Road in Muang district stood at about a metre, while it was higher at the Charoen Phol Market. Several roads were impassable and residents had to take boats to get around.

Provincial authorities advised local residents to move to a shelter set up at Pathum Wilai School, which should be able to accommodate some 600 people. The shelter saw at least 40 evacuees yesterday.

Military trucks and fourwheeldrive vehicles were used to evacuate people from flooded housing estates, such as Muban Parichart.

Dry spots became scarce for people to park their cars, and motorists had to leave their vehicles on bridges.

Traffic on passable or partially inundated roads became congested, with particularly severe jams near the Pathum Thani Provincial Organisation office and Pathum Thani Hospital.

Severe flooding forced 15 banks in Pathum Thani to be closed yesterday, up from nine on Thursday, according to the Bank of Thailand, which reported that 108 bank branches had suspended their services as of yesterday.

Another 56 bank branches in Ayutthaya have been temporarily closed, 31 in Nakhon Sawan, two in Sing Buri, and one each in Chai Nat, Nonthaburi, Lop Buri and Bangkok (Krung Thai Bank's Lat Krabang branch).

In Nakhon Sawan, the flooding worsened yesterday, with water levels remaining high and the province's business and administrative areas heavily inundated.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra visited Pathum Thani, immediately upriver from Bangkok, to inspect the flooding situation yesterday. Justice Minister Pracha Promnok, who is leading the Flood Relief Operation Centre, and Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra accompanied the premier.

During his briefing, Pathum Thani Governor Pirasak Hinmuangkao told Yingluck that the existing flood embankments would be made 30 centimetres higher. The embankments are more than 50cm higher than the water levels.

Meanwhile, Rangsit Canal in Pathum Thani overflowed and partly flooded the outbound sections of VibhavadiRangsit Road yesterday, from the Si Mum Muang Market to Future Park department store. The road in front of Rangsit University was also flooded.

Pathum Thani Hospital director Dr Songpol Chawatanpipat yesterday warned residents to watch out for venomous snakes, adding that seven people were admitted on Thursday night alone with snake bites.

Residents of the White House estate in Pathum Thani, which was badly inundated in 1995 when its flood embankments collapsed, remained hopeful yesterday that they would be able to prevent a recurrence.

Though many residents have moved their belongings out of the housing estate, several are still keeping a close watch on the flood barriers. Local administrator Pichet Harnjangsit said the embankments should be strong enough to withstand the water pressure.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/nati...-30167721.html

627 Bangkok communities under water

The Nation October 15, 2011 11:41 am
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As of press time yesterday, 627 communities had been flooded in Bangkok, with water levels as high as 70 centimetres in some spots. These flood-hit areas are in 20 of Bangkok's 50 districts.

The worst-hit spots are in Klong Sam Wa district in the east of Bangkok, where flood levels range between 30cm and 70cm. Some zones in inner Bangkok, such as Phra Nakhon, Dusit, Sathorn and Yan Nawa, are also flooded.

Officials of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) are rushing to pile up sandbags along waterways that look set to swell or overflow. They are also handing out relief items, including medicines, to flood victims.

The BMA has designated 96 schools in 17 districts as possible shelters for up to 19,400 evacuees.

Masses of water are expected to hit the capital from the North today and downpours have also been forecast.

After checking the level of the Chao Phraya River near the capital's largest flower market, Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra said it was higher yesterday than the 2010 peak.

"It has risen to 2.13 metres above the median sea level," he said.

Last year, the river's highest level in Bangkok stood at just 2.10 metres.

"We have to get ready to evacuate people living near the embankments," Sukhumbhand said, adding that the situation would be most worrying from today to Monday.

Pathum Thani watergate repairs take extra day

Pathum Thani watergate repairs take extra day

The Nation October 15, 2011 11:40 am

Repairs to a key watergate in Pathum Thani expected to be finished yesterday would not be completed until today, Charn Puangphet, chief of the Pathum Thani Provincial Administrative Organisation, said yesterday.

Since Sunday, both sides of the Ban Phrao watergate in Pathum Thani's Sam Khok district have been damaged by strong currents, allowing water to submerge the eastern part of the district.

During a visit yesterday to the watergate, which has undergone around-the-clock repairs, Science Minister Plodprasob Surassawadee said 70 per cent of the damaged bits had been repaired and the gap would be plugged by today. Though he did not apologise for making a misleading statement, he did extend his thanks to the military, civilian officials and villagers who have been helping.

Referring to his statement on Thursday predicting widespread flooding in Bangkok caused by damage to the Ban Phrao watergate, which caused panic among residents, Plodprasob explained: "I only said it out of concern for the lives and properties of people."

On Thursday, Plodprasob predicted that a large area of Bangkok would be flooded by water travelling through the broken Ban Phrao watergate.

"We finally have enough metal sheets and heavy machinery," he said, adding that he was confident that there would be no flooding in the capital.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration lent the machinery to Pathum Thani authorities to help repair the watergate, deputy BMA spokesman Wasant Meewong said.

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http://www.nationmultimedia.com/nati...-30167716.html

Minister retracts statement on flooding

The Nation October 15, 2011 11:41 am
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Referring to his statement on Thursday predicting widespread flooding in Bangkok caused by damage to the Bang Phrao watergate in Pathum Thani's Sam Khok district, which caused panic among residents, Science Minister Plodprasob Surassawadee explained: "I only said it out of concern for the lives and properties of people."

During a visit yesterday to the watergate, which is undergoing aroundtheclock repairs, he said 70 per cent of the damaged bits had been repaired and the gap would be plugged by today. Though he did not apologise for making a misleading statement, he did extend his thanks to the military, civilian officials and villagers who have been helping.

Since October 9 Sunday, both sides of the watergate have been damaged by strong currents, allowing water to submerge the eastern part of the district. On Thursday, Plodprasob predicted that a large area of Bangkok would be flooded by water travelling through the broken Bang Phrao watergate.

"We finally have enough metal sheets and heavy machinery," he said, adding that he was confident that there would be no flooding in the capital.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration lent the machinery to Pathum Thani authorities to help repair the watergate, deputy BMA spokesman Wasant Meewong said.

Bangkok Post : Waiting, watching and praying

Waiting, watching and praying

Bangkok residents hope for salvation as approaching floods threaten capital

• Published: 15/10/2011 at 12:00 AM
• Newspaper section: News

Nervous residents of flood-prone and flood-affected areas of Bangkok are trying to get through the days of uncertainty ahead of what could be a protracted crisis.

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Soldiers help lift the floor of a house in Khiew Khaika area in Bangkok’s Dusit district to help its occupants escape rising water levels in the Chao Phraya River. Khiew Khaika is one of 27 communities outside Bangkok’s flood embankments. CHANAT KATANYU

There is no news that grabs public attention quite like the floods that have ravaged more than 30 provinces across the country and continue to bear down on the eastern and western sides of Bangkok.

City Hall has warned residents in four districts prone to flooding - Min Buri, Nong Chok, Klong Samwa and Lad Krabang - and 27 communities outside the embankments to brace themselves.

Many residents interviewed by the Bangkok Post said they are prepared for the floods.

However, they are still worried about the triple threat of rainstorms, northern water run-off and high tides that could worsen the crisis over the next few days.

Dawan Seepui, 48, a security guard in Min Buri district, said she had moved her belongings to higher ground and put up sandbags in front of her house.

She lives with her 12-year-old daughter at a rented house on Rom Klao Road.

"Floods triggered by northern run-off hit Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi provinces, which are near Bangkok, and worry me. I have never seen such a large amount of flooding in the Central Plains before," she said.
"It doesn't look like Bangkok will survive the water this year."

She has stocked up a few food supplies - packets of instant noodles, rice and bottled water.

She places her trust in Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra and the city's drainage system.

Nong Arm, Mrs Dawan's daughter, said she sympathises with the plight of flood-hit residents and hopes Bangkok will pull through.

The family plans to leave for Don Mueang airport, part of which doubles as an evacuation centre, if and when prompted by the government.

Shin Thanu, 51, a resident of a housing estate in the Rom Klao area of Min Buri district, said the estate was flooded last week however the waters have now finally receded.

"I think most areas of Bangkok stand a chance of being spared the flooding this year," he said. "Though the Bangkok governor has assured us that the city administration can cope with the flooding, we can't be certain."

His family of seven has surrounded their house with sandbags to prepare for the worst. The Min Buri district office distributed 15 sandbags to each house, he said.

His family will buy bricks to build a floodwall in front of their home.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration reported on Tuesday that floodwaters had already entered parts of Nong Chok, Lat Krabang, Min Buri and Klong Sam Wa districts.

In Nong Chok, 73 out of 89 communities and three housing estates were inundated. Several canals and roads were damaged.

In Lat Krabang, around 30 locations were flooded. A total of 42 water pumps were installed.

In Klong Sam Wa, the district office has prepared shelters at 18 locations.

In Min Buri, about 10 housing estates and 35 communities were inundated. The flooding has affected 4,598 households and damaged 1,471 rai of agricultural areas.

Of the affected families, 208 were farmers.

The BMA had distributed relief items to residents, built footbridges and installed more water pumps in flood-hit areas.

The city administration has opened an operations centre at the Min Buri district office to fight floods on the eastern side of Bangkok.

A total of 190 shelters have been set up in Min Buri (31 shelters), Lat Krabang (32 shelters), Nong Chok (72 shelters) and Klong Sam Wa (55 shelters). Most shelters are at schools run by the BMA.

Wat Khiew Khaika, one of 27 communities outside Bangkok's flood embankments, has been submerged in knee-high water for almost a month.

Pol Sgt Maj Prakob Jaithong, head of the community, said residents started making preparations two months before flood waters entered their community. As the water level was higher than last year, his community sought help from Dusit district to help evacuate residents to a shelter at Chanthasamosorn School.

Children, women and the elderly would be the first group to be evacuated, he said.

"We have formed teams of guards to monitor water levels and community committee members will take turns to guard residents' belongings after they are evacuated," he said.

Bangkok Post : Too early for no-flood assurances

ON the RECORD

Too early for no-flood assurances

• Published: 15/10/2011 at 12:00 AM
• Newspaper section: News

A deluge of unwelcome information - confusing forecasts, conflicting expert opinions mixed with a plethora of rumours - has stoked fear about severe flooding in central Bangkok. Considering this situation, Seree Suprathit, director of the Natural Research Centre at Rangsit University, told King-oua Laohong in a recent interview that flood management should be made a national agenda item.

The question on everybody's lips is, what are the chances that Bangkok will be flooded?

Bangkok is at risk. This is because the water volume [destined to pass by the city] is huge and the water current is really strong. Right now areas outside the flood walls [along the Chao Phraya River] are flooded. For areas that are protected by floodwalls, it is not possible to tell if they will be strong enough to withstand the run-off.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has so far given a reassurance that central Bangkok will be safe. Can people trust that?

No, I don't think any one can guarantee it. It is possible they can prevent flooding in Bangkok's economic zone. If they allow flood water into this zone, the economy will be seriously damaged.

Residents in suburban areas outside the flood walls like Khlong Samwa, Nong Chok, Min Buri and Lat Krabang are already battling floods.

Some business areas in central Bangkok are also at risk of flood, such as Sathon, Chan Road, Phaya Thai, Phahon Yothin, the neighbourhoods around Samsen Canal, Bang Sue Canal, certain parts of Sukhumvit, and Soi Lasalle, for instance.

Can the BMA handle water run-off in Bangkok's outskirts?

Right now, we are fighting the flooding situation on a day-to-day basis. Long-term plans are useless.

On how to cope with the immediate flooding problems, I have recommended three things to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

She promised she would implement my recommendations.

We should monitor the floodwalls carefully, because at different points they are made of different materials. Some stretches of the barriers are made of concrete, some are made of mud and some are made of sandbags.

Officials have to keep inspecting the floodwalls to see if any spot has become vulnerable to collapse or erosion so that they can repair them in time.

What do you think about the evacuation warning by Science and Technology Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi, as a representative of the Flood Relief Operations Centre, which sent people into a panic?

In principle, there are three steps to follow when it comes to issuing a warning to people in a crisis situation.

The first one is to disseminate the information so that people are aware of the situation and able to take precautions. The next step is to tell people to move their belongings to safe places.

The third one is to tell people to evacuate.

Evidently Mr Plodprasop announced the third-step warning. It was too abrupt, which caused the public to panic. He should be more careful.

How about the areas mentioned in Mr Plodprasob's warning like Sai Mai, Khlong Samwa, the Rangsit campus of Thammasat University, the northern part of Don Muang, Lam Luk Ka? Are they still at risk?

They are still at risk because these areas lie in the vicinity of Khlong Ban Phrao water gate in Pathum Thani's Sam Khok district, part of which was broken by the water current on Thursday. Officials are still repairing the water gate.

Low-lying Thai capital braces for weekend flooding - Weather - msnbc.com

Low-lying Thai capital braces for weekend flooding

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Chaiwat Subprasom / Reuters Residents on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, evacuate Friday.

By CHRIS BLAKE, TODD PITMAN
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updated 10/14/2011 7:12:27 PM ET

RANGSIT, Thailand — Somjai Tapientong lives on one side of a wall of white sandbags, her apartment perched precariously on the front line of an epic battle to stop the deadliest floods in decades from reaching Bangkok.

On the other side, a foaming brown river gushes through a canal diverting water around the Thai capital, just to the south. Whether floodwaters breach the top of fortified barriers like these this weekend will determine whether Bangkok will be inundated or spared.

On Saturday, the giant metropolis of glass-walled condominiums and gilded Buddhist temples was anxiously bracing for an answer to that question. Despite the panic that has engulfed the city of 9 million people for days, though, many believe its defenses just might hold.

"I'm not afraid," said Somjai, a 60-year-old hair dresser in Rangsit, whose canal is crucial to protecting the capital. "A lot of people are paranoid, but I don't feel that panic."

Speaking Friday, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra insisted that floodwaters flowing down from the central plains "will only affect outer Bangkok and will not be widespread in other areas."

Such assurances have not stopped Bangkokians from raiding supermarket shelves to stock up on bottled water, dried noodles, flashlight batteries and candles if things go bad. Worried car owners are cramming vehicles into high-rise parking spaces at city's malls and airports. International hotels and street-side shops have barricaded their entranceways with sandbags.

Television stations broadcasting images of swamped towns just north of the capital — showing waterlogged residents in canoes and braving chest-high water — have also inadvertantly fueled fears of imminent doom in the capital.

But Chusit Apirumanekul, a hydrologist at Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, said "that will not happen in ... the inner part of Bangkok."

There is always the possibility of flooding, he said, "but it will be very low."

Incessant monsoon rains have killed nearly 300 people in Thailand since July, part of a wave of extreme weather including back-to-back typhoons that has plagued Asia this year. In neighboring Cambodia, floods over roughly the same period have killed another 247 people.

Thailand's lucrative tourist destinations — beaches and islands like Koh Samui, Krabi and Phuket — have not been affected. But the floods have affected 8 million people and swept two-thirds of the country, drowning rice fields and swallowing low-lying villages along the way. More than 200 major highways and roads are impassable, and the main rail lines to the north has been shut down.

By contrast, the government says most of Bangkok, which lies about six feet (two meters) above sea level, sits safely behind an elaborate system of flood walls, canals, dikes and seven underground drainage tunnels which were completed over the last year.

The latest floods are posing the biggest test those defenses have ever faced. Water rushing down from the north toward the sea is expected to be bolstered by heavy rains due this weekend. Rising ocean tides are expected to slow a critical outflow of water from the Chao Phraya River, which winds through Bangkok and into the Gulf of Thailand.

Just beyond Bangkok's northwestern border, in the town of Samkhok, floodwaters breached a wall of white sandbags several dozen miles (kilometers) long, submerging temples and homes up to the top of their wooden gates.

"The problem is, the water keeps rising, and nobody knows how bad it's going to get," said Wasan Leekmeg, a local politician in Samkhok who spent the last few days ferrying supplies to desperate businesses and families on a wooden canoe — now the only way to get around some parts of the town.

On Friday, a Japanese trade organization criticized the Thai government for allegedly failing to provide timely and accurate information about the situation in the central province of Ayutthaya, where hundreds of factories have been devastated, including electronics makers and automotive parts suppliers.

"Japanese companies didn't know what was happening or which information was true or not," said Seiya Sukegawa of the Japan External Trade Organization Thailand. "They received warnings but not enough information and not enough time to decide the next step."

Chusit Apirumanekul, of the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, sympathized with the huge challenge facing Thailand's government, saying the floods were unpredictable.

"I think this is quite normal in every country when you have this kind of warning, forecasting, you cannot say that it will happen or it will not happen 100 percent," he said.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingn...-level-at-2-29

Rama I bridge's water level at 2.29

• Published: 15/10/2011 at 10:39 AM
• Online news:

According to official NBT telecast this morning, Irrigation Department official said the high tide occured at 9.00 this morning, raising the water level at Rama I bridge to 2.29 metres.

Yesterday's high tide saw 2.27 metres, still below the BMA's concrete flood walls at 2.50 metres, which were raised to 2.80-3.00 metres under BMA governor's order.

The high tide period October 16-18 is not expected to significantly raise water level in Bangkok to overwhelm the concrete walls. The largest mass of water has now passed Nakhon Sawan and will reach Bangkok after October 18.

This mass of water will be drained into the sea within 3-4 days before another high tide, which will be higher than the current one, will occur again at the end of this month.

Meanwhile, Meteorological Department official said that Thailand is at the end of rainy season. Few rains will fall in the North to fill up Bhumiphol and Sirikit dams, forcing water release downstream. However, rains will continue to fall in the Central Plains and gradually move to the southern region as high pressure from China will bear down, signalling the beginning of a cool season.

Bangkok Post : PM: Bangkok is well protected

PM: Bangkok is well protected

• Published: 15/10/2011 at 10:21 AM
• Online news:

Bangkok is well protected and the capital will not be flooded, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra told people on Channel 11 on Saturday morning.

In her weekly “Yingluck government meets people” talk show programme on Channel 11 and radio stations of the Public Relations Department this morning, Ms Yingluck said the government measures are capable of preventing Bangkok from being inundated.

“Flood prevention walls are now in place at Luck Hok canal in Pathum Thani, Thaweewattana canal in Thonburi and Rangsit canal in the eastern part of Bangkok.

“In the eastern part, the embankment built under the initiative of His Majesty the King is still strong. In order to make people have more confidence, more floodwalls had been built in that area”, she said.

The prime minister insisted that the government will protect all economic zones and will drive the overflow out to the sea as soon as possible. She assured people that the government will come up long-term flood prevention plan to systematically manage water resources in the future.

She said altogether 56 provinces were inundated since the Nok-Ten tropical storm hit the country on July 25, 11 of them at critical levels.

Ms Yingluck thanked all parties for joining hands to help relief hardship of the flood victims. She offered moral support for people being affected by the widespread flooding.

Twitter

11:20am Workers at Bangkok Bank HQ on Silom Road building a 2 meter high barrier #ThaiFloodEng http://pic.twitter.com/OM0ENcRx

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Twitter

Some of the entrances to the subway are closed, but trains are running as normal #ThaiFloodEng http://pic.twitter.com/S5kEM7CD

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Building cement flood barriers on Suthisarn on Twitpic

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Building cement flood barriers on Suthisarn

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/...79C0W720111015

Defenses bolstered as floods threaten Thai capital

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By Viparat Jantraprap
BANGKOK | Fri Oct 14, 2011 11:08pm EDT

(Reuters) - Rescue workers scrambled to reinforce make-shift walls and sand-bags around Bangkok on Saturday as the worst floods in half-a-century threatened Thailand's low-lying capital after swamping entire villages in the north.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has sought to reassure Bangkok's 12 million people they should largely escape floods that have covered a third of the country since July, killing at least 289 people and causing about $3 billion in damage.

The north, northeast and center of Thailand have been worst hit and Bangkok -- much of it only two meters (6.5 ft) above sea level -- is at risk as water overflows from reservoirs in the north, swelling the Chao Phraya river that winds through the densely populated city.

Yingluck said water released from several dams should reduce the risk of floods as a wall of northern run-off water makes its way to Bangkok over the weekend, coinciding with high estuary tides that hamper the river's flow into the sea.

She said the government was focused on releasing floodwater to the sea.

"We will protect strategic areas and the heart of the economy such as industrial zones, the central part of all provinces and Thai capital as well as Suvarnabhumi Airport, industrial estates and evacuation centres," she said, referring to Bangkok's main international airport.

Despite official assurances, Bangkok residents have stocked up on bottled water and foodstuffs such as instant noodles. Many have parked their cars in elevated parking garages.

To protect the city, authorities reinforced its last defenses -- a 4 km (2.5-mile) flood barrier along a canal and a sluice gate in Pathum Thani province immediately north of the city, where offices, shops and restaurants were submerged in chest-high water.

The city, known for its historic temples and raucous nightlife, is on edge amid bickering between the government and Bangkok's governor, who has urged people to listen to him, not the prime minister. The two are on either side of a political divide that sparked violent street protests last year.

Bangkok is the business heart of Thailand, accounting for 41 percent of its economy. In comparison, the central region, which has been badly flooded, accounts for 8 percent of the economy, Southeast Asia's second-largest.

Parts of the central province of Ayutthaya, home to an ancient capital and historic temples, are nearly completely submerged, forcing at least three big industrial estates to shut temporarily.

Japanese automaker Honda Motor Co Ltd said on Friday its plant there, accounting for 4.7 percent of its global output, would stay closed until October 21.

Thailand is Southeast Asia's biggest auto-manufacturing hub with most factories located in the east, which has been little affected by the flooding. But their operations could still suffer because car parts firms have been hit.