Bangkok, The Prime Minister monitored the readiness for flood prevention and response, asking the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to watch out for areas at risk of repeated flooding and crowded communities after this year’s high volume of water. He prepared to visit the area to see the problem, but did not go to find fault and ordered to look at the budget for building the Pathum Thani dam to cope with the water from the north.
Mr. Settha Thavisin, Prime Minister, chaired a meeting to prepare for flood prevention and response at the Flood Prevention System Control Center, Drainage and Sewerage Department, Bangkok City Hall, Din Daeng District, with Mr. Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok, and executives of Bangkok welcoming him.
Mr. Chadchart thanked the Prime Minister for visiting and giving policies to the Flood Prevention System Control Center, Drainage Office, because this place will be the first place to plan to cope with the flood situation.
The Prime Minister said that he actually came toda
y to give encouragement because the rainy season has arrived and the rainy season this year came early. Everyone has been able to work well and it has not been a big problem for the people. However, because this year the La Nina phenomenon has caused more rain than expected, especially in the upper North and Northeast, which has caused the amount of water that will flow into Bangkok during this month (August) until November and during the Loi Krathong festival, the government, therefore, Bangkok must prepare to deal with the upcoming water situation in order to prevent any impacts on the people, including important economic areas.
The Prime Minister also said that he would like the relevant agencies, including Bangkok, to prepare for monitoring and announcing warnings to people in risk areas and to help the people in urgent situations regarding flooding and water drainage, including preparing the
monkey cheek area to accommodate water waiting to be drained, ready to deal with the flooding from the North and
the sea water surge, and controlling the amount of water in the various canals must be appropriate.
‘If it rains and the seawater rises, it is a big deal. For the dredging and drainage, we have already instructed the Department of Corrections, which is happy to help. At the same time, the security sector is helping with the dredging of canals and the removal of trash and weeds in various drainage pipes. We ask that Bangkok work with the provincial administration, the Royal Irrigation Department, and the Department of Water Resources to manage all aspects to the fullest. We would like to give our encouragement because this is not an easy task, and this year there is a lot of water, so let me leave it with you,’ the Prime Minister said.
The Prime Minister emphasized and asked the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration that areas at risk of frequent flooding, especially in crowded communities where it is known that flooding will occur, how will they determine the points and solve the problems, especially the Bon
Kai community where problems occur regularly. He asked the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to take care of vulnerable areas as the first priority in solving the problems of flooded areas. If there is an opportunity, he himself will join in visiting the areas. He confirmed that he did not go to find fault but rather to help work together.
The Bangkok governor said that the amount of water flowing into Bangkok consists of 4 streams: water from the north, rain, seawater, and water from the fields. If they come together, it will be a problem, like what happened in 2011. As for prevention, there will be 2 approaches: major arteries and capillaries that will help with water drainage. The major arteries are the Chao Phraya River, while the capillaries will be water drainage through various small canals that will have to be dug and wait to be drained.
The Prime Minister then visited the exhibition room of the royal initiative projects on flood prevention and resolution in Bangkok and inspected the Bangkok Flood
Control Center in Real Time. The Prime Minister said that today he came to give encouragement and to talk to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration about the plan to support vulnerable areas and measures to take care of the people from the flood situation. There is a dam in Pathum Thani Province that has not yet been built. Therefore, he ordered the Prime Minister’s working group to see where the budget can be used to proceed. He emphasized that today he came to give encouragement to the Bangkok Governor, especially in driving forward the work that was ordered in the meeting.
Source: Thai News Agency