BANGKOK: The Office of National Water Resources (ONWR) reported that Uthai Thani experienced its highest rainfall last night, with 148 mm recorded in Ban Rai District. The situation in the province has since stabilized, and the rainfall is expected to bolster the Krasaeow Dam’s water reserves, crucial for the upcoming drought season, without exacerbating flooding along the Tha Chin River.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Paitoon Kengkarnchang, Deputy Secretary-General of ONWR, detailed how heavy rains on October 19, 2014, at around 8:00 p.m., led to flooding in Uthai Thani. The ONWR’s assessment revealed that Ban Hin Tum Station in Ban Rai District recorded the highest rainfall, resulting in flash floods that swept through the commercial regions of Ban Rai Subdistrict Municipality. The rapid water flow affected several areas, including the Khao Rak Camp Resort and the road in front of Ban Rai Kindergarten School, extending to the vicinity of Ban Rai Temple. Damage assessments are ongoing, though no injurie
s or fatalities have been reported. In response, Mr. Thiraphat Kachmat, Governor of Uthai Thani Province, has tasked Ban Rai District with conducting immediate damage surveys and reporting to the province for potential disaster area declaration.
Mr. Kengkarnchang also noted that the floods occurred upstream of the Krasaeow Dam, which currently holds 157 million cubic meters of water, equivalent to 53 percent of its capacity. The dam can accommodate further rainfall without affecting previously flooded areas along the Tha Chin River in Suphan Buri and Nakhon Pathom provinces. Water reserves in the Krasaeow Reservoir are projected to rise significantly by the end of the rainy season, increasing storage by about 80 million cubic meters to 80 percent capacity. This boost will support water distribution for consumption, ecological balance, and agriculture. To mitigate the impact of increased rainfall in the Tha Chin River basin, ONWR is collaborating with the Royal Irrigation Department to adjust water intake lev
els, reducing the flow into the area from 20 cubic meters/second to 10 cubic meters/second and halting water intake through certain canals to maximize the irrigation system’s capacity to manage additional rainfall.