PM visits Sing Buri Sunday

The dyke at the Bang Chom Sri water sluice gate in Sing Buri’s In Buri district collapsed on Sept 13, unable to withstand the strong Chao Phraya River currents, causing flooding in Sing Buri and nearby Lopburi provinces.

Accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Yongyuth Wichaidit, the premier left Bangkok by helicopter.

Yingluck was briefed that the water levels in the Ping, Wang, Yom, Nan Rivers which form the Chao Phraya River are still high. The water level of the Chao Phraya River measured at Bangsai district in Ayutthaya was 3,236 cubic metres per second but will not cause flooding in the capital.

However, if it surpasses 3,500 cubic metres per second, Bangkok will be affected.
Director General of Royal Irrigation Department Chalit Damrongsak said the department has expedited diverting flood water into the sea and several branches of rivers. Regarding the damaged dyke, he said rocks in a metal net were dumped at the Bang Chom Sri sluice gate around the clock to slow down torrential current and it will take time to repair it due to strong current.

He also ordered officials to inspect flood prevention walls along the Chao Phraya River as they could be damaged by prolonged floods.

Yingluck said she ordered the royal irrigation department to install more machines to drain flood water and dredge canals to facilitate releasing water into the sea.

She said it will take about 15 days to fix the dyke at the Bang Chom Sri sluice gate due to strong current. It is also difficult for large trucks to transport rocks to the sluice gate as flood victims were migrating to the roadside.
Meanwhile, in the northern province of Lampang, two districts were hit by flash flood early Sunday. 
Charal Wongsawat, mayor of Hang Chat sub-district ordered deployment of sand bags to build embankment along the Mae Tan River after flash flood hit the Hang Chat district at 4 am Sunday. Electricity has been cut to prevent electric accidents and tap water supplies have been suspended as a local office of waterworkers authority has been flooded.
Suwit Lekkamhaeng, Hang Chat district chief said the flood water is about one metre deep and about 100 houses have been inundated. Roads and bridges were damaged. He issued warning for locals about another round of flood as heavy rain was reported on mountain in the Doikhuntan National Park connecting Lampang’s Hang Chat district and Lamphun.
In Lampang’s Ko Kha district, four villages were cut off and the flood water is as high as two metres. 
Suwan Klaosunthorn, Lampang deputy governor and Sriroj Nimanpattcharin, Ko Kha district chief visited flood-hit areas after flash flood flowed into the Mae Yao River early Sunday. More than 200 houses have been flooded as the water level is still rising. A local office of the disaster prevention and mitigation office sent boats to help people and distributed 200 sets of flood relief supplies.