Pathum ThanI at crItIcal level

The flooding in Pathum Thani, which is immediately upriver from Bangkok, remained at a critical level yesterday as large run-offs from upstream provinces continued to flow into its brimming waterways.

Local authorities were closely monitoring the watergates as well as the temporary embankments built along the waterways. Angry residents pulled down some sections of the embankments, because they believe it is these walls that are causing their homes to get inundated while on the other side stay dry. Pathum Thani Governor Pirasak Hinmuangkao yesterday called on the prime minister to declare a state of emergency in the province to deal with the problem. 

Meanwhile, evacuees being accommodated at Thammasat University’s Rangsit campus in Pathum Thani were moved to higher ground in the compound yesterday. 

Late afternoon yesterday, some 1,000 evacuees were moved from Gymnasium 2 to Gymnasium 1, which is five metres higher. The victims were moved after many flood barriers in areas near the university collapsed. Senior officials at the university had also suggested earlier that all vehicles in its car park be moved to higher ground due to risk of flooding. 

 

No classes

Somkid Lertpaiboon, the university’s rector, yesterday told all officials at the Rangsit campus to go on leave and close all the buildings including dormitories, except those being used by volunteers. He also called for “full protection” of the campus.

Residents at the White House estate in Pathum Thani’s Klong Luang district were also working hard yesterday to protect themselves. The housing estate made the headlines in 1995, when a flood embankment collapsed and left homes badly submerged. 

Residents and local officials joined up to keep an eye on the flood barriers in the area round the clock. 

Suthat Mahatthai, an official from the local municipality office, said residents panicked when water overran an embankment, though the water was pumped out and the barrier was raised. He said the water level was as high as it was in 1995, when disaster struck the housing estate.

A resident in the housing estate, Liam Butprasart said she and her neighbours were afraid the clay embankments would not be able to withstand the water pressure and would collapse again. She said many residents had moved out, and many, like her, had rented flats. 

Klong Luang district chief Phol Damtham said the volume of water was not at a worrying level yet, but local authorities were raising the height of flood embankments along the Rapipat Canal to four metres in order to prepare for more run-offs in the next couple of days. He requested volunteers to help fill sandbags that could be used to bolster the embankments, adding that there were not enough officials to complete the job in time.

Meanwhile, rescue and medical teams from the Northeast province of Udon Thani were heading for Pathum Thani yesterday to join relief efforts and help protect the province from being submerged. The teams, comprising 131 rescue workers and 12 medical officials, took with them heavy machinery, trucks and flat-bottom boats.