Further flooding on Rama II road
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The government has decided to allow areas northward of Rama II Road in western Bangkok to be further flooded, instead of blasting open many sections of road in order to allow flood water to head south into estuaries.
The decision follows a brief dispute when a proposal to blast open channels was floated last week.
Transport Minister Sukampol Suwannathat yesterday said Route 340 (Bang Bua Thong-Suphan Buri), which is an alternative route to the South in place of Rama II when it is flooded, would be preserved in an all-out effort, which would involve another 100,000 sandbags and numerous 2.5-tonne bags, after many sections had been inundated.
“Flood water should be allowed to flow to sea outlets [through bridges and regular channels] the way it naturally does,” he said, adding that the efforts to preserve Route 340 would be completed within four or five days.
At an earlier meeting of the government Flood Reliefs Operations Centre (FROC), Sukampol briefed officials that the use of large sandbags in northern Bangkok had proved effective, resulting in an average water-level reduction of around 30 centimetres in flooded areas.
A new 10-kilometre large-bag barrier from Bang Sue to the Taling Chan area is being studied and construction will begin once the idea is approved by the FROC, he said.
The waiving of expressway fees in all directions is possible, but contracts need to be carefully studied as concessions in certain sections belong to private companies. The extension of current toll-fee waivers is also likely, the minister added.
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said Suvarnabhumi Airport should escape inundation, while the government and the military would do their best to fight off flood water threatening Bang Chan and Lat Krabang industrial estates in Eastern Bangkok.
Defence Minister Yuthasak Sasiprapha yesterday kicked off a new plan which made the ministry and the military the joint centres for post-flood measures, including the restoration of flood-damaged industrial parks and employment.
He said the military was working hard on flood prevention at Bang Chan and Lat Krabang estates, as well as elsewhere.
“We need to save both estates, or we lose credibility,” he added.
Meanwhile another dispute between flood victims and officials at Klong Bueng Khwang water gate is now over, with the gate remaining at a height of 1 metre, and not 2m as demanded by locals who launched a protest on Sunday.
The residents will be given 1,100 survival kits, mobile toilet units, and have been promised more assistance in exchange for them giving up their demand and ending the protest.
