Chadchart, BMA turn to experts for advice on Bangkok floods

Joining Chadchart in the visit to HII chairman Dr Royol Chitradon were deputy governor Wissanu Subsomphon, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) inspector-general Surat Charoenchaisakul and Asa Sukkhang, director of BMA’s Drainage Information Division.

The two sides discussed cooperation in water management and flood prevention efforts. They also discussed how the information provided by HII’s National Hydroinformatics Data Centre and its Hydrogence platform can be used to analyse potential flooding.

The BMA executives also learned how data and advice from HII had helped Nakhon Si Thammarat tackle floods and water shortages.

The two sides also agreed to jointly create a development model for the capital.

During the discussion, Royol warned Chadchart that there will be lots of rain next month, which will coincide with upstream runoffs, so the BMA should be ready to mitigate the impact of possible flooding.

Royol said the BMA team was shown a development model for Bangkok canals, which showed broken bridges being dropped to the bottom after the canals are dredged. He said this action and the raising of fish to get rid of waterweeds will improve water quality.

Chadchart said he had turned to Royol for advice because he is a leading expert on water resource management. Also, he said, HII has a wealth of data collected from more than 50 other government agencies.

The governor said BMA will use HII data to develop the city’s 2,000-kilometre canal network, which will speed up the flood drainage.

Besides, he said, improving existing canals will cost less than building new drainage tunnels.

Chadchart said the BMA and HII will initially try out the development model on specific canals. He added that Royol has also advised the BMA to hand the job of managing canals to district offices, so the development work can speed up.

The governor said Royol has also advised the BMA to increase more green spaces to cool down the capital. The expert noted that rain amount is often high in Bangkok because its skyscrapers create a heat trap and do not allow the storms to just pass through.