Developments blocking the flow

The attempt to drain massive amounts of flood water into the sea via eastern Bangkok has slowed down because roads and housing estates in Min Buri and Nong Chok districts, as well as those near the Saen Saeb canal, are blocking the way. 

“The flood water is being blocked by roads and housing estates that were constructed on waterways,” Chote Trachoo, permanent secretary of the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, said, citing a report from the Water Resources Department.

“Flood water in some area such as Min Buri district’s Nimitr Mai Road cannot be drained because there’s nowhere for the water to go,” he added. 

He said the Interior Ministry had also been asked to send water pumps to help drain the area as soon as possible. 

“If we are unable to drain the floods, it means the level of water in Don Muang, Lak Si and Vibhavadi Road will rise,” he said. 

So far, the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry has received 20 pumps from Loei province and 15 from Buri Ram. 

“We are only able to drain 40 million cubic metres a day, but have more than 6 billion cubic metres of water to deal with,” he said. He added that the current of Chao Phraya River, as measured at the Bang Sai station, was moving at the rate of 3,500 cubic metres per second. 

Natural Resources and Environment Ministry yesterday also asked the Royal Irrigation Department to direct water at the rate of at least 1,000 cubic metres per second into fields in Kamphaeng Phet province. 

“If we can stop the flood water from flowing into the Chao Phraya River for a few days, then the flooding in Bangkok can also recede,” he added. 

Meanwhile, the Royal Irrigation Department is discharging water from Bhumibhol Dam at the rate of 59.25 million cubic metres per day and from Sirikit Dam at 11 million cubic metres.

“The dams will break if the water is not discharged,” he said. 

Chote advised the BMA to use the VibhavadiRangsit Road as a waterway to drain floods from the Don Muang area. 

“We wanted to use VibhavadiRangsit Road at night to drain water from Don Muang to the big tunnel in the Din Daeng area, but the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration refused to cooperate,” he said.