Fund set for dykes around industrial complexes

The government agreed to provide Bt3.2 billion to the six industrial parks inundated last year to construct concrete dykes enclosing the complexes, he said.

 The government sees the necessity of protecting these parks, since they employ 200,000 labourers and their exports account for one-third of the total. 

In making these remarks, Plodprasob was apparently responding to criticisms of using public funds to finance private-sector projects. 

The public subsidy accounts for two-thirds of the expense of building the dykes, which are expected to be completed within two months before the season of heavy rain. 

The Cabinet also approved catchment areas of 2.1 million rai (336,000 hectares), which have the capacity to store 5.1 billion tonnes of water during the flood season, Plodprasob said. These are flood-prone areas and farmers agree not to grow rice in the flood season, he said. The government plans to invest Bt610 million for building sluice-gates to control the inflow and outflow of water. 

Ministers are assigned to look after upstream, midstream and downstream areas, he said.

 

Compensation 

However, he acknowledged that ministers had not yet discussed the specific amount of compensation to be paid to farmers in water-retention areas. 

He simply said 1.2 million rai of the 2.1-million rai of retention areas were usually flooded and could not grow rice. So the government will provide compensation to cover only 900,000 rai, he said. 

The government will inform farmers later how much compensation will be paid in case of floods. 

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will visit people in the North and Central regions to inspect flood-warning systems, water catchment and drainage. She will also chair a drill of the single-command system as the country prepares for the possibility of devastating floods this year. 

Plodprasob stressed that the government would be able to prevent a new inundation. 

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