Army in last-ditch effort to save estates

THE NATION November 9, 2011 12:25 pm

Water levels in key waterways near Suvarnabhumi Airport are increasing slowly, while preventive measures and monitoring of the situation are underway.

The level in Lat Krabang Canal north of the airport has increased by 2 centimetres, and a branch of it in the south by 4cm. The level at the nearby Lat Krabang watergate has increased by 3cm, and at Prawet Burirom watergate by 3cm, senior airport official Suk Phuengtham said.

Airport director Somchai Sawasdiphol said the situation was under control, as the flood water surrounding the compound was between 40cm and 67cm, while the flood barriers were 3.5 metres high.

The military has repeated its pledge to defend the Bang Chan and Lat Krabang industrial estates from encroaching floods. Defence Minister General Yuthasak Sasiprapha said there was time left for the military to do their best. “These are two estates that have so far survived the floods. If we fail again here, we have failed right across the board,” he said.

Engineering Institute of Thailand chief Thanes Weerasiri said Bang Chan was not protected by a surrounding flood barrier as Bang Chan Canal runs through it.

“The best way to deal with flooding is to let the water flow as fast and in as much quantity as we can,” he said.

Each factory is protected by individual floodwalls of two metres high on average. Requests for water pumps have been made to the city administration.

“I cannot give a 100-per-cent guarantee that the Bang Chan estate will escape the flood waters,” Thanes added.

A section of the Western Outer Ring Road is being cleared of flood water so as to link to Route 340 and provide an alternative to Rama II Road for journeys to the South. Transport Ministry permanent secretary Suphoj Samlom said cutting a flood channel through Rama II Road would be useless and deprive drivers of a viable route to the South.

Bt3.1 bn earmarked to provide compensation

The Nation November 9, 2011 12:23 pm

The Cabinet yesterday approved Bt3.1 billion to be spent on compensation for flood-hit Bangkok residents.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has been instructed to look into people’s eligibility for compensation within two weeks, with each eligible family entitled to Bt5,000.

“Within 45 days, compensation should reach the eligible people,” deputy government spokeswoman Anuttama Amornwiwat said yesterday.

She added that preliminary information shows 621,355 families in Bangkok had suffered from the floods. However, only families whose houses have been submerged by flash floods or left swamped for at least seven consecutive days, which has damaged their properties, are eligible for compensation.

“Only residents in disaster-hit areas, as declared by the BMA, claim compensation from the government,” Anuttama said.

GDP growth forecast to fall further

The Nation November 9, 2011 12:20 pm

The Bank of Thailand will drop its growth forecast even lower for gross domestic product this year as the massive flood works its way through Bangkok and into Samut Sakhon.

“How much [the Monetary Policy Committee] will decide to revise downwards the GDP figure on November 30 will depend on the latest estimated loss figures. The situation has not yet stabilised,” Deputy BOT Governor Suchada Kirakul said yesterday.

The flood situation is still evolving. Flood waters are spreading into downtown Bangkok and some areas of the neighbouring provinces, she said.

On October 28, the central bank slashed its growth forecast to 2.6 per cent from 4.1 per cent after floods swamped almost 10,000 factories and threatened to seep into the capital.
The tourism industry is expected to see a decline of about 700,000-800,000 arrivals this quarter, resulting in the no-show of about Bt20 billion in income. These effects were not taken into consideration at the previous MPC meeting, she said.

The latest estimated damage to manufacturing is a minimum of Bt150 billion, up from the previous estimate of Bt110 billion. The estimate will be updated before the MPC meeting.
The MPC, which paused its policy-rate hikes at its October 19 meeting because of the floods, will likely assess the severity of the flood’s impact before deciding on the rate’s direction.
If the economy worsens, policy-makers could shift towards a more accommodative stance, Suchada said.

“At the last meeting, the MPC acknowledged how bad the floods were. A decision was made then to leave the rate unchanged,” she said. “The rate’s next direction may be to be held as is or lowered. The market knows this signal. And this is help the central bank can provide directly, a monetary policy that supports economic recovery.”

On October 19, the MPC decided to keep the policy rate on hold at 3.5 per cent, citing the nation’s severe floods and weakening global economy.

Tisco Wealth expects the Thai economy to expand only 2 per cent this year, if the government fails to fix flood problems within a few months and areas of inner Bangkok are seriously affected. In the worst-case scenario, the fourth-quarter economy will contract.
Tisco Wealth will re-evaluate the 2012 situation. It noted that manufacturing should recover quickly if the machinery in inundated industrial zones is not significantly damaged.

Tonnes of garbage, dirty water to deal with

The Nation November 7, 2011 7:04 am

Bangkok will face a tough task getting rid of more than three million tonnes of trash and treating huge volumes of dirty water left behind by the flood.

A key problem is that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration cannot send garbage trucks to flooded areas while 9.4 million people in those areas were expected to generate about 500 kilograms of rubbish each over a number of weeks.

“A suggestion for residents at this moment is to keep the garbage and all kinds of waste above water,” Worrasart Apaipong, acting directorgeneral of the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry’s Pollution Control Department, said yesterday.

People were dumping all kinds of flooddamaged debris such as stuff made from plastic, books, furniture and electronic devices, while some 500,000 cars were partially submerged and would need to change some parts such as batteries and engine oil, he said.

The department is coordinating with many authorities in Bangkok and other inundated provinces to prepare for garbage disposal, he said.

Flood victims should also help the authorities by separating their garbage, as many materials like wood, glass, plastic and paper could be recycled or reused.

Another serious issue was contamination of the water supply and water resources for public use.

The department has checked the water at 149 spots in all flooded provinces – Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani, Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Lop Buri, Saraburi, Nakhon Nayok, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Ayutthaya, Nakhon Pathom and Bangkok.

Some 23 per cent of the water was low quality. Some areas such as Tale Chupsorn subdistrict in Lop Buri had the worst, with a dissolved oxygen level of only 0.00.5 milligram per litre.

Water for public use in many surveyed areas was basically bad. Of that, 24 per cent was of poor quality, 32 per cent rated fair and only 21 per cent good.

The department surveyed groundwater in 18 spots and found that 6 per cent was poor, 11 per cent was fair and 6 per cent was of good quality.

The department has distributed many forms of bacteria to help treat wastewater.

The quality of water in the Chao Phraya River was relatively poor with dissolved oxygen at only 1.3 milligrams per litre.

In many locations in Bangkok such as Bang Phlat the water was contaminated with oil, he said.

BMA to get 71 water pumps

Bangkok Post

The government’s Flood Relief Operations Centre will provide a total of 71 pumps for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to use to drain water out of the capital city, Froc director Pracha Promnok said Monday.

Pol Gen Pracha, the justice minister, said that of the 71 water pumps, 48 were bought with Froc’s budget from China, 17 borrowed from the Department of Public Works and Town and Country Planning, and six borrowed from the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry.

The BMA originally asked Froc for 60 pumps.

Pol Gen Pracha Promnok (Photo REUTERS)

All the water pumps were expected to be in place in 15 days, as some of those from China had not yet arrived, he said.

The minister said the people could rest assured that both agencies were working as one to prevent more water coming into the capital and were draining existing water out of the capital city.

Froc spokesman Thongthong Chandrangsu said the water pumps from China were expected to arrive in Bangkok tonight.

BMA city clerk Charoenrat Chutikan thanked Froc for its help.

With no fresh runoff arriving from the North, the water pumps would greatly relieve the people’s suffering and reduce that damage to inner Bangkok.

Mr Charoenrat said the BMA and the Interior Ministry’s public works and town and country planning departments had laid agreed where to install the water pumps, which were expected to be in place in a few days.

Most would be placed at various pumping stations at Khlong Phra Khanong, Khlong Ratchamontri, Khlong Bangkok Yai, Khlong Dao Khanong, Khlong Bon, Khlong Bang Khen Mai, Khlong Bang Khen Kao, Khlong Thewet, Khlong Bang Sue, and Khlong Bang Na which are scattered over inner and outer Bangkok, as well as the Thon Buri side of the Chao Phraya river.

Mr Charoenrat said it could not yet be assessed how many days it would take to completely drain  the floodwater from Bangkok, because it was not known how much water would still seep into the protected area of inner Bangkok from the flooded areas to the north.

BMA deputy city clerk Jumpol Samphaothong said the water pumps would be of much help and most of them would be used to drain water out into the Chao Phraya river.

Flood centre spokesman Palangkoon Klahan said Froc now would launch an operation to “hold back” water flowing into Bangkok by laying a wall of “big bags” along the eastern flood barrier and speed up draining water out through areas east and west of Bangkok.

Gen Palangkoon said the big bags had proven effective in holding back water flowing to Bangkok and cushioning the impact of the flood torrent.

The big bags were proving better than the defences of Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi provinces, which were hard-hit, he said.

The spokesman said the flood situation in Bangkok was no longer worrying. The BMA, meanwhile, was required to speed up dredging shallow canals and removing water hyacinth and other weeds which obstruct the flow of water.

Chang water on sale for charity

The Nation November 7, 2011 7:02 am

Thai Bevarage, producer of Chang drinking water, announced that it is produced 1.08 million bottles to sell in nine locations. All proceeds will be donated to the Chaipattana Foundation to help in flood relief.

Drinking water will be made available starting from tomorrow (November 9) for nine days at nine different venues. They are:
– tomorrow: the King Chulalongkorn monument on Rajdamnoen
– November 10 – Nonthaburi City Hall
– November 11 – Siam Niramitr Theatre
– November 12 – Rama IX Park
– November 13 – Wongwienyai Compasses
– November 14 – Central, Rama II
– November 15 – Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre
– November 16 – Lumpini Park
– November 17 – Bangkok City Hall

There will be 10,000 packs of drinking water available at each place per day. One person with an ID Card is allowed to purchase five packs – that’s 60 bottles (600 cc).

Thapana Siriwattanabhakdi, the company’s chief executive officer, said the company had already donated already 4 million bottles since Ayutthaya province was flooded two months ago.

“In order to make drinking water reach as many people as possible, the company spent 18 hours delivering water on rafts from our factory in Bang Ban district, Ayudhaya province.”

PM shrugs off replacement rumour

Bangkok Post

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Monday described as “colourful” a rumour that the 111 former Thai Rak Thai executives who have almost completed a five-year ban from political office are not satisfied with her handling of the flood and want her replaced.

Ms Yingluck made the comment on arriving at the Flood Relief Operations Centre at the Energy Complex building of the Energy Ministry.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra looks at damaged houses on a visit to flood-ravaged communities in Bangkok on Nov 6, 2011. (Photo by Thiti Wannamontha)

She was responding to the rumour that members of the so-called “House No 111” want her to be replaced by either Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung or Justice Minister Pracha Promnok.

According to the rumour, the former TRT executives were afraid that Ms Yingluck’s way of handling the flood crisis would erode the popularity of the governing Pheu Thai Party.

Bangkok senator Rosana Tositrakul, when asked to comment on this, said Ms Yingluck was not solely to blame. The entire administration had shown itself to be ineffective.

The five year ban ends early next year.

Government spokeswoman Thitima Chaisaeng said Prime Minister Yingluck will explain to the international community about the flood in Thailand at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) and Asean Summit.

Ms Thitima said Ms Yingluck, accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Kittiratt Na Ranong and Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, will attend the 19th Apec meeting on Nov 12-14 in Hawaii, the United States.

The premier will take this opportunity to explain to Apec member countries the current flood hitting Thailand and assure them the Thai government will take care of investors affected and to boost their confidence in Thailand’s trade, investment and tourism potentials.

Ms Yingluck will do the same at the Asean Summit on Nov 17-19 in Bali, Indonesia, the spokeswoman said.

Changing the PM won’t solve flood crisis : senators

The Nation November 7, 2011 7:08 am

Senators voiced opposition Monday to a call for Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to be replaced, saying such a change would not help alleviate the flood crisis.

They said ruling politicians would do better to focus on tackling the worsening flood problem rather than politicising the issue.

Bangkok Senator Rosana Tositrakul said she did agree to a suggestion by a group of proThaksin politicians from the disbanded Thai Rak Thai Party that the PM be replaced for her alleged failure to deal with the flood problem.

“You can’t blame the prime minister alone for the flood cri

470 places in Bangkok truly ‘under water’

Bangkok Post

A total of 470 spots in Bangkok are now under 80cm of water or more, affecting more than 800,000 people, Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra said on Monday.

A woman wades through floodwaters in Bangkok on Nov 7, 2011. (Photo by Pattanapong Hirunard)

A survey by district offices of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration showed this was the case at 95 places in Sai Mai, 81 in Nong Khaem, 71 in Bang Phlat, 48 in Khlong Sam Wa, 34 in Bang Khae, 31 in Min Buri and the rest in other flood-hit districts.

“The BMA has ordered the district offices and their agencies to pay special attention to these places because a large number of people, especially the elderly, have not evacuated the area,” MR Sukhumbhand said.

“The BMA will have to give them food, drinking water and other items for survival,” he said.
Bangkok authorities today declared Bang Chan sub-district of Khlong Sam Wa district and more sub-districts of Lat Phrao evacuation areas because of heavy flooding.

The entire district of Khlong Sam Wa is now an evacuation area.

The sub-districts of Lat Phrao that have been declared as evacuation zones are the whole of Chorakhebua sub-district and parts of Lat Phrao sub-district (along both sides of Khlong Lat Phrao to the east to Lat Pla Khao road, both sides of Lat Phrao-Wang Hin road, north of Prasert Manukit road, and both sides of Sena Nikhom road.)

The people in the two sub-districts are advised to seek refuge at a BMA evacuation centre.

The administration also declared more areas under special watch in Huay Khwang district.

They are communities along Khlong Bang Sue, Khlong Lat Phrao, and Lat Phrao road.

Floodwaters reach Major Ratchayothin cineplex in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district. (Photo by Pattanapong Hirunard)

This morning, the water level along Phahon Yothin Road from Kasetsart University to Ratchayothin and Lat Phrao intersections was 50 to 80 centimetres deep, reports said.

The road was impassable to small vehicles and commercial buildings, shops, offices and banks along the road have been closed.

The Bangkok Transit System (BTS) skytrain and Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) underground trains are still operating as usual although the floodwater around Phahon Yothin and Chatuchak stations was over 50cm deep. They are the fastest modes of transport for people travelling to and from the city.

The floodwater was creeping toward Saphan Khwai intersection, in an inner district of Bang Sue.

The flood this morning inundated the Kampaeng Phet intersection near Chatuchak market. The water was 30 to 40 centimetres deep, impassable for small vehicles.

Shops in Saphan Khwai area were reinforcing their floodwalls, placing more sandbags.

On Vibhavadi Rangsit road, the runoff from Lat Phrao intersection arrived at headquarters of the country’s largest local daily newspaper, Thai Rath, flooding all lanes of the main road outside the building.

The water was reported at 50cm deep and impassable for small cars.

A policeman tries to regulate traffic on an inundated road in Bangkok on Nov 7, 2011. (Photo by Pattanapong Hirunard)

More areas at risk due to lack of organisation

Bangkok Post

With the city centre, Suvarnabhumi airport and two industrial estates at risk, officials have been racing against the clock to drain water out of the eastern part of Bangkok through the city’s canal system.

However, a lack of coordination between water management officials at both the city and national level has probably put more areas in danger.

In a worst-case scenario, the only option to solve the crisis would be to let the water drain through floodways _ which are not regulated by gates or pumps _ resulting in no control over the flow.

“Water drainage via floodways is something people on the job don’t want to talk about,” said Sutat Weesakul, a member of the Water Drainage in Disaster Areas Committee.

“They all know that by draining water via floodways, people downstream could be at high risk of being flooded.”

The eastern side of Bangkok, home to Suvarnabhumi airport and the Bang Chan and Lad Krabang industrial estates, is a major concern for business, politicians and officials.

Usually, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) coordinate efforts to defend the area from flooding. On the outer rim, the RID has a series of major canals running from west to east to help channel excess water and drain it into the Bang Pakong River in Chachoengsao province in the east.

The key canals are Rangsit and Khlong Hok Wa, which are connected to one another by a series of smaller canals running north-south from Khlong 1 to Khlong 16.

Khlong 13 normally sends excess water into Khlong Khlong Phra Ongchaochaiyanuchit, running north-south, to accelerate drainage into the Gulf of Thailand.

Sluice gates are the main tool. They are normally installed at the junctions where canals cross paths. At Khlong Hok Wa, seen as the last line of the city’s northern defences, they are mainly installed on the upper parts of Khlong 6 and Khlongs 8-13.

But to regulate the water successfully, the RID needs the BMA to take some water into canals located inside His Majesty the King’s dyke, which is a key barrier in the east against excessive flooding of the inner city.

Next to it is a vast area designated as floodways for the city.

The confrontation between residents and officials at Khlong Sam Wa last week reflected the extent to which the BMA and the RID are dependent on each other to regulate floodwaters.

On Sunday night, about 1,000 residents living along the canal rallied at the sluice gate on the canal running parallel to HM King’s dyke to demand it be opened wider.

They claimed the narrow opening caused serious flooding in their communities. Residents destroyed the dyke running along the canal and parts of the gate.

The government eventually agreed to open the gate at the canal as demanded by the group. This would result in water flowing south into the Saen Saep canal which runs through the city and close to Bang Chan industrial estate.

Officials needed to regulate the sluice gates. They had to lower the gates on Khlong 9 and Khlong 10, running north-south from Khlong Hok Wa to slow the inflow of water in Khong Sam Wa. They also had to adjust the gate on Saen Saep canal, which runs northeast below Khlong Sam Wa to ensure the water level in inner Bang Kapi reached no higher than 0.25m.

According to a senior irrigation official, the BMA initially refused to cooperate. The water drainage committee was told that it was not informed the committee had assigned a technical group to come up with solutions, which reflected the committee’s views, so it refused to acknowledge them. The situation has improved, but the water in Khlong Saen Saep has risen, with only 30cm left before it breaches the sides.

Officials have not yet decided to switch to the use of floodways, but the irrigation official said that given the massive amount of floodwater it is probably unavoidable. The situation has also been exacerbated by the fact that the water level is about to rise beyond the dykes and the sluice gates upstream, which could leave the RID powerless to regulate floodwaters.

The floodways area below it has only limited drainage infrastructure, which includes Saen Saep canal, Prawet Burirom canal, Samrong canal and the RID’s water pumping stations.

The irrigation source, who also worked for the government’s Flood Relief Operation Command, said there has been discord among officials on both sides. The BMA, he said, is supposed to help take the excessive water inside and manage it with its infrastructure. But the Khlong Sam Wa incident also revealed the wildcard factor of community demands, which has worsened the situation.

The official said the RID and the BMA needed to work more closely together and come up with ways to deal with social discord.

”It’s not about water, but about how we work together, and also dealing with residents who are affected by flooding,” said the official.