The move came after Acting Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan contacted Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt on Saturday, saying the government was ready to help with flood prevention efforts.
Prawit, who is responsible for national water management, also gave Chadchart his direct telephone number.
In response to the offer, BMA has requested a troop of 50 soldiers to help set up sandbag barriers in two areas, namely:
• 16,000 sandbags in the public park under Taksin Bridge in Sathorn district to protect southern Bangkok.
• 8,000-10,000 sandbags in the Royal Thai Naval Dockyard in Bangkok Noi district to protect Thonburi area.
The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department (DDPM) had on Wednesday warned people in Bangkok, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Ayutthaya, Saraburi and Lopburi of possible flash floods caused by overflows from Pa Sak and Chao Phraya rivers. The level of both rivers is expected to rise from Saturday once the Pa Sak Jolasid Dam starts discharging huge amounts of water.
The Royal Irrigation Department (RID) estimates Pa Sak Jolasid Dam will receive a hefty 133 million cubic metres of water between August 24 and 30, with the level of water in the dam reaching a massive 355 million cubic metres, well above its optimal level, the DDPM said.
Therefore, RID decided to bump up the dam’s water discharge from 34.56 million cubic metres to 43.2 million cubic metres per day from Saturday, which will drastically increase the water levels in both the Pa Sak and Chao Phraya rivers that flow through the six provinces.
Published : August 27, 2022
By : THE NATION