Prepare now for potential floods next year of the same magnitude

[Mod]

Prepare now for potential floods next year of the same magnitude

Nophakhun Limsamarnphun
nophakhun@nationgroup.com December 24, 2011

The Irrigation Department has issued a warning that Thailand may witness another year of heavy rainfall in 2012 and has urged farmers to prepare for an early harvest to avoid crop damage.

This will be part of the global warming phenomen that is expected to have repercussions again next year, according to Suthep Noi-Pairoj, deputy director-general of the Irrigation Department.

It means the rainy season will start early and there will be a lot of rain during the summer months, a pattern similar to that of this year, which later led to the massive floods from mid-October.

He also reported that the water levels at all major dams in the country's north are currently relatively high, so there is now enough water for early farming in irrigated areas nationwide.

Farmers should start their planting soon for early harvesting, so as to avoid damage to their crops if there is a huge water run-off again next year.

This year's massive run-off has heavily damaged rice and other economic cash crops. In addition, over 1,000 factories in seven industrial estates in Ayutthaya and Pathum Thani provinces were inundated.

The overall damage caused by the massive floods is estimated to total Bt1.4 trillion.

In a bid to prevent a repeat of this year's floods and to minimise any future damage, the government is preparing to submit a bill to Parliament to authorise state agencies to borrow up to Bt200 billion to finance investments in water management and flood prevention infrastructure. An emergency decree is the fastest way for the government to implement these measures.

The country's worst floods in more than five decades have affected about 2.3 million households, or nearly 10 million people.

In addition to the 1,000 flooded factories inside the industrial parks, more than 10,000 firms outside the flooded areas were also affected indirectly due to a shortage of parts and components.

To restore Thai and foreign investor confidence, the government has pledged to invest in infrastructure projects such as construction of flood-ways and floodwater tunnels to quickly divert water from provinces north of Bangkok into the Gulf of Thailand.

For example, one proposal is to build a 100-kilometre-long, 24-metre-wide floodwater tunnel from Bang Pa-in district of Ayutthaya province to Samut Prakan province so that water can be drained into the Gulf of Thailand quickly. According to the proposal, the upper level of this multi-billion-baht tunnel could also be used as an underground road for cars and trucks during the dry months. The road would be closed during the rainy months and emergencies so that it can double up as part of the overall floodwater tunnel.

The proposed tunnel is seen as a better alternative when compared to building ground-level flood-ways whose drainage capability would be less effective due to obstructions caused by large numbers of buildings and other structures along the way.

An effective flood-prevention infrastructure is now necessary in order to win back investor confidence, as Thai and foreign firms, especially Japanese and western ones, were badly damaged by the floods in Ayutthaya and Pathum Thani.

International insurance firms have also declined to renew coverage for factories in Thailand concerning potential liabilities that may result from natural disasters such as floods.

As a result, the government needs to come up with a credible infrastructure programme and implement it within a reasonable timeframe.

[isanbirder]

How long would it take to build a 100-kilometre long tunnel?  And what glorious opportunities for graft!

[Jetmickey]

A Tunnel ...that would be a laugh 

The last thing I heard they were going to build a 2nd Chao Phraya River    http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255409280001
As most of these project will take years to complete,lets hope the rain holds off next year or at the very least  put someone in charge of the dams that knows what he's doing 

[ted]

A network of pumping aqueducts that would direct annual overflow to regions that might be able to use the water in the dry season would suffice.

...or stop cementing and building a natural flood plain.

[gotlost]

I have been told that they are contacting a company by the name of NOHA Ltd for expert advice.

[Nobby]

A network of pumping aqueducts that would direct annual overflow to regions that might be able to use the water in the dry season would suffice.

  Have you ever been to Thailand?

[ted]

A network of pumping aqueducts that would direct annual overflow to regions that might be able to use the water in the dry season would suffice.

  Have you ever been to Thailand?

Many many more years than you, my friend.
You're a on the block.

[ted]

I have been told that they are contacting a company by the name of NOHA Ltd for expert advice.

Yes. Expert advice.
And what would that entail?

[Nobby]

Many many more years than you, my friend.
You're a on the block.

Now that does prove how much you assume! 

[Jetmickey]

I have been told that they are contacting a company by the name of NOHA Ltd for expert advice.

Yes. Expert advice.
And what would that entail?

NOHA was originally known as the Birmingham Royal Institute of the Blind ,sounds about right 

But I think Gotlost may have been talking about NOHA Ltd the Marine Services company,so they can order some more Boats to expel the water quicker from the Chao Phraya River