Long-term, short-term

PM Yingluck announces a 40 billion baht long-term flood control plan as a new short-term problem arises in tropical storm Haitang.

Residents of Lop Buri’s Muang district hold tight to a rope to help them wade through waist-deep floodwater while moving their belongings to higher ground. The water level in the district rose rapidly yesterday. THITIWANNAMONTHA

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Billions slated for flood plan

Govt aims for long-term prevention projects
  
POST REPORTERS

The government has a plan to earmark 40 billion baht for long-term flood prevention projects.

The plan was disclosed yesterday shortly after Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra held a teleconference with governors in flood-hit areas.

But she released no details of the projects.

Prime Minister Yingluck said the projects would be overseen by the government's water management panel set up to integrate works of concerned agencies.

She said all provinces had begun to submit their long-term projects for flood prevention to the panel which would take into consideration the viability of each project.

As for immediate solutions, she said she urged concerned agencies to make efforts to coordinate with one another to solve flood problems.

Ms Yingluck said she also asked them to help prevent water run-off from the North which was expected to reach Bangkok and its surrounding provinces through the Chao Phraya River in the next few days.

As of this morning, the tropical storm Haitang was centred over Viet Nam and Laos and just about to make full entry into Northeastern Thailand..

In related news, the Meteorological Department has warned that the northeast of Thailand would be affected by tropical storm Haitang, now moving in from the South China Sea.

The tropical storm was centred about 300 kilometres east of Danang, Vietnam, with sustained winds of about 65km/h.

It was expected to hit Danang overnight and head for neighbouring Laos and northeastern Thailand. Torrential rain is likely in much of the lower portion of the northeast of Thailand.

The department warned that people living along foothills, near waterways and in lowlands would face flash floods.

Waves in the Andaman Sea and the upper Gulf are expected to reach 2-3m. All ships should proceed with caution and small boats should stay ashore until Thursday, it said.

People in the northeastern province of Udon Thani were told to prepare to be evacuated and to brace for more flooding. The officials said they are hastening their efforts to drain water from four reservoirs in the province into the Mekong River around the clock so that they could accommodate storm water.

Prapan Kanthong, director of the Irrigation Office in Udon Thani, said at the moment the water level in the Mekong River has receded, so draining water from the reservoirs was likely to be faster.

In Uttaradit, landslides and mudflows yesterday happened at tambon Nam Phai of Nam Pat district. No injuries or deaths were reported.

The Irrigation Department denied rumours that Pasak Chonlasit dam in Lop Buri was damaged after it had been hit by water run-off. The department insisted the dam structure was sound.

The department assured the public it had sent officials to inspect the safety of the dam.

In Chai Nat and Suphan Buri, villagers have been in conflict over water drainage. They accused each other of draining floodwater into their areas.

residents – people who live in a particular area ประชาชนที่อาศัยในท้องที่
wade – to walk with an effort through something, especially water or mud ลุย เดินท่องน้ำหรือโคลน
waist – the middle part of the body that is narrower than the parts above and below   เอว
belongings – the things you own ข้าวของเครื่องใช้
rapidly – happening quickly อย่างรวดเร็ว
slate – to plan that something will happen at a particular time in the future; to earmark ตัดสินใจที่จะใช้สำหรับวัตถุประสงค์เฉพาะ
aim – to have as your purpose or goal   มีเป้าหมาย  มีจุดมุ่งหมาย      
prevention – preventing something bad from happening การป้องกันภ้ย
earmark – to decide to use something, especially money, for a particular purpose ตัดสินใจที่จะใช้สำหรับวัตถุประสงค์เฉพาะ
disclose – to give information to people เปิดเผย
release – to make known to the public เปิดเผย, ให้ข่าว, ปล่อยข่าว
details – small facts or pieces of information relating to a situation รายละเอียด
oversee – to watch or organise a job or an activity to make certain that it is being done correctly คุมงาน,ควบคุม
panel – a group of people who make decisions or judgments คณะกรรมการ
integrate – to combine things of different types in one effective system รวมเข้าด้วยกัน
concerned – involved in something, or affected by something เกี่ยวข้องกับ ที่สัมพันธ์กับ
agency – a government department that provides a particular service หน่วยงานราชการ
submit – to formally give something to someone so that can make a decision about it ยื่น (เอกสาร) เพื่อการพิจารณา
take into consideration – to consider; to think about something carefully before making a decision or developing an opinion พิจารณา, คิดอย่างละเอียด
viability – ability to succeed ความสามารถเจริญเติบโตได้
immediate – happening or done now, without any delay ทันทีทันใด
solution – a way of solving a problem or dealing with a difficult situation  วิธีแก้ปัญหา
urge – to advise someone very strongly about what action or attitude they should take ผลักดัน, กระตุ้น
coordinate – to organise the different parts of a job or plan so that the people involved work together effectively ประสานงานกัน
solve – to find a way of dealing with a problem or difficult situation แก้ปัญหา
run-off – rain, water or other liquid that runs off land into streams and rivers น้ำหลาก
surrounding – all around a place  บริเวณรอบๆ
Meteorological Department – the government department in charge of determining what the weather will be in the future กรมอุตุนิยมวิทยา
tropical – relating to the hottest area of the Earth, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn ในเขตร้อน
sustained – continuing at the same level ต่อเนื่อง
neighbouring – located or living near or next to a place or person  ที่อยู่ใกล้เคียง, ที่ตั้งอยู่ใกล้เคียง
torrential rain – extremely heavy rain ฝนไหลเชี่ยว
portion – a part of something ส่วน
foothill – a low mountain or low hill at the bottom of a larger mountain or range of mountains เนินที่ตีนเขา
flash flood – a flood that happens suddenly without warning น้ำที่เกิดท่วมในที่ต่ำโดยฉับพลันทันทีและไหลลดลงอย่างรวดเร็ว
proceed – to carry out an activity ดำเนินการ
caution – careful thought and lack of hurry in order to try to avoid risks or danger ความระมัดระวัง
ashore – on land; towards, onto or on land, having come from an area of water such as the sea or a river บนบก, เทียบฝั่ง,  เกยฝั่ง
evacuate – to leave a place because it is not safe อพยพออกจากพื้นที่
brace for – to get ready for something unpleasant เตรียมรับมือ
hasten – to make something happen sooner or more quickly เร่งมือ
drain – to get rid of the water in an area of land ระบายออก
reservoir – a natural or artificial lake where water is stored อ่างเก็บน้ำ
around the clock – throughout the whole day and night; 24 hours ทั้งวันทั้งคืน
accommodate – to provide enough space for something or someone บรรจุ
irrigation – the process of bringing water to land through a system of pipes, ditches, etc. ระบบชลประทาน
level – the amount of liquid that there is in a container, river, dam, etc., which can be seen by how high the liquid is ระดับ
recede – to move back; to move further away into the distance; subside ลดลง, ถอยหลัง
landslide – a mass of rock and earth moving suddenly and quickly down a steep slope แผ่นดินถล่ม
injury – physical damage done to a person or a part of their body อาการบาดเจ็บ
deny – to say that something is not true or does not exist ปฏิเสธ
rumour – a piece of information, or a story, that people talk about, but that may not be true ข่าวลือ
insist – to keep saying very firmly that something is true ยืนกราน ยืนยัน
sound – in good condition; not damaged, hurt, etc  แข็งแรง
assure – to tell something that something is true or will definitely happen ให้ความมั่นใจ, ยืนยัน
inspect – to look at something carefully ตรวจสอบ
conflict – an angry disagreement between people or groups ความขัดแย้ง
accuse – to say that someone has done something wrong or committed a crime กล่าวหา