Govt dismisses concerns over flooding in Bangkok

The government assures Bangkokians that next week?s release of water to test the city?s drainage system will not cause a man-made disaster.

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Govt dismisses concerns over flooding in Bangkok

POST REPORTERS

The government has vowed to press ahead with a plan to test canal network drainage capacity in the east and west of Bangkok next week, despite mounting concerns over possible flooding in the capital.

The flood preparedness trial must be carried out in September, insisted Science and Technology Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi yesterday.

The Water and Flood Resources Management Committee (WFRMC) has consulted with agencies – including the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) – about the drainage tests to take place on Wednesday and Friday, said Mr Plodprasop, who serves as committee chairman.

The maximum volume of water that will be discharged into the canals for the drainage test is 20 cubic metres per second. Khlong Mahasawat has the highest rated capacity of 60 cubic metres per second, he said.

Therefore, water will definitely not overflow the banks of the canals and rivers, Mr Plodprasop said.

The water to be used in the test has already been set aside and stored somewhere outside the Chai Nat Dam. It is not the water in the dam now, he said.

To determine the drainage capacity of the canals, two methods will be employed, the minister said, allowing the water to flow freely and accelerating the water flow by pushing it using boat propellers.

Most canals along the drainage route from the North into the sea have been dredged and rubbish and water hyacinth have been removed, Mr Plodprasop said.

Broken sluice gates and water pumps have also been repaired as part of the flood prevention plan.

The water drainage test in western Bangkok is scheduled for Wednesday. The water will be released from a reservoir near the Chai Nat Dam into the Chao Phraya River, before being diverted into Khlong Mahasawat in Bangkok.

From this main canal, the water will eventually empty into Nakhon Chaisi River in Nakhon Pathom and the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok Yai district of the capital via different routes.

The test in the eastern part of the capital will take place on Friday. Water from Chai Nat Dam will be diverted into Khlong Rapeepat in Pathum Thani before eventually being drained into the Gulf of Thailand through Makkasan swamp and through tambon Khlong Dan in Bang Bo district of Samut Prakan.

If there are signs of any problems, the exercise will be called off immediately, Mr Plodprasop said.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra defended the drainage testing plan, saying the government could assure Bangkok residents that they would not be affected.

Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra said he was not convinced by the government's assurances.

He called on the WFRMC to take responsibility for any accidents that might occur if the water drainage test does not go according to plan.

Weather forecasters say that a storm could form in the Philippines between Wednesday and Friday and this might affect Thailand, MR Sukhumbhand said.

He said the BMA now had in place its own measures to deal with possible impacts from the test.

dismiss – to refuse to accept that something might be true or important ไม่สนใจ,แย้งกลับ
concern – a worry ความกังวล
vow – to make a formal and serious promise to do something สาบาน, ปฏิญาณ
press ahead – to continue as planned despite difficulties ดำเนินการ
network – a large system of connected parts, organisations, people, etc. เครือข่าย
drainage – the process of taking away of water or other liquids from an area  การระบายน้ำ
capacity – the amount of something that can be produced or done  ความสามารถในการ (ระบาย, ผลิต etc.)
mounting – increasing ที่เพิ่มขึ้น
trial – a test, usually over a limited period of time, to discover how effective or suitable something or someone is การทดลอง, การทดสอบ
insist – to keep saying very firmly that something is true ยืนกราน ยืนยัน
consult – to ask for information or advice from someone หารือ
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) – the local government of Bangkok กรุงเทพมหานคร
take place – to happen เกิดขึ้น
maximum – the most possible ที่สูงสุด ที่มากที่สุด
volume – an amount of something ปริมาณ
discharge – to let a liquid flow out ปล่อยออก, ขับออก
definitely – certain; having no doubts about something อย่างแน่นอน
overflow – (of a river or body of water)  to flood the land next to it เอ่อล้น, ไหลล้น
banks – the raised areas of land along the side of a river  ริมฝั่งแม่น้ำ, ตลิ่ง
set aside – to keep or save something from a larger amount or supply in order to use it later for a particular purpose สำรอง
store – to put and keep things in a special place for use in the future เก็บ
determine – to discover something by examining evidence to or calculate something กำหนด, ระบุ, แสดงผล
employ – to use ใช้
flow – (of a liquid) to move continuously in one direction ไหล
accelerate – to cause to happen more quickly เร่ง
propeller – a device which causes a ship or aircraft to move, consisting of two or more blades which turn round at high speed ใบพัด
route – the roads, paths, waterways, etc. used to go from one place to another เส้นทาง
dredge – to remove unwanted things from the bottom of a river, canal, lake, etc. using a sucking or other device ขุดลอก
rubbish – waste material or things that are no longer wanted or needed ขยะ
water hyacinth – a plant that grows in water, often found in Thailand’s waterways ผักตบชวา
remove – to take something away เอาออกจาก
sluice gate – a gate that can be opened or closed to control the flow water along a passage ประตูน้ำปิดเปิดบังคับการไหลของน้ำในคลอง
repair – to fix something that is broken or damaged ซ่อมบำรุง
prevention – preventing something bad from happening การป้องกันภ้ย
scheduled – planned to happen at a particular time or day ตามตารางเวลา
release – to allow a substance to flow out from somewhere ปล่อย
reservoir – a natural or artificial lake where water is stored อ่างเก็บน้ำ
divert – to cause something to change direction เบนเส้นทาง
eventually – at the end of a period of time or at the end of a process ในที่สุด
via – through  ผ่าน (ช่องทาง)
swamp – an area of land covered by water where trees and plants grow หนองน้ำ
exercise – a set of activities for training or testing การฝึกฝน
immediately – happening right after something else with no delay; right away ทันที
defend – to say things to support someone or something ปกป้อง
assure – to tell someone that something is true or will definitely happen ให้ความมั่นใจ, ยืนยัน
residents – people who live in a particular area ประชาชนที่อาศัยในท้องที่
convinced – certain; sure แน่ใจ, มั่นใจ
take responsibility for – to say or admit you are the cause of something, usually something bad แสดงความรับผิดชอบ
forecaster – someone whose job is to make a statement about what is likely to happen, especially relating to the weather นักพยากรณ์(อากาศ)
measure – a firm action taken to solve a problem or stop a dangerous unpleasant situation มาตราการ
deal with – to take action to solve a problem จัดการปัญหา
impact – an effect or influence  ผลกระทบ