Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt admitted today that draining water from Prawet Buri Rom Canal is very difficult because the canal is winding and excess water has to be drained from Lat Krabang to the pumping station at Phra Khanong.
He added, however, that water-pumping machines from the Royal Irrigation Department and the Royal Thai Navy would help drain the water, stressing that the priority was to drain the canal as quickly as possible.
He said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is capable of draining 600 cubic metres of water per second and that it would take two days to drain excess water from the major canals. He also said it would take about a week to drain water from flooded communities.
The water retention lake at Nong Bon can accommodate up to 3 million cubic metres of water, but its capacity is currently limited because a water diversion tunnel is being built. The lake can currently absorb water only from areas around Chalerm Phra Kiat Road, the governor said, adding that it would be able to absorb more water once the tunnel project is completed.
He also said about 70,000 flood-affected people need food every day.
As for compensation for affected households, he said the guidelines of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation would apply and that the BMA would have to draw up a long-term plan to address flooding in the future.
The BMA is accelerating drainage from Saen Saep Canal so that it can absorb water from other canals, Deputy Governor Wisanu Subsompon said, adding that he expects the situation in the Ramkhamhaeng area to improve tomorrow.
He said the water level in Saen Saep Canal, from Khlong Tan to Min Buri, remains high and that it would take time for the water to drain into the Chao Phraya River, even with all water pumps operating at full capacity.
The main obstacles, he said, are continuous rain, which slows drainage, and private drainage systems that are not connected to the main roads.
