Short flood news (update November 19)
Action threatens in Song Ton Nun (Min Buri district), where the Sam Wa and Saen Saeb canals converge and the water flows into the Khlong Prawet.
A spokeswoman for the residents says they are getting angrier because help is not forthcoming and 270 households have had to put up with the high water level in their neighborhood for more than a month.
– Poor management, not large quantities stir has caused the worst flooding in decades. According to former senator Sophon Supapong at a forum yesterday, the damage would have been much less if the rising levels in the reservoirs and the water discharges had been better controlled. The water flows from the north flowed directly to Bangkok via Ayutthaya, but should have been diverted to storage areas in the east of the capital. According to Sophon, water management has become politicized. He referred to the opening of weirs and destruction of flood walls by 'certain groups'.
The Lawyers Council or Thailand currently looking at the possibility of suing the government for negligence. For example, two ministers are said to have stopped the discharge of water from the reservoirs to enable farmers downstream to harvest their rice.
– A thousand residents of four districts in Nonthaburi handed over their demand to the governor at the Provincial House on Friday to open the Khlong Maha Sawat weir. They have been suffering from the water for a month now. The weir has been closed to protect downtown Bangkok. When it was opened, it would flood the Bang Phlat district, where the water began to recede just last week. The residents believe that opening the weir will reduce flooding in Nonthaburi. The governor has promised residents to convey their request through the Flood Relief Operations Command (Froc) to the Bangkok municipality, which manages the weir. Pheu Thai MP for Nonthaburi, Chalong Riewraeng, says that if Bangkok does nothing, "we have to do it our own way." The governor and Chalong have promised the residents to arrange a thousand water pumps so that the water drops to 20 cm.
– The situation on the west side of the Chao Praya in the provinces of Nonthaburi and Pathum Thani will improve, says the minister of Agriculture. Flood walls are repaired and more pumps are used to pump out the water. The Royal Irrigation Department has provided 50 pumps to the two provinces.
– Residents of Rama II Soi 69 (Bang Khunthian district) ended their roadblock on Friday after an agreement was reached on the drainage of water from their district. A channel is closed, so that the inflow of water stops. Residents and the municipality will jointly drain water to another channel. [The message does not say how.] Two channels are a problem because they are blocked by construction work. In the past two days, the water in Bang Khunthian has dropped 15 cm after the municipality installed four large water pumps. But the danger has not passed yet because water is coming from neighboring district Bang Bon and Khlong Phasicharoen.
– Highway 340 has been cleared of water so that it can serve as an alternative route to the South if Rama II is impassable. Only one lane is available on part of the highway due to parked cars. Motorcyclists are advised to take Rama II.
– Advisor Uthen Chartpinyo of the water management commission urges the government to accelerate the drainage of Bangkok west. Three channels urgently need to be cleaned and dredged. These channels form a shortcut from Khlong Maha Sawat to the Ta Chin River. The weirs must also be opened further.
– In 5 weeks six flood-affected industrial estates in Ayutthaya and Pathum Thani will be dry, says Worasat Apaipong, acting head of the Pollution Control Department (PCD). The grounds contain 26 million cubic meters of water. Water pumps are in operation or in readiness. Worawat has asked site managers to treat the water before discharging it into public waterways. The PCD checks the water quality to see if the water meets the quality criteria of the Industrial Works Department. A committee consisting of representatives of the Ministries of Industry, Health and the Environment monitors the drainage process.
– Thai Airways International (THAI) has cut 500 flights a month on its domestic and international routes due to a sharp drop in bookings. According to the THAI president, foreign tourists have the false idea that the entire country is under water due to media coverage. Some countries have issued negative travel advice for Thailand. According to a source at THAI, domestic flights are not affected; the demand for these flights would be high because many people avoid the flooded roads.
– Thai Dairy Industry Co, the country's oldest condensed milk producer, expects to resume production at its Bang Pa-in Industrial Estate plant in Ayutthaya province in January. The factory has been under water for a month now, so the Mali products are limited for sale. The company will solve the shortage by temporarily sourcing them from Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines. A first shipment of 100.000 boxes will arrive next month. Although the products are imported, the retail price is reasonable and affordable for Thai customers, the company said.
– The restoration of Don Mueang airport may cost 934 million baht, based on a conservative estimate, but it could also cost several billion if the damage turns out to be greater. When that is the case, it will put a dent in the balance sheet of Airports of Thailand, which is already experiencing declining revenues as tourists stay away. The US has pledged financial support for the recovery, but it is still unknown what part of the $10 million donation will go to Don Mueang. AoT itself pays 445 million baht for the repair of the runway and taxiway on the west side; the government is earmarking 489 million baht for the east side. The estimate of 934 baht only covers airport lighting and base support systems. No account has yet been taken of the repair of the terminals and baggage belts. The water is still 90 cm high at the airport, which closed on October 25. Nok Air expects to be able to fly from Don Mueang again from January 31.
– In October, the number of cars produced fell by 67,6 percent on an annual basis to 49.439 vehicles. Manufacturers are concerned about how quickly they and their suppliers can resume production. Honda is the only assembly plant directly affected by the water; the others closed due to lack of parts. This year, 1,5 million vehicles are likely to roll off the assembly line, compared to 1,65 million last year. It was hoped for 1,8 million vehicles. Exports drop to 770.000 vehicles against 895.000 vehicles last year.
– Honda's request for exemption from the import duty on CBU cars (completely built up) from outside Asia has not yet been honored by the government ('Sensitive issue', the newspaper writes). The cabinet did decide on Tuesday to allow duty-free imports of car parts from countries outside Asia. Of all the car manufacturers, Honda was hit the hardest because the factory in Rojana (Ayutthaya) was flooded in early October. The factory is still inaccessible. It will be months after the water recedes before production can resume. Honda dealers in the country are concerned that customers will lose confidence in them if they cannot deliver cars. Honda is helping dealers by offering discounts on parts and service for owners whose cars have been damaged by the water. Production of some motorcycles and power products [?] has resumed in Lat Krabang. That factory is not flooded. From November 15 to 29, motorcycle maintenance will be free in six provinces.