Central part of Thailand is experiencing flooding
The residents of seven provinces in the central part of Thailand must expect flooding from the Chao Phraya in the near future.
The river's water level has risen due to heavy rains late last month, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department said. Due to the heavy rains, the outflow of water from the Chao Phraya dam in Chai Nat has also increased, causing the water level to rise.
The province of Ayutthaya, one of the threatened provinces, wants to use 700.000 rai of farmland to store water. This is mainly necessary to accommodate the amount of water from the dam. According to the deputy governor, the province has many rice fields that are not in use. Nong Mamom (Chai Nat) district was declared a disaster area this week after more than 25.000 rai of farmland was flooded.
Yesterday, three hundred houses in Sena (Ayutthaya) were already flooded after the Chao Phraya dam discharged water from the North. As a result, the rivers Noi and Chao Phraya overflowed their banks. The water reached a height of 60 cm in the residential areas along the river and is expected to rise further by about 30 to 80 cm.
The discharge of water from the Chao Phraya dam has prompted farmers in Ayutthaya to accelerate rice harvesting. Farmers in tambon Hua Wiang harvested 4.000 rai ten days earlier.
Source: Bangkok Post
And… what have they learned from the floods in 1942, 1996 and 2011?
Most likely just how they could squeeze back tax money for flood defences.