We're nearly through it: PM Skip to main content

We're nearly through it: PM

The Nation October 30, 2011 12:28 pm
We're nearly through it: PM

Govt will expedite drainage of water once peak tide ends tomorrow, Yingluck says; BMA and Waterworks Authorities tasked with siphoning off flooding from next week


Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday urged Bangkok residents to be patient and refrain from destroying water barriers as the worst flood crisis in more than five decades was expected to pass soon.

"Please hang on for a few more days. Save these dykes and we will gradually drain the water away from all the areas," she said.

If the water drainage worked according to plan and all related agencies acted quickly, the water coming to Bangkok would be reduced.

In addition, if Royal initiative embankments were safe and the volume of water in Bangkok was under control, the flood water would start receding from the capital in the coming week, she said.

"It might not be sweet and sound like in a normal situation, but I believe we will be able to restore normalcy in a short time. We have teams who keep facilities working so there will be no interruptions." She advised people to regularly follow the news and official announcements. Earlier yesterday, in her weekly programme, Yingluck said she had stressed quick drainage of water, especially during this high-tide weekend and tomorrow.

From Tuesday until November 5, the Royal Irrigation Department would expedite the drainage of water upstream from Royal initiative embankments, the water in Rangsit and lower Hok Wa canals.

The water would be drained through Gate 6-13 of Rangsit canal while the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and the Metropolitan Waterworks Authority had been tasked with expediting the siphoning off of water, she said.

Water drainage to the west of Bangkok was still a problem, she said. The Royal Irrigation Department had to quickly fix breached dykes along the Chao Phraya River, and speed up the drainage of water to the Tha Chin and Chao Phraya rivers.

Meanwhile, BMA water drainage would be via Thawee Wattana, Asee Charoen and Maha Chai canals.

Yingluck said the flood situation in the Central part of the country, including Nakhon Sawan and Chai Nat, had improved, resulting in more stable flood levels downstream, which was good news.

When asked if any part of Bangkok would be safe from flooding, Flood Relief Operations Centre chief and Justice Minister Pracha Promnok would only say that the capital was in the path of run-off water heading towards the sea. Unless Bangkok could drain water effectively and in time, there would be brimming over from canals. Meanwhile, low-lying areas could also face some flooding.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Chronology of the Press in Burma

1836 – 1846 * During this period the first English-language newspaper was launched under British-ruled Tenasserim, southern  Burma . The first ethnic Karen-language and Burmese-language newspapers also appear in this period.     March 3, 1836 —The first English-language newspaper,  The Maulmain Chronicle , appears in the city of Moulmein in British-ruled Tenasserim. The paper, first published by a British official named E.A. Blundell, continued up until the 1950s. September 1842 —Tavoy’s  Hsa-tu-gaw  (the  Morning Star ), a monthly publication in the Karen-language of  Sgaw ,  is established by the Baptist mission. It is the first ethnic language newspaper. Circulation reached about three hundred until its publication ceased in 1849. January 1843 —The Baptist mission publishes a monthly newspaper, the Christian  Dhamma  Thadinsa  (the  Religious Herald ), in Moulmein. Supposedly the first Burmese-language newspaper, it continued up until the first year of the second Angl
Post a Comment
Read more

Thai penis whitening trend raises eyebrows

Image copyright LELUXHOSPITAL Image caption Authorities warn the procedure could be quite painful A supposed trend of penis whitening has captivated Thailand in recent days and left it asking if the country's beauty industry is taking things too far. Skin whitening is nothing new in many Asian countries, where darker skin is often associated with outdoor labour, therefore, being poorer. But even so, when a clip of a clinic's latest intriguing procedure was posted online, it quickly went viral. Thailand's health ministry has since issued a warning over the procedure. The BBC Thai service spoke to one patient who had undergone the treatment, who told them: "I wanted to feel more confident in my swimming briefs". The 30-year-old said his first session of several was two months ago, and he had since seen a definite change in the shade. 'What for?' The original Facebook post from the clinic offering the treatment, which uses lasers to break do
1 comment
Read more

Is 160 enough? One Indian man's family

By Sumnima Udas , CNN October 31, 2011 -- Updated 0857 GMT (1657 HKT) Ziona, center, with his has 39 wives, 86 children and 35 grandchildren in rural Baktwang village, India. STORY HIGHLIGHTS One man in India is the patriarch of a family of 160 in rural India Ziona, who only goes by his first name, has 39 wives, 86 children and 35 grandchildren. Ziona's father, Chana, founded the Christian sect in Baktwang that promotes polygamy "I never wanted to get married but that's the path God has chosen for me" Mizoram, India (CNN) -- The world's population hits 7 billion this week, but Ziona, the patriarch of what may be the biggest family in the world, is not bothered. "I don't care about overpopulation in India ... I believe God has chosen us to be like this (have big families). Those who are born into this family don't want to leave this tradition so we just keep growing and growing," he says with a smile. Ziona, who only goes by his f
Post a Comment
Read more