Consider breaking the road to save Bangkok

The Thailand Flood Control Center (FROC) is considering the possibility of digging drainage channels in some roads east of Bangkok, to save the city from flooding.

The diagram shows the drainage channels created by breaking 5 roads
east of Bangkok. (Graphics: Bangkok Post)

The channels will bring floodwaters from the north to the east of the city of 12 million people, then to the sea, instead of flowing north to the south, Bangkok Post said. This is to control the floodwaters, making it impossible to enter the central areas of Bangkok.

This is the proposal of a group of engineers and water resource management, led by Mr. Ninnart Chaithirapinyo, vice president of Toyota Thailand branch. The group met Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday to discuss a proposal to rescue Bangkok. According to Ninnart, the experts agreed that five roads in eastern Bangkok were thought to be the ideal choice to prevent northbound water flow.

The canal will be dug on the surface of the aforementioned roads, to lead floodwaters to the east of Bangkok capital before pouring into the sea. The width of a drainage canal on each road will be between 5 and 6 m, which is enough for the floodwater stream to flow normally.

Mr. Ninnart explained that the team made the bold proposal after realizing that the water pumps and drainage systems in the east of Bangkok were not working at the highest capacity. The cause of this is because the roads have blocked the flow of floods, making the water unable to reach these areas, where the pumps are in a " rest " state because there is no water. If the channels are created, they can help drain about 60 million cubic meters of floodwater every day.

Mr. Ninnart also said his group will try to mobilize contractors to help dig up drainage channels. If the proposal is approved by the Thai government, officials will soon have to assess the impact of this plan on people living near the roads chosen to " sacrifice ".

Volunteers participated in building dykes to prevent floods at the Thai Government Building.
(Photo: Bangkok Post)

After meeting Ninnart's group, Prime Minister Yingluck said she had said that she would discuss in more detail with the Ministry of Transport, the Highways Bureau, the Irrigation Bureau and the Bangkok regional government. She also said she would call for a meeting of relevant officials, to assess the potential impacts if the canal digging plan is to be carried out.

Transport Minister Sukumpol Suwanatat said that if the plan is approved, its " side effect " for the people is unavoidable. Experts are now checking the roads and studying related details. " There will be sacrifices or we will not be able to solve the problem of a huge amount of water coming from the north ," Sukumpol said.

The Thai Transport Minister also said the entire process of channeling will take place within two hours. Chawalit Chantararat, executive director of TEAM's water business unit, agrees, but at the same time thinks that the width of each canal is about 5 to 6 m is not effective enough to control the amount of water. giant. Mr. Chanwalit proposed digging more canals in some other areas to increase the effectiveness of the flood breaking campaign.

In the meantime, a source from FROC said some members of the agency disagreed with the proposal to break the road as a flood canal to save Bangkok. They are concerned that it may be a " good and bad " option, and no clear explanation has been given that the method of digging channels will really help drain floodwater. They are also concerned that the roads destroyed for canal construction will have a big impact on residents in that area.

The diagram shows the flood water (blue) surrounding Bangkok.
(Graphic: UNOSAT)

Bangkok Deputy Governor Thirachon Manomaipibul said yesterday that FROC and the city government agreed that the demolition of the canal will be carried out on the Bangkok - Chon Buri highway and the Bang Na - Trat route, to make the water flow. floods flow to the sea faster. Mr. Thirachon said the drainage channels were blocked by the two aforementioned routes.

Temporary bridges will also be built in areas where the above two roads pass, after the road demolition is completed. Bangkok's Deputy Governor said the work to clear the canal as a road is expected to be completed in 3 days.

However, Seri Supparathit, an expert on natural disasters at Rangsit University, said that the ways to clear roads as drainage channels are not practical , because the current water level in Bang Pakong area, in the east Bangkok and the gateway to flood waters, are higher than the water level in the Thai capital. According to Mr. Seri, the best is to unload the flood protection dikes at the Rangsit canal in the east of Bangkok, then use at least 10 large capacity water pumps to drain the flood water.