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Published on October 14, 2007

Heavy downpours over the past few days flooded many areas but the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's Drainage and Sewage Department pumped the water out and restored the city to normal, he said.

For northern areas, the city is working closely with nearby provinces and the Irrigation Department to ensure that upstream dams release 1,700 cubic metres per second (cmps) of water, because the flood barriers along the Chao Phya can withstand 2,500cmps, he added.

Despite the flooding in the northern districts, Apirak said that - judging from the reservoir levels at the Sirikit Dam in Uttaradit, Bhumipol Dam in Tak and Pasak Cholasit Dam in Lop Buri - he believed they would not severely threaten Bangkok.

For eastern areas, agencies have been instructed to control water release so that much less of the area is submerged than last year.

The city has also cooperated with the Irrigation Department to build a sluice gate to empty water into the Bang Prakong River, while the opening and closing of the Khlong Lat Pho sluice gate has been adjusted to the natural tidal rhythm.

Irrigation Department spokesman Boonsanong Suchatpong said the flow of the Chao Phya in Nakhon Sawan was expected to increase to 1,700cmps out of the capacity of 3,200cmps in the two to three days following the week's downpours.

That means the Chao Phya Dam in Chai Nat will see 1,700cmps of water passing through it towards Bangkok, he said.

However, the department will restrict water releases from the Pasak Cholasit Dam so that the volume passing through the Rama VI Dam is minimised.

The department will also ask Bhumipol Dam to discharge only one million cubic metres of water per day instead of the current rate of three million.

The Nation