Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome (left) and
Theerawut Banyasopon (right), director-general of King Mongkut’s
University of Technology North Bangkok, outline a three-phase project to
solve Pattaya flooding woes.
Urasin Khantaraphan
Solving Pattaya’s chronic flooding problems would take nine years and
more than 10 billion baht, according to university consultants hired to
draft a water-management master plan.
Theerawut Banyasopon, director-general of King Mongkut’s University of
Technology North Bangkok, outlined the three-phase project to city
officials and presidents of Pattaya’s 42 community groups April 30.
The university’s Center for Water Engineering and Infrastructures
Research was hired to develop a water-drainage and flood-management plan
to solve perennial flooding in the Soi Buakaow, Soi Phettrakul, Pacific
Village, Soi Bongkot, Soi Wat Thamsamakkee and Thepprasit Villa
neighborhoods. The resolution suggested is neither cheap nor quick.
Consultants said the three main factors behind the flooding problem are
the under-capacity of the existing drainage system, surface runoff from
higher areas in East Pattaya, and that efficiency of the drainage system
itself has been hobbled by commercial development.
A good place to start
would be to dredge local canals, such as this one crossing under
Pratamnak Road in South Pattaya, and keep them clear so as not to
obstruct water runoff.
The solution calls for massive construction projects
estimated to take nine years to complete and 10.2 billion baht to fund.
The first project is a 7.79 billion baht water-drainage system anchored
by pumping stations in nine areas of the city. The second project is a
railroad tracks-area drainage system connecting the Suaphew and Huay Yai
canals for 400.6 million baht. Finally, plans call for construction of a
dam behind Ekamongkol Village at Soi Khao Talo 7 and 7/1 at a total cost
of 1.97 billion baht.
Construction would be divided into three phases, with the first phase -
conservatively estimated to be completed in 2017 - being construction of
pumping stations on Second Road, Bali Hai Pier, Peekplub and near the
rail tracks.
