BANGKOK, Nov 2 – The Bangchan Industrial Estate is prepared to handle incoming floodwater, which started to rise from underground drains and sewers there on Wednesday morning.
According to the latest report, some floodwater started overflowing from underground drains and sewers opposite Saha-Union on Sereethai Road within the Bangchan estate.
Located in Min Buri district, Bangchan industrial estate management met Wednesday with entrepreneurs to brace for more overflow from northern run-off, instructing them to fortify and elevate the height of the dykes of their factories, particularly those adjacent to Khlong San Saeb.
They were also asked to cooperate to remove floating weed obstructing the Khlong Bangchan passing through the industrial estate and to use pumps, diverting water from Khlong Bangchan into Khlong Saen Saep to be drained out to the Bang Pakong River and to the sea.
The Department of Drainage and Sewerage warned this industrial estate in Bangkok’s eastern part that the overflowing water could reach 2.50-3.00 metres above the sea level.
Earlier all seven industrial estates were under water. Five are in Ayutthaya – the Hi-Tech, Bang Pa-in, Rojana, Saha Rattana Nakorn and Factoryland estates – while the other two – Nava Nakorn and Bangkadi – are in Pathum Thani province, north of Bangkok.
The water level in Bangkok’s Khlong Saen Saep on Wednesday rose by one centimetre to 63-64 centimetres from 62-63 centimetres Tuesday after the Khlong Sam Wa sluice gate upstream was elevated to one metre from 0.80 metre following a road blockage by angry residents, some of whom later damaged earthen levee at the sluice gate, aiming to release more flood water from their communities.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) on Wednesday is speeding up repairs the damaged part under 200-strong policemen in a bid to better manage the water to relieve possible impacts on residential areas and the Bangchan industrial estate downstream.
Meanwhile, army chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha brushed aside suggestions that an emergency decree be invoked to deal with the growing frustrations of flood victims in some areas, reasoning that enforcement of the special law would only worsen the conflict.
