BANGKOK, Oct 28 – A Bt10 billion budget will be needed for long-term flood prevention measures at crucial industrial estates in Bangkok’s satellite provinces, a senior official said today.
Virapong Chaiperm, governor of the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT), said roads in and around flood-prone industrial estates in Pathum Thani, Ayutthaya and the eastern region must be improved while current anti-flood plans must be reviewed together with a massive survey of dykes at most estates.
The IEAT would submit a budget request to the Water and Disaster Management Committee, he said, adding that water drainage channels around and reservoirs inside all industrial estates would be needed with 24-hour monitoring of the water level.
Industry Minister Prasert Boonchaisuk said flooding at Amata industrial park in the eastern province of Chonburi had drained entirely and were now completely dry and the situation has returned to normal.
He expressed confidence that the latest flooding in the estate–which has an economic value of Bt1.2 trillion–would not negatively impact the confidence of industrialists and manufacturers.
Viboon Kromadit, director and chief marketing officer of Amata Corporation, called on the public sector to dig drainage waterways around Amata industrial park .
He said the present system could take waters at only nine millimetres while the volume of flood waters was 136-137 mm.
He said the Transport Ministry should see to it that Bangna-Trat Road did not block water flow and drainage from the industrial estate.
Amata park covers 20,000 rai and accommodates more than 700 manufacturers mainly involving in electronics, auto and electrical appliance industries, employing more than 400,000 workers, he said.
