The Highway Special Maintenance Department installed five pumps on the Bangkok-Chonburi Expressway after a section became impassable during last week’s storms.
The onset of tropical depression Vamco began bringing heavy rain to Pattaya Sept. 14, flooding northbound Highway 7 at kilometer market 116-117 in Pong Sub-district. Water reached 1.3 meters deep and closed about 300 meters of the highway.
Two vehicles sustained serious damage and motorists were detoured to Sukhumvit Road to continue their journeys to Bangkok.
After this section of highway became impassable during last week’s storms, the Highway Special Maintenance Department installed pumps – but to little avail.
Maintenance director Sombat Prapornrattanakul and Manit Paisalee, head of the Laem Chabang Highway Department inspected the low-lying section of highway Sept. 15, noting this was the first time that it flooded.
It would not be the last.
Engineers took approximately an hour with two pumps to drain the area before the road was open to vehicles again.
Engineers installed an additional three pumps in the area to prevent a recurrence. However, even Vamco hit in earnest that night, even those additional pumps were unable to cope and the highway was closed again due to flooding.
