BANGKOK, 9 April 2012 – The National Water and Flood Committee is set to request an advance budget of 50 billion baht to carry out flood solution projects.
Minister of Science and Technology Plodprasop Suraswadi, in his capacity as Chairman of the National Water and Flood Committee, has revealed that the committee will soon propose an advance budget request of 50 billion baht to the cabinet in order to put flood solution projects into motion. Currently, the plan to procure a domestic loan of 350 billion baht as well as loans from overseas has not yet been finalized given the incomplete project proposals from relevant parties. It is expected that, with the advance budget, key projects will materialize within this year. Flood solution projects to be carried out include the construction of reservoirs in river basins, where there is yet to be any water management equipment, water ways, and water retention areas.
As for assistance from overseas, currently South Korea has proposed to cooperate in flood solution studies for the Chao Phraya River basin, while Israel has expressed enthusiasm about studying the Thai flood situation with aims to compile a report as a guideline for the establishment of flood prevention and control in the future. Additionally, the World Bank has also proposed academic help through the Ministry of Finance to help Thailand prevent further flooding.
