Flood wall proposed to prevent Bangkok flooding

BANGKOK, June 17 (TNA) – Thailand's National Disaster Warning Centre chairman Smith Tumsaroch Tuesday proposed construction of flood barriers in the nation's capital, warning of possible floods triggered by storms from August to September.
Speaking on global warming at a meeting of the Royal Thai Navy and three state universities, Mr. Smith said that global warming caused higher temperatures, shore erosion, higher sea levels, and other disasters.
He said that there is high possibility of storms in the Gulf of Thailand and the Bangkok metropolitan area.
A storm with a high wind speed together with the northern run-off and a periodic high tide is likely to cause flooding in Bangkok and the surrounding areas.
He warned that all sides should brace for a possible flood.
Mr. Smith proposed construction of a big flood wall along the shore from Samut Songkhram to Samut Prakan and Chonburi to prevent flooding from high tides.
He said it is expected that a budget of Bt30 billion would be required each year to complete the five-year project, but said it would be worthwhile to prevent Bangkok from being submerged under two-metre waters during the next 10-15 years as forecast.
The flood wall will save more than 30,000 factories near the shorelines from flooding and about 300,000 employees will therefore not lose their jobs, he added.
The disaster chief said the issue should be on the national agenda and that the government should gear up to prevent the problem.