Govt starts up pumps today in worst-hit communities

The government will today start pumping floodwater out from housing estates in the three most heavily inundated areas of Bangkok and Nonthaburi.

The government is apparently meeting the demands of flood victims in the Don Muang and Rangsit areas of Bangkok and Nonthaburi province who have staged protests against the slow drainage of floodwater from their communities.

The operation will begin today on the eastern part of Vibhavadi Rangsit and Phahon Yothin roads and the Ong-kharak area by pumping water to Khlong Rangsit, said Commerce Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong after meeting with housing and real estate business representatives at Government House yesterday.

The first priority for the drainage will go to housing estates located in areas lower than the main roads and officials must make sure the floodwater flows into the canal and not from one village into another, Mr Kittirat said.

The drainage will be assisted by the local administration organisations.

Powerful water pumps will also be installed along the western part of Vibhavadi Rangsit Road to draw water out of the submerged Rangsit University and Muang Ake housing estate.

The goal, Mr Kittirat said, is to use eight water pumps to drain water from the university and the estate out to nearby Khlong Rangsit, which links with the Chao Phraya River.

The other zone where the pumps will be deployed is Bang Yai in Nonthaburi. Provincial officials are finding ways to drain water out to the Ta Chin River.

Disgruntled residents have resorted to removing parts of floodwalls and blockading roads to protest the slow response to the ongoing flooding.

Ram Intra residents became the latest group to blockade a section of Ram Intra Road near the Central department store yesterday after talks with city officials on flood solutions failed.

About 150 of them issued an ultimatum saying the government must bring the floodwater in their neighbourhoods down by 20cm within seven days or face a renewed stronger protest.

On the western side of the Chao Phraya, flood levels in Nonthaburi's Bang Kruai, Bang Bua Thong and Sai Noi districts fell by 3-5cm yesterday after three sluice gates at three canals were lifted, as requested by Nonthaburi people.

Meanwhile, Anond Snidvongs, the Froc's water management adviser, announced solutions to disputes with residents living near Khlong Rangsit and in the Sriwalee housing estate, See Mum Muang, Lam Luk Ka, Rangsit, Don Muang, Sai Mai and Lak Si areas over the "big bag" barriers.

After a meeting yesterday between Froc, BMA and residents' representatives, Mr Anond concluded that the Praya Surain sluice gate would be widened to 1.5 metres and sluice gates in Khlongs 8, 9, and 10 to 1.1m to speed up drainage of Khlong Hok Wa Sai Lang.

Secondly, the big bag barrier gap on the outbound Vibhavadi Road will be widened to 20-30m toward the train tracks from the original 8m. He said the entire barrier could not be removed because it would result in flash floods.