Residents, Authorities reach flood barrier agreement

The ongoing dispute between flood-hit residents and authorities over the Khlong Hok Wa flood barrier ended yesterday with residents agreeing to not breach the dyke and authorities promising to widen three sluice gates.

After 90 minutes of negotiations between residents from Pathum Thani's Lam Luk Ka district, the Flood Relief Operations Command (Froc) and City Hall, Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra reported fruitful results.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) agreed to all of the residents' demands, including to keep the Khlong Phraya Suren sluice gate open by one metre, to widen the Khlong Lam Mo Taek sluice gate from 20cm to 50cm and to widen the Khlong Song sluice gate from one metre to 1.2m, said MR Sukhumbhand.

The Froc and the BMA also promised to lower flood levels in Lam Luk Ka district between three and five centimetres per day, he said.

Although it ruled out the risk of Bangchan Industrial Estate in Bangkok's Min Buri district being flooded as a result of its concessions yesterday, the BMA would still have to closely monitor flood levels in downstream canals, the governor said.

Any rise in flood water volume would slow down water drainage in Khlong Bang Bua and Khlong Lat Phrao and surrounding areas which were still inundated, he said.

To mitigate the impact of that on affected communities, the BMA would increase the number of water pumps draining floodwaters out of residential areas into the canals, he said.

More than a thousand Lam Luk Ka district residents gathered outside the Big C supermarket in tambon Khlong Si in Pathum Thani's Khlong Luang district where yesterday's meeting was held.

About 500 residents of Bangkok's Sai Mai district who are concerned they will see an increase in floodwaters if the Lam Luk Ka residents opened a gap in the Khlong Hok Wa flood barrier also attended.

But the Sai Mai residents were prevented from confronting with their Lam Luk Ka counterparts.

Pathum Thani Governor Khajornsak Singtokul said the provincial administration would accelerate financial compensation for flood victims.

He expected the first round of payouts would be made to affected residents by month's end.

Each family would receive an initial 5,000 baht. Those whose houses were partially damaged by the floods would receive 20,000 baht later on.

Homeowners whose houses were irreparably damaged would receive 30,000 baht each, said Mr Khajornsak.

Flood-affected residents in Pathum Thani would also be allowed to submit applications for the assistance at the Khlong Si Big C in addition to the district offices, he said.

The Froc also plans to ask the government to remove more "big bags" from the dyke protecting inner Bangkok after they were removed elsewhere without incident.

Floodwaters flowing through openings at some parts of the city's main flood wall, built from thousands of the 2.5-tonne bags stuffed with sand and rocks, have not had an impact as the city is still able to drain the water out to the river, said Froc spokesman Pongsapat Pongcharoen yesterday, citing the latest inspection of officials.

The big bags have been placed in many areas in northern Bangkok, including a section of Vibhavadi Rangsit Road and Don Mueang airport, to slow down the flow of water into inner Bangkok and allow officials enough time for drainage.

But the method has increased the water level in other parts of the area near Don Mueang airport, prompting residents and authorities to remove some of the bags.