BANGKOK, Nov 23 -- Dismantling the giant sandbag 'big bag' barrier at Don Meaung's Directorate of Air Operations Control intersection
on Phahonyothin Road has not yet impacted inner Bangkok, according to Flood Relief Operations Centre (FROC) Director Pracha Promnog.
Meanwhile, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will open three sluice gates at Khlong Mahasawat to one metre as demanded by Nonthaburi residents, Mr Pracha said, as the impact could be manageable.
Mr Pracha, who is also justice minister, said the pulling down of the flood barrier was not unexpected as residents on both sides of the temporary wall were both affected by the dyke. Initial evaluation however found that there was no impact from dismantling the wall at the moment.
He said the water flowing through the gap is moving along Phahonyothin Road but has had no immediate effect on inner Bangkok.
Mr Pracha said he expected more protests could happen as flood victims were much stress.
Apart from informing the flood victims to better understand the situation, he said, FROC and other agencies concerned must speed up draining water into the Chao Phraya and Tha Chin rivers as much as possible before the next high tide on Nov 25.
Some 400 residents in housing estates in the Phahonyothin, Sai Mai and Don Mueang areas hard hit by the continued deep floodwater because of the big bag barrier jointly dismantled the makeshift dyke made of 1-2 tonnes of sand bags at Don Meaung's Directorate of Air Operations Control intersection.
They started their mission at noon without waiting for the officials from FROC to negotiate. It took three hours for them to remove the barrier that lay across the road both inbound and outbound.
The residents said they would be on guard and not let the authorities to rebuild the barrier so that water would be drained out of their residential area as fast as possible.
Some residents argued that they decided to dismantle the wall after FROC broke its promise to widen the gap despite it being clearly seen that there was no major impact on inner Bangkok.
Meanwhile, Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra said the BMA has agreed to open three sluice gates at Khlong Mahasawat from the existing opening of 75 cm to 1 metre so as to rapidly drain the flood to alleviate the hardship of Nonthaburi residents.
The three sluice gates are at Khlong Khun Sri Burirak, Khlong Kwai and Khlong Soi.
He said that BMA has monitored the water situation after the sluice gates were opened from 50 cm to 75 cm on Tuesday and found that while after more than 30 hours the water level has surged in Bangkok, it could be managed so the city decided to open the gates to one metre.
The governor said he was glad that BMA could respond the demand of Nonthaburi residents and he would ask FROC to instruct the Royal Irrigation Department to open two more sluice gates at Chim Plee and Nakhon Chaisi to drain more water in Khlong Maha Sawat
However, he said BMA reserves the right to adjust the sluice gates if the water affects the Bangkok residents.
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