Yingluck wants everyone to cooperate

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday urged the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to ease people's suffering and drain the floods as soon as possible, 

while Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra announced that the Mahasawat Canal-connecting Khlong Soi, Khlong Khunsri Burirak and Khlong Kwai sluice gates would be opened by a metre.

In relation to the conflict between the Flood Relief Operations Centre (FROC) and the BMA over draining water through the Mahasawat and Thawee Watthana canals, Yingluck said that since being flooded, Bangkok was being drained through the east and west.

However, now that the floods were starting to recede, both sides should agree upon new drainage routes, she said. 

She has also told the Water Drainage Committee to study the guidelines, especially in relation to Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi, and has instructed Natural Resources and Environment Minister Preecha Rengsomboonsuk to install pumps to drain the water faster.

When asked why Bangkokians remained dry at the expense of Nonthaburi, Yingluck said she wanted people in Bangkok to cooperate and let the flood water to be directed through their areas. She said she had told FROC to discuss this issue with both sides and find solutions. 

She also urged the BMA to look at the overall picture and find ways to drain the water, adding that the government had no information about the BMA's drainage system and capacity.

Meanwhile, Sukhumbhand said that at a meeting with FROC and Nonthaburi residents on Tuesday BMA had only agreed to "consider" opening the Mahasawat Canal sluice gate by a metre and had never said it would be done right away. 

He said the BMA would observe the situation for another 24 hours before deciding whether to open sluice gates wider.

However, later in the evening, he told a press conference that the BMA agreed to open the Mahasawat Canal sluice gate, which connects to Khlong Soi, Khlong Khunsri Burirak and Khlong Kwai, by a metre to help Nonthaburi residents because observation so far had shown limited impact. 

However, he said, BMA reserved the right to adjust the sluice gate opening.

Sukhumbhand also said that he would ask FROC to have the Royal Irrigation Department open the Khlong Chimplee and Nakhon Chaisri sluice gates so flooding on the western bank of the Chao Phraya River is eased. 

He admitted that the dismantling of the big-bag barrier on Phaholyothin Road yesterday might affect Don Muang district and the Khlong Bang Bua area.

FROC director Pracha Promnok said Khlong Mahasawat could take more water, though opening the sluice gate further could have an adverse impact on downstream residents, especially those in Phetchakasem and Rama II roads. 

He said 1,000 water pumps had been installed in preparation for the high tide on Friday, adding that he would speak to Sukhumbhand and Wichien about the option of draining water through Tha Chin River.

Ayutthaya Irrigation Project director Maitree Pitinanont said the opening of the Phra-in Racha sluice gate had slowed down the draining of Pathum Thani and that the Irrigation Department would start directing the water through Khlong Rangsit. 

He added that hopefully this would help quickly drain Pathum Thani and Ayutthaya's Wang Noi district, which have been flooded since October.