Inner Bangkok will stay dry, PM says

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra reassured yesterday that inner Bangkok would be not be flooded, while the government would speed up the process of compensating victims.

The country's post-flood rehabilitation plan had also boosted international confidence in Thailand, Yingluck said in her weekly radio programme, delivered by phone from Bali, where she was attending the Asean Summit.

Yingluck also thanked various countries for providing assistance to Thailand and urged greater cooperation from Asean in tackling disaster and water management, pointing out that many Asean countries suffered from floods.

She said Asean leaders had agreed, saying Thailand's initiative could pave the way for a disaster-operations cen?tre for Asean. Yingluck also thanked various countries including Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, China and the US for their concern and help.

Yingluck said the government would implement a one-year rehabilitation plan from October 2011 to September 2012, as well as long-term measures, to be overseen by the Strategic Committee for Reconstruction and Future Development (SCRF) and the Strategic Committee for Water Resources Management (SCWRM).

She said the government agreed with the guidelines established by Dr Sumet Tantivejkul, secretary-general of the Chai Pattana Foundation and SCWRM adviser, comprising four strategies: 

rehabilitating water sources and reforestation; finding natural water-retention sources through such activities as dredging canals and preserving "monkey cheek" catchment areas; reviewing and reviving royal initiatives includ?ing the building of a floodway; and reviewing data-collecting methods and existing research.

Yingluck said the flood situation had improved and that inner Bangkok would surely be spared from floods, as the northern runoff was being channelled into the Bang Sue Canal, away from Victory Monument, Pathumwan, Sukhumvit and Silom. 

As for western Bangkok, drainage of water into the Tha Chin River and the sea could be done at 63 million cubic metres per day, she said, while water in other provinces was subsiding.

She urged infrastructure rehabil?itation to proceed quickly so that life could return to normal in 45 days. She said the government had ordered each affected province to speedily implement remedial measures for relatives of those who died and whose homes were damaged. 

The premier said farmers would be given a three-year grace period for debt repayments. The plan would be open to farmers owing less than Bt500,000. It started registering participants five days ago.

Brace for the Big Scrub

Welcome your house back from its underwater adventure with a refreshing blast of chlorine

I've volunteered to help in various ways during the flood crisis, but it wasn't until I read about someone contracting osteoporosis while cleaning their salvaged house that I realised my personal experience could be put to use.

I inherited my parents' cleaning business and, having provided the service to many corporations, I knew my information could be useful for others affected by the calamity. 

So I started writing a blog - a guide to safely cleaning up buildings after the flood recedes. What follows are a few of the best tips.

Cleaning up after a flood is obviously far tougher than normal household chores, requiring a lot of time and energy. Don't expect your house to be shiny again in a matter of days.

Before beginning your major post-flood makeover, check the electrical system thoroughly. Switch off the main power and have a technician hunt for possible leaks and damage. 

You might have to replace wiring and sockets, and this could take days, but it's crucial for safety.

The next important chores are to get rid of any residual floodwater and kill off all the germs and fungus, which can cause serious health problems. You don't want to live in a house where germs have been left to go on incubating.

Once the power is up and running again, get equipped for the big cleanup. Wear latex gloves, boots and a mask at all times to protect against those germs and mould and also high-power bleaches and cleansing chemicals.

Keep a fan blowing the fumes out while you work but leave the air conditioner alone until your whole property is squeaky-clean. The air con might not be damaged, but it would suck bacteria into the filter, where they'd breed the next generation.

Whatever has fungus growing on it that's moveable, drag it outside to either clean it or get rid of it. Throw away what you can - incinerate it if that's possible.

If there's mould on the walls, floors or any furniture that's too big to shift, try and get it off with a vacuum cleaner or high-power water hose.

Empty the house as much as possible and clean the floors first. Hose them down thoroughly and scrape then with wooden mop.

Attack the fungus with 1cc of chlorine mixed in a litre of water. Spray the solution all over the place before scrubbing with floor polish. Then pour boiling water on the floor.

To get rid of grease, stubborn stains and smells, use a potion made with organic enzymes. It prevents dampness from lingering after the cleaning, and the effects can last up to six months.

You'll need to replace the flooring, especially vinyl, carpeting or parquet. First, though, lift the flooring up to dry the space beneath it. This could take a while, but it has to be completely dry.

Throw away carpeting. In most cases it's not worth the outrageous professional cleaning fee. If you have some expensive rugs you must keep, dry them in the sun before taking them to the cleaners.

Sorry, but that wallpaper also has to go.

If any electrical appliances spent time in the water, dry them in the sun and have a technician inspect them before you even think about plugging them in.

Items made of glass, plastic and melamine can be cleaned in a gallon of water containing two tablespoons of chlorine. Soak them for 10 minutes, then dry carefully. Then clean them again with dishwashing detergent.

Chlorine should not be used on metals, including silver, because it might discolour the surface. Boil metal items for 10 minutes to kill off germs and clean them with dishwashing soap.

Built-in furniture should be cleaned thoroughly with chlorine and water. Make sure the cupboards and closets are completely dry before putting your belongings back.

Other moveable furniture - like beds, drawers and latex mattresses - should be cleaned in the open air with chlorine. Dry them thoroughly too.

Furniture made of softwood isn't really worth salvaging, but if it's sterner, harder wood such as teak, it can be successfully restored. Reupholster cushioned sofas and seats once the frames are cleaned and dried.

Clothes pulled from the floodwater must be immediately washed in hot water and dried in the sunshine.

Soaked paper documents, photographs and books should be rinsed well, put in plastic bags and placed in the freezer to prevent the paper from sticking together. 

When you have time, clean them slowly, one by one: let the frozen pages thaw and dab them with a clean cloth. You might need professional help in some cases.

Throw away wet mattresses, pillows and stuffed dolls. Please don't donate them to charity!

Kamolpan is an assistant managing director at Far East Peerless (Thailand) 1968.

Her blog in Thai is at www.iUrban.in.th/highlight/cleanhouseafterflooding.

NEED HELP?

>> The Engineering Institute of Thailand has 150 engineers who have volunteered to check flood victims' house structure, electrical system and waterworks. Leave your name, address and phone number at (080) 812 3733, (080) 812 3743 or (080) 812 2853 between 9am and 5pm. Other engineers who want to volunteer can call (02) 184 4600-9.

>> Engineers at the Metropolitan Electricity Authority have volunteered to provide advice on electrical safety. Call (02) 256 3222 or visit www. MEA.or.th.

Feuding residents reach compromise

Phrayasuren gate to be opened further; Lam Lukka residents to be compensated

Feuding residents of Pathum Thani's Lam Lukka and Bangkok's Sai Mai districts yesterday reached an agreement that the Phrayasuren sluice gate and two other gates would be opened wider and an additional Bt5,000 compensation paid to affected Lam Lukka residents by the end of November.

The two-hour negotiation between the residents, the Flood Relief Operations Centre (FROC) and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) ended with a promise by Lam Lukka residents not to damage sandbag embankments any further. 

Besides the Phrayasuren sluice gate, which was already opened to one meter, two others would be opened wider: the Khlong Song gate would be opened to 1.2 metres and the Khlong Mor Taek sluice gate would be opened to 50cm, Sukhumbhand said.

He said the three sluice gate openings shouldn't affect the Bang Chan Industrial Estate but might slow down the flow of water at Khlong Bang Bua and Khlong Lat Phrao, delaying the completion of drainage via the two canals by a week.

At the negotiation, the residents were told that, besides the additional Bt5,000 compensation to be paid to the first batch of affected residents by the end of November, those whose houses were partially damaged would get up to Bt20,000 assistance and those whose houses had been more badly affected would get Bt30,000.

Residents appeared content on being told that the flood water should be visibly lower in three days.

The Bang Chan Industrial Estate was on alert for flooding as the road in front of it from Bang Chan Intersection towards Min Buri was under 10cm-40cm of flood water. Sai Mai district office yesterday invited flood victims to register for Bt5,000 flood assistance until Wednesday.

Rangsit-Don Muang residents said yesterday that flood water in their homes had lowered by 20cm-30cm after the partial opening of the "Big Bag" embankment on Vibhavadi Road, and said they wouldn't tear down any more embankments. 

Rangsit Market residents laid 20,000 sandbags and installed water pumps to drain the marketplace yesterday, expecting the water to be gone by Monday, allowing a clean-up. 

It was also initially agreed among residents that priority for drainage and cleaning would be given to Rangsit Market, Tiratpornpat Market and Suchat Marketas the 200-year anniversary Rattanakosin Housing Estate.

FROC spokesman Pongsapat Pongcharoen said the "Big Bag" embankment's partial opening hadn't affected inner Bangkok because the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) had drained water to the point that the water on either side was of the wall was at a similar level. Therefore, he believed there would no problem turning the "Big Bag" embankment into a weir.

He said people living upstream of the embankment - including those in Nonthaburi's Bang Bua Thong area - only wanted some flood water to be drained out. He said FROC would look for ways to drain the trapped floodwater and assess the upstream residents' problems.

In the meantime, the premier's water committee adviser Uthen Chatpinyo said he had inspected the Khlong Phasee Charoen and Khlong Sukhot sluice gates and their connected canals on Friday, and had met with Samut Sakhon Governor Apichat 

Todilokvej. They agreed that the Tha Chin River's Khlong Lad Ngew Lai, Khlong Lad Thakha and Khlong Lad Nang Thaen should be dredged so flood water would pass through faster.

The connecting Khlong Sukhot, Khlong Bang Toei and Khlong Sam Baht would be dredged and more water-pushing devices would be installed at Khlong Maha Sawat and Khlong Phasee Charoen, he said,

adding that two or three water pumps should be borrowed from Khlong Maha Sawat sluice gate to drain water into the Tha Chin River more quickly. He said this would help bring the flood crisis in Western Bangkok to an end in 15-20 days.

Meanwhile, BMA Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra had 40 water pumps installed at western Bangkok pumping stations to drain water out of the Thon Buri side of Bangkok into four main canals leading to the Tha Chin River. 

Water levels in Thon Buri's canals remain high and some 5 million cubic metres of water continue to pour into the area on a daily basis.

Ten more pumps were installed at Phra Khanong pumping station and three more placed at Thewet station. The BMA would also open Khlong Maha Sawat sluice gate 50cm wider, Sukhumbhand said. 

He added that the BMA needed to build permanent embankments along Khlong Maha Sawat on the Bangkok side to prevent floods in the future.

The governor urged the government and Nonthaburi province to consider building permanent embankments along their side of Khlong Maha Sawat. He said the BMA didn't want Nonthaburi residents to take the brunt of flooding for Bangkok. 

Sukhumbhand reported that the BMA was collecting 3,513 tons of garbage per day from 25 flood-affected districts - 73 per cent of the usual level of 4,313 tons - although Don Muang district saw only 30 per cent of garbage collected due to the severity of the situation there.

Plain sailing as Keerati, Ek, Navin and Siriporn take gold

Thai sailors clinched four gold medals out of the possible nine in the sailing competition of the SEA Games in Indonesia yesterday.

At Ancol Marina in Jakarta, teenager Keerati Bualong, who hails from Nakhon Pathom and who produced consistent performance throughout, won the last two races to claim the title in the men's Laser Class Radial division.

Keerati, the 19-year-old, never finished outside the top two in nine out of 10 races, which saw him finish with a nine-point win over Malaysia' Mohd Romzi Mohamad. Choo Jian Jie of Singapore completed the podium.

Fourteen-year-old Sarawut Phetsiri and a 15-year-old girl Kamolwan Chanyim had to settle for the runners-up spot in the Optimist Class Open and women's Laser Class Radial divisions respectively.

The Chon Buri native, Sarawut, had to play second fiddle to Singapore's Elisa Yukie, who finished first in all but one race, throughout the contest. Ahmad Syukri of Malaysia claimed the bronze.

However, it was a close duel between Kamolwan and Chan Jing Hua of Singapore, who recovered from a disqualification in the first race before edging the Thai to the gold medal by a five-point margin. Malaysia's Nur Amirah Binti ended up in the third spot.

Singaporean duo Liu Xiaodan and Tan Li Ching produced a near blemish free record by winning all but one out of 10 races on their way to the title in women's International 470 Class, leaving Thai pair Narisara Yusawat and Yupa Suwannawat content with only the bronze.

Thailand scored a hat-trick of gold medals in windsurfing event, with Navin Singsrart's triumph in the men's Mistral OD Man division the most impressive one.

Trailing behind favourite Oka Sulaksana of Indonesia after three days of racing, Navin saved his best for the last by winning the final two races, which drew him level on points with the veteran Indonesian.

With the two finishing either first or second in identical numbers, the race was decided on the result of the final round and the title went to the 23-year-old Thai.

Thailand made a clean sweep in the RSX division, with Ek Boonsawad, who led the way from the opening day, and a 17-year-old girl Siriporn Kaewduang-ngam being crowned in men's and women's categories respectively.

Bangkok will clean before New Year

All flood-hit areas in the capital will be cleaned up within December 31 to give as a New Year present to Bangkokians, Bangkok governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra said on Saturday.

Mr Sukhumbhand said this after jointly chaired an activity to open the “Big Cleaning Day” event at Lat Phrao intersection on Phahon Yothin road with Army Region 1 commander Lt Gen Udomdej Sitabutr.

The event was held after the floodwater at the main intersection in inner Bangkok had receded.

“Lat Phrao intersection was inundated for several days and after the water receded, a large number of sludge and debris were left behind. The cleaning up day is organized to give back cleanness to Phahon Yothin road”, said Bangkok governor.

The cleaning up activity will be held in other areas after the floodwater has receded to make Bangkok clean before the coming New Year festival, he added.

Flood death toll rises to 594

A total of 595 people were confirmed dead and two people were missing in the floods that have inundated many provinces for more than three months, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department reported on Saturday.

The floods still prevail in 18 provinces, affecting 1,921,263 households, the department said.

The provinces are Nakhon Sawan, Chainat, Angthong, Ayutthaya, Lopburi, Saraburi, Suphanburi, Nakhon Pathom, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Samut Sakhon, Samut Prakan, Ubon Ratchathani, Roi Et, Kalasin, Chechoengsao, Nakhon Nayok and Bangkok.

The department on Friday, Nov 18, reported the death toll at 594.

Floods can't stop all the fun of the fair

One of the rare cheerful pieces of news recently is that despite the flood woes and a late change of venue, the annual Ploenchit Fair is going ahead next Saturday at Bangkok Patana School on Sukhumvit Soi 105 (La Salle).

It is now 10 years since the fair moved from its traditional home at the British Embassy. The location may have changed, but the spirit certainly hasn't. I always enjoy the day, what I remember of it anyway.

That the fair functions is thanks to some hard work behind the scenes by Carolyn Tarrant and her team of volunteers connected to the British Community in Thailand Foundation for the Needy.

Apart from raising money for charity, the fair serves a number of practical functions.

Crutch feels obliged to put in an appearance just to show people that the old fossil is still in the land of the living, although admittedly looking a little bit the worse for wear these days. It is also an opportunity to meet other old fossils I haven't seen for years.

In fact it may be the biggest fossil gathering of the year.

Going bananas

My favourite Ploenchit Fair tale goes back to the late 1980s when it was still in the embassy grounds. A British resident thought that hiring a couple of elephants to pose with the kiddies for photographs while they fed the creatures with bananas would be a big hit. Well, it seemed a good idea at the time.

When the great day arrived the elephants were there on time, as was a truckload of bananas purchased to keep the pachyderms happy.

Unfortunately, when the kiddies began feeding the elephants, it soon became clear that something was wrong. Presumably they weren't the right type of bananas, 

because after a few mouthfuls the elephants began making strange noises, spitting out most of what had been proffered. The poor animals then began suffering major ''stomach upsets'', sending everyone scampering for cover.

It quickly became evident that the photographer couldn't carry on as the elephants were leaving a trail of unsightly deposits on the hallowed lawns of the embassy. So it was reluctantly decided to relieve the animals of their duties.

This was little consolation to the British fellow in charge of proceedings who now found himself with vast quantities of dubious bananas. By all accounts he developed a taste for banana fritters for the next few weeks.

Written off

One year Crutch was assigned to a booth at the fair to try and sell a few copies of the first ''PostScript'' book. I must confess to not relishing the prospect, envisaging myself sitting there like a complete idiot surrounded by unsold books, totally ignored by the passing throng _ which was exactly what happened.

However, a charming lady saved the day, by saying I looked younger than my photograph _ goodness knows what photo she had seen. I hope she wasn't referring to the one gracing the present column.

Matters then totally got out of hand when esteemed author James Eckardt rolled up to promote his first book, Waylaid By The Bimbos. Crowds of fairgoers suddenly converged on our stall, eagerly devouring Eckardt's book and totally ignoring mine.

Tattooed lady

The first fairs I ever attended were in a meadow by the River Thames. My home town was not exactly the liveliest place in the world, so the travelling fair briefly became the centre of the universe for all self-respecting schoolboys. 

My parents hated me going to the fair as they felt it attracted the wrong sort of people _ and they were absolutely right. The word ''seedy'' springs to mind and there were all sorts of weird characters lurking around _ but of course that's precisely what made it attractive.

One of the main attractions was the Tattooed Lady _ a sign of the times, as these days ladies with tattoos are unfortunately a relatively common sight. But in the mid-1960s tattoos were regarded as a bit weird, restricted to sailors and eccentrics.

I remember paying sixpence for the privilege of seeing a plump lady wearing bright red lipstick, covered from head to foot in tattoos. She looked quite hideous and I had nightmares for an entire week.

Belly dancing and bagpipes

Tattoos seem to be quite fashionable these days, although I can't fathom out why. Journalist Liz Jones is definitely not a fan of what she calls ''tramp stamps''.

In a Daily Mail article last year she referred to tattoos as ''the most tasteless, tacky, tawdry, terrible plague to infect Britain since mad cow disease''.

However, over the years some famous people have sported tattoos.

Sir Winston Churchill had a tattoo of an anchor on his arm, but he was the First Lord of the Admiralty, so we'll let him off. Even actress Angelia Jolie had a large tiger tattooed on her back while she was in Thailand.

There won't be a Tattooed Lady show at the Ploenchit Fair, but they've got some belly dancing and bagpipes, hopefully not at the same time. 

The fair takes place from 10am-9pm and it's all for a good cause, this year raising money for flood victims. The beer definitely slides down better when you know it's for charity.