AYUTTHAYA : Pathum Thani, Saraburi, Nonthaburi and Ayutthaya will become the first provinces to use a geographic information system (GIS) to forecast flooding at factories.
The system, which is designed to store and analyse geographical data, has been used in agricultural areas and by the Irrigation Department, but this will be the first time it has been used to help factories plan ahead, said project head Chuket Ounjitti.
For instance, if reports indicate that water levels will rise to 50cm, the system will conduct a simulation to show which areas are at risks.
Authorities from provincial industrial offices, who will be taught how to use the software, will then call factories to warn them of the danger.
The system is part of a service given to 200 factories in four provinces participating in this year's water management project, which aims to lower wastewater in factories.
Ayutthaya provincial industrial officer Surasak Chalermkiattavee said the major floods in 2011 led factories to become more concerned about flooding, with many calling industrial offices during the rainy season to ask whether their factories would be affected.
He said GIS will be beneficial in terms of forecasting risks so that business operators can evacuate machinery in time.
Ayutthaya has 2,200 factories, with 1,580 in Saraburi, 3,000 in Pathum Thani and 2,090 in Nonthaburi.
Ayutthaya has the highest water discharge rate among the four provinces at 218,000 cubic metres per day for 135 factories, said Mr Surasak.
Many businesses, especially in the Rojana Industrial Park, have returned to do business in the province, while large companies such as Honda and Panasonic remain.
Mr Surasak said he is often asked if factories in Ayutthaya will be flooded. "I tell them that floods occur everywhere but Ayutthaya has good irrigation, unlike in the eastern region. If it is managed well, there will be no floods," he said.
Ayutthaya governor Witthaya Phiewpong said heavy rain over the last three days will cause water levels to remain stable until the end of the week before lowering on Monday, while estates are pumping water out of their areas.
Heavy rain has caused flooding in some areas in phases 1-3 and 7-9 at Chon Buri's Amata Nakorn Industrial Estate.
Water levels averaged 30-40cm and were worsened by water from nearby Ban Bung, Phan Thong and Phanat Nikhom districts.