Bangkok goes on alert | Bangkok Post: learning

General news

The damaging of an important sluice gate by angry residents has prompted the Bangkok governor to take on additional powers, saying the entire capital is now at risk of being flooded.

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Employees remove items from a plastic factory in the Bangchan Industrial Estate in Min Buri. PATTARACHAI PREECHAPANICH

Mid-day update

Repairs to the Khlong Sam Wa sluice gate are now being carried out, but not everyone thinks they will help.

Pheu Thai Party senior member Wicharn Meenchainant said he believes the BMA must consider opening the sluice gate in Bang Chan quickly to allow floodwater to flow quicker out to the sea. Bang Chan sluice gate is narrow and it could cause a bottleneck, so pumps are also needed, he said.

narrow – not wide; having a small distance from one side to the other, especially in comparison with the length แคบ
bottleneck – a narrow area where a water in a river or traffic on a road slows or stops คอขวด

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BMA puts entire capital on alert

Governor issues order to repair sluice gate

POST REPORTERS

Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra has given himself wide-ranging control over flood operations in the city and will send council workers backed by police to repair the controversial Khlong Sam Wa sluice gate.

MR Sukhumbhand's dramatic move last night is in defiance of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's order for the BMA to widen the sluice gate to one metre. She took the action after nearby residents destroyed part of the sluice gate under the eye of police to speed up the drainage of their communities.

The governor said he was using an order under the disaster prevention law which stipulates that he is the director of disaster management in Bangkok. It means he can send metropolitan police to Khlong Sam Wa sluice gate to maintain order and prevent further demolition.

The penalty for defying the police and obstructing the workers is three months in jail and/or a 6,000 baht fine.

MR Sukhumbhand said the gate might collapse if it was not repaired and that would cause massive flood damage to communities along Ram Intra and Ram Khamhaeng Road.

Water from Klong Prapa has overflowed to flood Chaeng Wattana Road in front of the Government Complex, making the road impassable for small vehicles. Photo by RATTASEEMA PONGSEN

Meanwhile, Deputy Governor Thirachon Manomaipiboon said all 50 districts in Bangkok are at risk of flooding as a result of the Khlong Sam Wa incident.

He said the first three districts in Bangkok that would likely face the incoming deluge are Bang Kapi, Saphan Sung and Bung Kum.

On Monday, Mr Thirachon said 19 districts would likely be spared as the drainage to the east was working well.

"Previously, we thought that 19 districts might not experience flooding, but now none of them is safe," he said.

Prime Minister Yingluck on Monday ordered the BMA to widen the sluice gate to one metre after an angry protest.

MR Sukhumbhand yesterday declared evacuation of the entire district of Bang Khen, Sena Niwet housing estate Project II, Jarakhae Bua sub-district of Lat Phrao district and Sam Wa Tawan Ok sub-district of Klong Sam Wa.

A 1.5m sandbag wall has been built around Government House to prevent floodwater entering the building. APICHART JINAKUL

Sai Kong Din and Kong Din Tai sub-districts of Klong Sam Wa and the entire district of Nong Chok have also been placed under close watch, he said.

The governor said Bang Chan sub-district of Klong Sam Wa district is also under close watch and could be a flood risk area.

He said he had received reports from the Flood Relief Operations Command (Froc) that it still could not close sluice gates at Khlong 8 and Khlong 10 because of fierce resistance from residents in nearby inundated communities.

If the gates could not be closed, the flow of water will affect Nong Chok, Min Buri, Lat Krabang, Khlong Saen Saep and Khlong Lam Pathiew.

MR Sukhumbhand said the situation in western Bangkok was uncertain as floods have continued to spread, with a substantial volume of run-off from Nakhon Pathom.

He said drainage efforts with pumps must be increased as the run-off capacity in the west could not compare to that of the east.

Sanya Cheenimitr, director of the BMA's Drainage and Sewerage Department, said overflow from Khlong Maha Sawat had already surged into western areas.

Khlong Pasi Charoen serves as a major channel draining run-off into canal networks and out to the Chao Phraya River.

Mr Sanya said the BMA has asked the Froc to make the most of drainage systems in Krathum Baen district of Samut Sakhon.

on alert – ready to deal with a dangerous situation เตรียมพร้อม อย่างเต็มที่
issue – to officially announce or give out  ออก, ออกประกาศ, ออกคำสั่ง
repair – to fix something that is broken or damaged ซ่อมบำรุง
sluice gate – a gate that can be opened or closed to control the flow water along a passage ประตูน้ำปิดเปิดบังคับการไหลของน้ำในคลอง
operation – an activity which is planned to achieve something, especially involving a lot of people การดำเนินการ
backed – supported  ได้รับการสนับสนุน
controversial – causing disagreement or disapproval ความไม่ลงรอยกัน
dramatic – sudden, very great and often surprising; exciting and impressive น่าทึ่งใจ, ตื่นเต้นเร้าใจ
defiance – the refusal to obey การขัดขืน
residents – people who live in a particular area ประชาชนที่อาศัยในท้องที่
drainage – the process of taking away of water or other liquids from an area  การระบายน้ำ
stipulate – to state exactly how something must be or must be done ระบุ, ระบุเงื่อนไข
metropolitan police – the police in responsible for a city ตำรวจนครบาล
maintain – to keep รักษา
order – a situation in which everything is well organized or arranged ความเป็นระเบียบเรียบร้อย
demolition – complete destruction การรื้อถอน, การทำลาย
penalty – a punishment, or the usual punishment, for doing something that is against a law โทษ
defy – to refuse to obey or accept someone or something ท้า, เป็นปฏิปักษ์ต่อ
obstruct – to make it difficult for something to happen or for someone or something to go somewhere ขวางทาง
fine – an amount of money that you have to pay because you have broken the law ค่าปรับ
collapse – to fall down suddenly พังลงมา  ล้ม, พังครืน
massive – very large ใหญ่มหาศาล
community – the people living in one particular area ชุมชน
overflow – (of a river or body of water)  to flood the land next to it ไหลล้น
impassable – of a road or path that cannot be travelled on because it is blocked or because of bad weather conditions  ซึ่งผ่านไปไม่ได้
meanwhile – at the same time ในเวลาเดียวกัน
at risk – in danger ตกอยู่ในความเสี่ยง
incident – something that happens, usually something bad เหตุการณ์
deluge – a sudden flow of a large amount of water, a sudden, very heavy rainfall น้ำปริมาณมาก ฝนตกหนัก
spared – prevented from having to experience something unpleasant อยู่รอด
evacuation – moving people from a place of danger to a safer place การอพยพ
Flood Relief Operations Centre (Froc) – the government's centre for assisting flood victims ศูนย์ปฎิบัติการช่วยเหลือผู้ประสบอุทกภัย(ศปภ)
fierce – very strong รุนแรง, ดุเดือด
resistance – a refusal to accept something or allow it to happen การต่อต้าน, การขัดขืน
inundated – flooded ถูกน้ำท่วม, จมลงใต้น้ำ
spread – to gradually affect or cover a larger area แพร่กระจาย
substantial – large in size, value or importance มากมาย, ยิ่งใหญ่, สำคัญ
volume – an amount of something ปริมาณ
run-off – rain, water or other liquid that runs off land into streams and rivers น้ำหลาก
capacity – the amount of something that can be produced or done  ความสามารถในการ (ระบาย, ผลิต etc.)
sewer – an underground pipe or passage that carries sewage (liquid waste) ท่อน้ำเสีย, ท่อระบายน้ำ
surge – to increase very quickly เพิ่มขึ้นอย่างรวดเร็ว
channel – a passage that water can flow along, especially in the ground, on the bottom of a river, etc  ร่องน้ำ, ช่องทาง
network – a large system of connected parts เครือข่าย

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