Residents angry over "big bag" barrier | Bangkok Post: learning

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The big bag (sandbag) barrier in northern Bangkok has been credited with saving the inner city from flooding, but it has left residents in the outer city under water, prompting protests.

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The big bag barrier was hastily constructed to reduce the flow of floodwater into the inner city area of Bangkok.

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Big bag barrier under threat

Residents threaten to protest, force open wall to release water

Kamolwat Praprutitum 
Amornrat Mahitthirook

The government's big bag barrier, credited with sparing inner Bangkok from flooding, is under threat.

Residents of Don Muang district say the barrier is prolonging flooding in their area, and are threatening protest action.

They demand the government say how much longer they will have to live with the floodwater.

Thinnakorn Janya, head of the residents of Yucharoen housing estate, said he and 20 community leaders from nearby estates will meet at 9am today to discuss what action to take.

They are considering three options: blocking the Don Muang Tollway, holding a prolonged protest on the crest of the barrier, or rallying outside parliament.

The leaders will vote at today's meeting to decide which of these measures to take.

Mr Thinnakorn said residents wanted the government to come up with an action plan to ease flooding in their areas where the big bag barrier, built from sandbags weighing 2.5 tonnes each, has retained floodwater for many days.

"They are swamping us with water. If we weren't in such despair, we wouldn't be shouting for help," he said.

"When will our area be dry again? We've been underwater for three weeks now," he said.

Mr Thinnakorn discounted claims by local MP Karun Hosakul of the ruling Pheu Thai Party that only 10,000 people live inside the barrier.

Mr Karun yesterday met Flood Relief Operation Commands (Froc) chief Pracha Promnok to discuss the residents' complaint following a report that up to 80,000 people had signed a petition demanding the big bags' removal.

He claimed that only 10,000 people had signed the petition.

Mr Thinnakorn said that number referred only to those officially registered as householders of each property, but in reality many more share the homes.

The big bag barrier has formed a vast belt encompassing 20 residential estates along the northern railway line and across Don Mueang airport and parts of Phahon Yothin Road.

The authorities insisted the big bags helped slow water flowing into the city from the North, granting the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) enough time to drain water from the canals that protect inner Bangkok.

The erection of the big bag barrier, however, provoked an angry response from communities surrounded by it.

The pressure prompted authorities to remove some bags and make a gap of two metres in the barrier to release water. The gap was later widened to six metres. However, yesterday the gap was sealed.

Mr Thinnakorn said it was unclear who closed the gap.

He and about 200 residents worked to open the gap back to six metres again with their bare hands yesterday in the presence of police and soldiers.

The water behind the barrier was 60cm higher than water outside it.

Mr Thinnakorn insisted the residents were not pressing to have the barrier removed.

Rather, the authorities should map out a blueprint to control water flow from the North and siphon water from housing estates by, for example, creating small gaps at intervals along the barrier.

He said authorities lack an integrated flood management plan, which left some areas inundated for extended periods.

Mr Thinnakorn said the big bags restricted people's freedom of mobility, which is against the law.

barrier – a wall, pile of sandbags, etc., that prevents water from entering สิ่งกีดขวาง
hastily – hurriedly; quickly อย่างรีบเร่ง
construct – to build or make some thing, especially buildings, bridges, etc. สร้าง
under threat – at risk; in danger ตกอยู่ในความเสี่ยง
residents – people who live in a particular area ประชาชนที่อาศัยในท้องที่
threaten – to say that you might do something bad or harmful, especially in order to make someone do something  ขู่เข็ญ คุกคาม ทำให้กลัว
protest – to make a strong complaint or disagreement ประท้วง
release – to allow a substance to flow out from somewhere ปล่อย
credit – to believe or say that somebody/something is responsible for doing something, especially something good ,ให้เกียรติ,  ยกย่อง, ให้เครดิต
spare – to prevent someone from having to experience something unpleasant ยกโทษให้,อภัยโทษ
prolong – to cause to continue for a long time ยืดเวลาออกไป
housing estate – residential estate; an area containing a large number of houses or apartments built close together at the same time บ้านจัดสรร
option – a choice; something that you can choose in a particular situation ทางเลือก
block – to stop someone/ something from moving through or along something else  ปิดกั้น, กีดขวาง
crest – the top part of something, especially a hill or wave ยอด
rally – to join a public meeting that a lot of people go to in order to support someone or protest against someone or something ชุมนุม
measure – an action taken to solve a particular problem มาตรการ
ease – to make a problem, situation or pain less severe or serious บรรเทา
retain – to keep, continue to have, or to store something เก็บไว้
swamp – to cover a place or thing with a large amount of water ทำให้ท่วม, ทำให้จมอยู่ในน้ำ
despair – the feeling that there is no hope and that you can do nothing to improve a difficult or worrying situation สิ้นหวัง, ความรู้สึกสิ้นหวัง, ความหมดหวัง
discount – to consider that something is not important, possible, or likely  มองข้าม, ปฏิเสธ
claim – to say that something is true although it has not been proved and other people may not believe it อ้าง
local – in or related to the area that you live, or to the particular area that you are talking about  ท้องถิ่น
Flood Relief Operations Centre (Froc) – the government's centre for assisting flood victims ศูนย์ปฎิบัติการช่วยเหลือผู้ประสบอุทกภัย(ศปภ)
petition – a document signed by a large number of people demanding or requesting some action from the government or another authority การถวายฎีกา,การร้องเรียน
removal – taking something away การเอาออกจาก
register – to put your name and other information on an official list in order to be allowed to do something, e.g., vote, study, stay in a hotel etc ลงทะเบียน
householder – a person who owns or rents the house that they live in ผู้ครองเรือน, เจ้าของบ้าน
reality – what is actually happening ความเป็นจริง
vast – extremely large in area, size, amount, etc.  กว้างใหญ่, มหาศาล
belt – an area with particular characteristics or where a particular group of people live เขต, แนว,ทิว
encompass – to include a large number or range of things รวมทั้ง,  รวมเข้าไว้ทั้งหมด
insist – to keep saying very firmly that something is true, even when other people will not believe you ยืนกราน
grant – to give ให้
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) – the local government of Bangkok กรุงเทพมหานคร
drain – to cause water or fluid to flow out ระบายออก
erection – the act of building something or putting it in a vertical position การสร้าง
provoke – to cause an angry or aggressive reaction ปลุกเร้า
community – the people living in one particular area ชุมชน
surrounded – having something completely around all sides ถูกล้อมรอบ
pressure – trying to make someone do something by forcing, threatening, or persuading them in a determined way ความกดดัน,  แรงกระตุ้น, การบีบบังคับ
prompt – to cause someone to take action กระตุ้น
gap – a space or opening in the middle of something or  between things ช่องว่าง
seal – to close something tightly or fill a crack, etc, especially so that air, liquid, etc. cannot get in or out ปิด
bare hands – empty or uncovered hands มือเปล่า
authorities – people who have the power to make decisions or enforce the law เจ้าหน้าที่ผู้มีอำนาจ
map out – to plan something in detail วางแผน
blueprint – an early plan or design which explains how something might be achieved แผนงานที่ละเอียด
siphon – to take away from ดูดออก
at intervals – with spaces between เป็นช่วง ๆ, ช่วงระหว่าง
lack – to not have something needed  ขาด
integrated – combining things of different types in one effective system ที่รวมเข้าด้วยกัน
inundated – flooded ถูกน้ำท่วม, จมลงใต้น้ำ
extended – made longer or larger ซึ่งยาวออกไป,  ซึ่งกว้างออกไป, ซึ่งยืดออกไป
restrict – to limit จำกัด
mobility – the ability to move or travel around easily การเคลื่อนที่ได้ง่าย, การเคลื่อนไหว

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