The navy is dispatching 60 boats to Phetchaburi province to boost local authorities' efforts to ease severe flooding which has ravaged the province for almost a week.
An initial 20 boats were sent yesterday to expel floodwater from the Phetchaburi River in Tha Yang and Muang districts into the sea. The second batch of 20 vessels will be dispatched today. with the remainder sent tomorrow.
Known as "water pushers", the powerboats will be deployed at three locations to accelerate the flow rate. The boats are capable of pushing water at 24 cubic metres of water per second.
The navy has more than 100 boats of this type, which was initiated by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej following major flooding in Bangkok in 1995.
According to the navy, the late King advised that the navy's assault amphibious vehicles and patrol boat river vehicles equipped with a water jet propulsion system could speed up the flow rate. Two amphibious boats were deployed to speed up the flow rate and the operation was successful.
Afterwards, the late King donated funds through the Chai Pattana Foundation for the navy to design and build a fleet of nine boats specifically for this operation. The boats were given to His Majesty and they are currently under the charge of the Royal Irrigation Department.
San Jorncharoen, director of the Phetchaburi irrigation project, said yesterday that water discharged from the Phet dam dropped to 53 cubic metres/second and the water level in Phetchaburi River was also dropping.
However, drainage of flooding from residential and farm areas was slow due to high tides at intervals of six hours, he said.
Government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said yesterday the flood situation in Phetchaburi was improving, especially in the districts of Tha Yang, Muang and Ban Lat.
The Royal Irrigation Department decreased water discharged from the Phet Dam into the Phetchaburi River while concerned officials were working around the clock to drain floodwater from municipal areas. The water level dropped by 60cm as a result.
Lt Gen Sansern said the situation was expected to return to normal within 48 hours.
According to the spokesman, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was concerned about the flooding and ordered concerned parties to do their best to provide assistance to flood victims.
Speaking after a meeting with officials, Phetchaburi governor Chatporn Ratdusadee said the floodwater continued to drop and the floodwater in municipal areas was expected to be completely drained by tomorrow. She said officials were still working hard to drain water from farmland while noting that communities in tambon Bang Khrok and Ban Laem were the worst hit.
More than 7,000 vocational school students were put on standby for a large clean-up after the water recedes.