Littering, dumping food scraps and other waste on roads and in the drains, and the lack of law enforcement against littering laws are viewed as the main causes of flooding in Bangkok, according to the result of an opinion survey conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration or Nida Poll.
The poll was carried out on June 7-8 on 1,250 people aged 18 and over, of various levels of education and occupations, in Bangkok and nearby provinces.
When asked about the main causes of Bangkok's recent flooding, a majority of people, 61.92%, cited the dumping of garbage, food scraps and other kinds of waste on roads and in drains, blocking the drainage system.
Other causes mentioned by the respondents include poor management of the drainage system on the part of agencies under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (11.92%); lack of preventive measures, such as dredging canals and clearing drainpipes (6.64%); encroachment of waterways (4.72%); damage to ground surfaces, drilling of artesian wells and excavations for building construction (4.24%); and poor city planning (3.68%).
When asked about legal actions against people who litter in public places, a majority of respondents, 89.84%, said there has been no or little enforcement of the laws. Only 3.76% said the law has been enforced seriously, while the rest said the enforcement has been inadequate.