Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt has proposed building a so-called flood highway that would allow run-off from areas upstream of Bangkok to drain faster and directly into the sea.
He made his proposal on Wednesday in talks with Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda as they inspected flooded areas in Lat Krabang district. Gen Anupong agreed with it but said it has to be discussed further.
A flood highway has been proposed as a long-term solution for preventing serious floods in the capital, said Mr Chadchart. Although canals that form a flood drainage network in the city had been well dredged ahead of the rainy season, major flooding still occurred in parts of the city due to the heavier rainfall, said Gen Anupong.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and other bodies, including the Royal Irrigation Department (RID), the military, and the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), are trying their best to cope with the floods, he said.
Draining the run-off from Khlong Prawet Buri Rom in eastern Bangkok into Bang Pakong River in neighbouring Chachoengsao's Bang Pakong district, and then from the river to the Gulf of Thailand, spans a long distance, said Gen Anupong.
"So as we're now utilising existing resources to accelerate flood water drainage work, the BMA has proposed the flood highway idea for the future, to which I agree," he said.
Further discussions on the proposed flood highway will follow as it concerns not only Bangkok but also Pathum Thani and Chachoengsao, said Mr Chadchart.
The BMA cannot act alone on this long-term proposal to deal with floods, he said, adding that he appreciated the cooperation of the other agencies supporting the BMA's handling of the floods.
The RID is speeding up draining water from Khlong Prawet Buri Rom into Bang Pakong River so that flood waters in those low-lying communities of Lat Krabang can drain better into the canal, said Praphit Chanma, RID's director-general.
He said there is no need to divert excess water from the Chao Phraya into the rice-growing Central Plains provinces, as this would damage crops expected to be harvested later this month.
In Nakhon Pathom, water in the Tha Chin River yesterday morning reached a critical level, prompting red flags to fly at all bridges running over the river in the province.
As of yesterday floods were reported in a total of 988 villages in various locations in Lamphun, Lampang, Phayao, Tak, Nong Bua Lam Phu, Khon Kaen, Kalasin, Loei, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, Sa Keao, Rayong, Chon Buri, Chanthaburi, Ayutthaya and Ang Thong, said the DDPM.