River and canal-bank residents of Rangsit to the north of Bangkok have been told to prepare to move their belongings to higher ground as Pasak Jolasid dam in Lop Buri is almost full.
The municipality in Pathum Thani sounded the alarm on Saturday, warning residents to be prepared for an expected rise in water levels. The warning was signed by Trilup Thoopkrachang, the Rangsit municipal mayor.
The Royal Irrigation Department had told the office that large volumes of water siphoned from the Pasak Jolasid dam would soon reach Rangsit, which is adjacent to Don Muang district of Bangkok. Pathum Thani is already battling inundation on two fronts: the overflowing Chao Phraya River, which receives water from the upstream Chao Phraya barrage in Chai Nat; and surging water via a hydro station in neighbouring Bang Sai district of Ayutthaya.
Pathum Thani is among the 10 provinces in the Chao Phraya and Pasak river basins where the flood warning was released. The other provinces are Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Ayutthaya, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, Saraburi, Lop Buri and Bangkok.
The Royal Irrigation Department (RID) has predicted that close to 500 million cubic metres of water will flow into the Pasak Jolasid dam from Oct 8-14. By Oct 14, the dam's storage will top 1,000 million cu/m, surpassing is maximum holding capacity at 960 million cu/m.
In Nonthaburi which borders Pathum Thani, provincial governor Suthee Thongyam has declared Pak Kret, Muang and Bang Yai districts as flood disaster areas.