
The National Water Resources Committee has approved a 95-billion-baht project to improve the Chao Phraya River irrigation system on the lower eastern side, including Ayutthaya and Phathum Thani, to prevent floods.
Prasert Jantararuangtong, the deputy prime minister who chaired the national water resources committee, said on Tuesday the committee on Monday agreed with the Department of Royal Irrigation's mega project to improve water flow capacity along the lower Chao Phraya River in order to prevent floods in the area and the capital, especially during the rainy season.
The project will improve the irrigation canal network of 22 canals, with a total length of 462.80 kilometres, such as Khlong Raphiphat, Khlong Prawet Buri Rom and Khlong Dan.
He said the project involves expanding and deepening the canals and having irrigation systems and pumping stations to better manage the flow of the river to the canals before flowing into the Gulf of Thailand. The project will increase the river flow rate from the present 210 cubic meters per second (m3/s) to 400 m3/s, which can prevent and reduce flooding problems on 298,250 rai of land in the lower part of the Chao Phraya, which are important community areas and economic zones.
In addition, the 22 canals will have more capacity to store water during the dry season, increasing by 17 million cubic metres per year, he said.
He said the Royal Irrigation Department has collaborated with the Community Organisation Development Institute (Codi) for a plan to remove 4,940 homes built along the targeted canals.
The project will need 95 billion baht in investment, of which 76.5 billion baht will be a loan, and the rest will be allocated through the government budget.
The project is expected to start next year and be completed by 2031. It is part of a scheme to reduce the social and economic impacts of severe floods, which are expected to worsen.