Thai PM: Flooding won’t devastate central Bangkok
BANGKOK, November 12 (AP) – Central Bangkok will see only mild flooding if it ends up falling victim to the waters that have devastated much of Thailand, the prime minister said Saturday. Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra offered her prognosis on her weekly radio broadcast as the water covering parts of northern Bangkok for days appeared to be falling. Yingluck cites flood experts in saying water in the center of the capital will not be deeper than 12 inches (30 centimeters). She acknowledged that “it is hard to say how far floodwater would get into the heart of the capital.” Some less developed, less densely populated areas north of Bangkok were submerged under more than 6 feet (2 meters) of water. The floods have killed more than 500 people since late July and caused billions of dollars in damage. Worries about flooding are now focused to the east and west of the city center. In the east, several industrial estates are under threat, despite flood walls and pumps. Seven major industrial estates, mostly north of the capital, already were flooded, shutting down hundreds of factories, including assembly plants for Honda and Toyota. Water has been receding there, and recovery efforts began this past week. West of central Bangkok, floodwaters may cut off the main route south from the city, Rama II Road, a situation about which Yingluck expressed concern. Authorities are working to clear an alternate route that was previously flooded.
Thai PM: Flooding won’t devastate central Bangkok 
By Graham Catterwell
13 November 2011
Bangkok (The Nation) – When a General’s fighting a losing battle, it’s maybe best for him not to say out loud that defeat is inevitable. There are also many Generals claiming and disclaiming command with the changing tides of good and bad news. There are also many “experts” providing at least as many prognoses. In short, it is hard to get a clear picture. Here’s my own view, gleaned from monitoring what sources of hard facts I have been able to muster. A city-wide deluge is inevitable. After floodwaters entered Bangkok from the North and the Northeast, inflows were stemmed by building the “big bag wall” (so named for its 2.5 MT sandbags, instead of the usual 50 kg ones) and then rebuilding the impaired sluice gate at Khlong Samwa. Since then, despite maximum pumping efforts, water levels in the initially-flooded areas have risen or at best stabilised. Meanwhile, floodwaters have spread out to extensive new areas. Drainage canal levels have all been steadily rising. All this can only mean that there continues to be a substantial net inflow of water into Bangkok. Parts of central Eastern Bangkok – notably (in sequence) Bangkapi, Ramkamhaeng Road, Srinakharin Road and Phetburi Road – look sure to be under water by early next week. After Phetburi Road goes under, it will not take long for these waters to flow to Sukhumvit and the rest of downtown Bangkok. Once in downtown Bangkok, this water will await that already steadily flowing down from the North and due to pass Victory Monument shortly. An extended period of high tides begins tomorrow and continues for just over a week. This will not only affect the rate at which water can be pumped out, but bring in additional water as river and then canal banks overflow.
Just as this stage of the flood is becoming entrenched by the end of next week, floodwaters building up behind the “big bag wall” will begin to pour over the top, bringing a second stronger and unstoppable stage to the flood. […]
