At one location, deputy-governor Amorn Kitchawengkul was on hand over the weekend to supervise as diggers dredged and widened a canal. BMA engineers have identified about 20 spots in the capital which always flood and where water is slow to disperse.
These include the Khlong Lad Ped canal at Vibhavadi Road Soi 45 and the National Memorial in the same area plus Phra Khanong and Phasi Charoen. As well as dredging operations at Khlong Lad Ped, sewage disposal staff emptied pipes in the locality.
Drainage systems for Bangkok’s streets and sois struggle to cope when heavy rains hit during the monsoon. For a couple of hours, they are usually submerged under a few centimetres of water. This soon clears and roads are normally dry again by the following morning.
Long-term flooding usually occurs only when there is significant water runoff from Chiang Mai and the northern regions of Thailand. If the tides are high in the Gulf of Thailand the floodwater has nowhere to drain.
Bangkok municipality workers clear flood prone drains and canals
News in Asia
Over the past week, workers in Bangkok have been clearing drains and canals in preparation for monsoon season rainstorms. Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) workers have concentrated on locations which traditionally flood during the annual monsoon deluges.