Concerned agencies ordered to quickly solve flooding in Greater Bangkok

BANGKOK, June 24 (TNA) - Thai Interior Minister General Anupong Paojinda has ordered all concerned agencies to quickly solve flooding in Bangkok and surrounding provinces, caused by heavy downpours over the past week. General Anupong, who is also the National Director of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, made the instruction at an urgent meeting at his ministry in Bangkok on June 23, saying that all the relevant agencies are to join forces to prevent and solve flooding in the Greater Bangkok to protect local residents. Those present at Thursday's meeting include the governors of Bangkok and five nearby provinces and representatives of the Royal Thai Army, the Royal Thai Police, the Vocational Education Commission, the Royal Irrigation Department, the Public Relations Department, the Meteorological Department and the Rural Roads Department. The interior minister told the meeting that repeated downpours had caused temporary flooding in many areas of the Greater Bangkok and local authorities should, thus, quickly handle the problem. The minister instructed the authorities, especially news centers of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and the traffic police, to issue warnings, early close deeply-flooded roads that were impassable and advise motorists to avoid partly flooded roads. The minister also ordered BMA to maintain drainage systems, pumps and power supply well. (TNA)