Government tackles flood in central plain

BANGKOK, Oct 31 (TNA) – The government is coping with a large amount of rainfall and plans to set up the Water Management and Administration Bureau to implement policies in handling floods. Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha said after Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting that the government has overseen 25 river basins to prevent impacts on local people as much as possible. He said a large amount of rainfall this year can be compared to that of 2011, when the massive flood occurred. However, the situation is less severe as the authorities instructed farmers to speed up harvesting their produce. After that, floodwater was diverted into the empty fields, which are used as water retention areas to relieve floods. The authorities will drain flood from the fields into the sea before the high tide and will put in place assistance measures for flood victims. The Bangban-Bangsai flood control canal project in Ayutthaya is part of the long-term plan to relieve flood impacts in central provinces. The project would be part of the activities oversaw by the Water Management and Administration Bureau. The project, which was earlier approved in principle, will divert water from inner areas of Ayutthaya, hit by repeated flood. The design and land acquisition are expected to be completed by the next two years before it is forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration. (TNA)