No secret discharges of water from Chao Phraya dam

BANGKOK, Oct 16 (TNA) -- The Royal Irrigation Department caps water discharges from the Chao Phraya dam at 2,600 cubic meters per second and does not secretly raise the rate at night, its director-general said. Somkiat Prajamwong, director-general of the department, said water from the North was flowing to Nakhon Sawan province at the stable rate of 2,849 cubic meters per second and the discharge rate at the dam continued at 2,518 cubic meters per second. He promised to limit the discharge rate at 2,600 cubic meters until rain declines in the Central Plain. According to him, river levels in provinces standing downstream from the Chao Phraya dam rose by about 20 centimeters in the past four days. That was the reason why local people believed the discharges from the dam were secretly increased at night. The Royal Irrigation Department tries to minimize the flow of the Chao Phraya River to Bangkok as the navy has warned that high tides will continue until Oct 31. Parts of the flow are diverted to the eastern side of the river heading for the Bang Pakong River and the sea. The flow of the Chao Phraya River in Bang Sai district of Ayutthaya province will be capped at 3,000 cubic meters per second, the rate that will have no impacts on Bangkok. Meanwhile, floodwater can be drained quickly from Bangkok through waterways and sluice gates in Khlong Dan and Phra Pradaeng districts of Samut Prakan province. The measures should help Bangkok cope well with flooding and rain, Mr Somkiat said. (TNA) \