Industrial estates urged to prepare for possible floods

BANGKOK, July 6 (TNA) -- The Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand urged all industrial estates to prepare themselves to cope with possible flooding in the rainy season. IEAT governor Verapong Chaiperm said the Meteorological Department projected rain would measure 650 millimeters in the North, the Northeast and the Central Plain from July to September. The amount would exceed the average rain measurement of 600 millimeters in the regions. In the same period, rain was expected to measure 900 millimeters in the East, that was its normal level for the region. Mr Verapong said that the predicted rain amounts would be manageable and not pose any threat. However, the IEAT advised industrial estates nationwide, especially those in Ayutthaya province, to prepare themselves for possible flooding. The warning focused on the Bang Pa-in Industrial Estate, the Hitech Industrial Estate, and the Saharattananakhon Industrial Estate in Ayutthaya as it might rain heavily in the area, Mr Verapong said. The IEAT would put its staff on standby around the clock to update the management of industrial estates on rain situations and respond to emergency flooding cases. It also told all industrial estates to implement their flood prevention measures including the maintenance of their flood walls, backup power, pumps, reservoirs and drainage ways and the preparation of sandbags, generators and other instruments related to flood responses. It advised industrial estates to have their staff work on shifts around the clock, check water levels in their vicinities, follow up weather reports and conduct flood response exercises. Mr Verapong said that the IEAT had 2,188 sets of mobile flood barriers that were 1.21 meters high and 20 kilometers long to swiftly help flood-affected industrial estates. Therefore, the IEAT was confident that industrial estates would be able to cope with heavy raining and ensure the continuous production of their customers, he said. (END)