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Andy Dorn

Bangkok Post : Needed: political will to keep water in check - 0 views

www.bangkokpost.com/...al-will-to-keep-water-in-check

bangkok flooding geography freshwater Chao_Phraya

shared by Andy Dorn on 08 Oct 11 - No Cached
  • Take the instance of water management which is on all our minds at the moment. We have a comprehensive study of 25 river basins as the basis for a master plan for water resources management, which would resolve all our water woes, from drought to floods. But past governments have let this slide during annual budget allocations, shoved aside for other items high on the political agenda.
  • It is therefore necessary that we rethink and redesign our urban zoning arrangements.
  • The Royal Department of Irrigation has admitted that the amount of rainfall this year has not been much more than in 1995 or 2006, but the dykes and smaller community dams built to prevent flooding in particular areas have caused flooding in other areas. So, uncoordinated action undertaken to push away a problem has ended up hurting everyone. Thus, centrally coordinated planning is required.
  • ...5 more annotations...
  • Many reservoirs, especially the smaller ones, were built not with the big picture in mind but at the whim of local political canvassers. Many are of little help during drought, nor are they able to retain much water during the rains, because they do not correspond with the supposed network. Another budget item wasted.
  • Most of the klongs (canals), however, have long since been filled up and paved over with roads.
  • The case for building dams has always been controversial.
  • forest reserves must be protected.
  • Trees and forests increase water absorption, slowing down the rush of water, their roots retain valuable soil and help prevent mudslides. Reforestation projects should be taken seriously as a national agenda, not for the sake of public relations and image-boosting CSR.
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