95 billion baht project to upgrade Chao Phraya irrigation system
The National Water Resources Committee has sanctioned a 95 billion baht initiative to enhance the Chao Phraya River irrigation system on the lower eastern side, encompassing Ayutthaya and Pathum Thani provinces, to mitigate flooding.
Deputy Prime Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong chaired the meeting on January 6, where the committee endorsed the Department of Royal Irrigation’s extensive project aimed at improving water flow capacity along the lower Chao Phraya River. This measure is intended to prevent flooding in the region and the capital, particularly during the rainy season.
The project will enhance the irrigation canal network, covering 22 canals with a total length of 462.80 kilometres, including Khlong Raphiphat, Khlong Prawet Buriram, and Khlong Dan.
The improvements involve expanding and deepening canals, alongside installing irrigation systems and pumping stations to efficiently manage river flow into canals before reaching the Gulf of Thailand. This will increase the river’s flow rate from the current 210 cubic metres per second (m³/s) to 400 m³/s, effectively mitigating flooding issues across 298,250 rai of land in the lower Chao Phraya, which are vital community and economic areas.
Additionally, the 22 canals will have enhanced capacity to store water during the dry season, with an increase of 17 million cubic metres annually.
The Royal Irrigation Department is working with the Community Organisation Development Institute (Codi) on a plan to relocate 4,940 homes situated along the affected canals.
The project’s financial requirement stands at 95 billion baht (US$2.7 billion), with 76.5 billion baht (US$2.2 billion) sourced through loans, while the remainder will be covered by the government budget, reported Bangkok Post.
Commencement is expected next year, with completion targeted by 2031. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to alleviate the social and economic impacts of severe floods, which are projected to intensify.
In related news, residents across Thailand are bracing for potential chaos as heavy downpours drench the upper Chao Phraya River Basin. With torrents hitting the Yom and Nan Rivers, water levels are rising fast, threatening to inundate areas downstream.
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