Phetchaburi River tipped to burst banks
Farmers, resort owners gripe over town focus
Residents of downtown Phetchaburi, southwest of Bangkok, are being urged to brace for floods today after the Phetchaburi dam released more water into a major river in the province.
The latest flood warning was issued for Muang district of Phetchaburi, considered the gateway to the South, with the water level at Kaeng Krachan dam at a 10-year high and still pouring down the spillway as of press time.
The water level in the Phetchaburi River was expected to peak at noon today with experts predicting it would burst its banks and flood low-lying areas. They estimated the water level would reach between 10-20cm, with the floods expected to last for around a week.
As of yesterday afternoon, the water level in the Phetchaburi River near the provincial governor’s residence was 5cm below its banks, causing minor flooding in low-lying communities.
Sant Joncharoen, director of the Phetchaburi irrigation project, said the Phetchaburi dam was discharging 140-160 cubic metres of water per second into the river due to spillover from the Kaeng Krachan dam upstream.
This was holding 777 million cu/m or 109% of its full capacity yesterday, the highest rate recorded in the last decade. It was discharging water at a rate of 286 cu/m per second, its peak rate. This forced the Phetchaburi dam to release more water into the river.
Meanwhile, the water flowing down its spillway was 1.44m deep. The flood surge was due to reach the heart of Phetchaburi province at around noon today, Mr Sant said.
Floodwater in Muang district would be 10-20cm deep and remain that way for up to seven days before subsiding, he added.
Mr Sant said authorities were mobilising efforts to speed up water drainage. Residents living on riverbanks and lowlying areas were also urged to move their belongings to higher ground.
Deputy provincial governor Nathawut Phetpromsorn said the floods would slow traffic on the Phetkasem highway, a key arterial road leading south. Vehicles were directed to take detours.
The Office of the National Water Resources said the Phetchaburi River received water from the dam and was reported to be overflowing in Tha Yang and Muang districts.
About 50 resort hotels near the river were flooded and operators have asked provincial authorities to speed up their drainage work downstream.
Downtown Phetchaburi has only just recovered from major floods earlier this month.
The Meteorological Department warned of increased rainfall from tomorrow until Monday. It urged residents to prepare for flash floods and mudslides.
Severe floods in Phetchaburi province have led to a rift opening up between rural residents and pampered downtown people.
Farmers and tourist resort operators along Kaeng Krachan dam begged the government to speed up the discharge of excess water as their businesses have been suffering from flooding for almost a month. Meanwhile, urban areas have been dry or at least far less affected.
Tasaneeya Jitwasinkul, the owner of one of the resorts hit by floods, said authorities only seem to care about saving Muang municipality and they are letting people in communities in low-lying zones near Kaeng Krachan dam suffer without providing any help.
“At least six tourist bungalows at small resorts have been swept away by raging water, but only big resorts have received help from the authorities who never visit the small ones. All resorts should be looked after equally,” she said.
Ms Tasneeya is among a group mostly comprising farmers and resort operators located along the dam. Resorts downstream have been forced to temporarily shut down since Aug 3.
“We have had no income for almost a month and things will be the same for another one or two months if authorities continue trying to limit the flow of water into the Phetchaburi River in order to protect Phetchaburi’s Muang municipality from being flooded,” she said.
Another resort owner who preferred only to be identified as “Dang”, for fear of offending provincial officials, said severe floods like this had happened before in 2003, but back then the water receded to normal levels in just seven days.
Resort operators understand their location makes them flood prone, yet the current situation is unusual, he said.
“This year, it’s been a month and we still don’t know when it will end. The floods are worse but what is clear is the unequal treatment between urban and rural folk. Our land has clearly been submerged to divert water away from Muang district,” he said.
Dang admitted that if Muang district where businesses, schools and hospitals are located duffer flooding, the economic damage will be very high. “Yet, at least a sense of equality and justice will prevail.”
Bang-on Thongfeung, a durian farmer, said her 30-rai durian orchard, the only source of income for her family, has been devastated by floods.
“I still don’t know what to do when everything gets back to normal. I hope the government will pay compensation to us farmers because the water mismanagement is their fault,” she said.
The water level in Kaeng Krachan dam has been at critical levels since Aug 3 because of heavy rain which hit the western region since last month. Excess water has burst over the spillway of the dam.
According to the National Hydro Informatics and Climate Data Centre, the Kaeng Krachan dam is now at 109% of its normal capacity.
The water level has already above head height in some areas of Kaeng Krachan and Tha Yang districts.
An enormous amount of flood water has been released into the Phetchaburi River since Sunday due to heavy downpours associated with tropical storm Bebinca.
‘‘ I hope the government will pay compensation to us farmers because the water mismanagement is their fault. BANG-ON THONGFEUNG PHETCHABURI DURIAN FARMER