Garbage in sewers intensifies flooding in Bangkok

Officials believe Bangkok’s flooding is not exclusively the result of Thailand’s severe rains. Garbage disposal adds to flooding. The capital city requires improved drainage, but an epidemic of trash is partly to blame. The Chao Phraya River in Bangkok is filled with trash. The waterways of Bangkok are stuffed with discarded beds, furniture, and other household items. They can impede the flow of the Chao Phraya River. This waste is significant. Daily, around 5-10 tonnes of rubbish are used to clean Bangkok’s canals and waterways. According to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, the primary water pumping station at Phra Khanong and the Rama IX Water Tunnel, both of which aid in flood control, are blocked with trash. These two access points represent the final opportunity to fish before trash enters the river. Four pumping stations and gates regulate water flow to the eastern canals of Bangkok. These stations filter Bangkok’s major waste waterways. Garbage and debris of all sizes have always been a problem, but recent rainstorms and significant water flow have exacerbated the situation. Floods is caused by heavy rainfall, which forces more trash into drainage systems, producing further flooding. The trash consists of more than just sofas and beds. Thailand is inundated with plastic waste, bottles, Styrofoam, and plastic bags. The amount of trash removed from canals has decreased over the past five years, yet the issue remains. According to the BMA, 22,761 tonnes of trash were dredged from rivers during the fiscal year of 2022, which ended yesterday. This is less than 2018’s and 2019’s pre-pandemic levels of almost 50,000 tonnes and 46,507 tonnes, respectively. Trash-clogged canals heighten Bangkok’s flooding concerns.