The government is gearing up to rejuvenate a 200-billion-baht water management project aimed at combating severe flooding in the Yom River basin up North. In the midst of escalating calls to revisit the contentious Kaeng Sua Ten Dam plan, Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai shared the latest developments just yesterday. He was in Sukhothai province, distributing 200 relief bags to flood-stricken residents in a bid to provide immediate respite.
Phumtham announced his intention to pitch this project to the cabinet on Tuesday, with hopes of making water management a national priority backed by a hefty budget of 200 billion baht. Originally rolling out under the Yingluck Shinawatra administration, the project hit a roadblock following a coup. Phumtham’s plan comes in the wake of recent heavy flooding that hammered Chiang Rai, Nan, and Phrae, unleashing torrents downstream toward provinces like Sukhothai and Phitsanulok.
The Yom River, birthed in the Phi Pan Nam Range in Pong district, Phayao province, snakes its way through Phrae and Sukhothai, acting as the lifeblood of these regions before merging with the Nan River at Chum Saeng district in Nakhon Sawan. “Should we find consensus here, we [the government] are poised to revisit our strategy, ensuring the Yom River benefits from flood storage areas akin to those for the Ping, Wang, and Nan rivers,” Phumtham elaborated.
Addressing those voicing opposition to the proposed project, he emphasized the importance of listening to flood victims’ pleas. “The voices of those directly affected by the floods carry immense weight,” he stressed. Notably, Phumtham had previously shared insights on this plan during a tour in Nan province, where he supervised flood relief operations and distributed essential supplies.
He underlined that once the new governance structure is in place, this water management project would be ripe for presentation and consideration. Drawing attention last week, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, speaking at a local forum, underscored the urge for the new administration to pursue several “megaprojects” tailored to tackle the persistent issues of flooding and drought.
In a bid to amplify this agenda, former deputy prime minister Plodprasop Suraswadi championed the construction of the Kaeng Sua Ten Dam in Phrae, portraying it as a critical measure to curb Northern floods. Taking to Facebook, Plodprasop painted a vivid picture of the pressing situation: between 500-700 millimeters of rain had drenched Phayao, Nan, and Phrae in just five days, leading to a staggering influx of five billion cubic meters of water flowing through the Yom River in Phrae at a pace of 1,700 cubic meters per second.
Nonetheless, as the floodwaters surged towards Sukhothai, authorities hastily erected soil barriers and concrete walls along the riverbanks, often with minimal structural reinforcement, particularly at the foundation. Plodprasop pointed out the precarious nature of these defenses. While they might fend off floodwaters if levels remain low, any substantial rise could render them ineffective, leading to uncontrollable overflows.
The scenario becomes bleaker at river bends, where potent water currents have already compromised these walls in several places along the Yom River in Sukhothai. Plodprasop cautioned that the collapse of these barriers could spell disaster and pose significant risks to the community. Urging decisive action, he advocated for a water diversion initiative using the Had Saphan Chan water gate, stretching over 30 kilometers within the coming year. Failing this, similar flooding woes could very well resurface next year.
Hannarong Yaowalers, chairman of the Foundation for Integration of Water Management, voiced a contrasting perspective, strongly opposing the dam’s construction. “Those advocating for the Kaeng Sua Ten Dam must delve deeper into understanding the complexities,” he asserted. Hannarong highlighted that the proposed dam is anticipated to hold 1,175 million cubic meters of water, with feasibility studies predicting a flooding area of 45,625 rai. However, research suggests this could balloon to 65,625 rai, revealing a sizable discrepancy of 20,000 rai.
Stressing the need for updated data, Hannarong recommended a fresh study, considering the existing one is over three decades old. With changing conditions, the data has undoubtedly evolved, necessitating an informed, contemporary reevaluation.
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