Bangkok: “Thammanat” has reiterated that the water discharge from the Chao Phraya Dam will definitely not exceed 2,900 cubic meters per second. Lt. Col. Thammanat Prompao, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, expressed concern for residents in affected provinces downstream of the dam, stating that the discharge rate will be maintained for only one week before it gradually decreases. He also warned of increased rainfall in the South in the coming days and urged irrigation officials to be prepared.
According to Thai News Agency, Thammanat chaired a meeting at the Royal Irrigation Department to monitor the water situation in the Chao Phraya Basin. He detailed that as of November 11th, Bhumibol Dam is releasing approximately 53 million cubic meters per day, while Kiew Lom Dam is releasing 6 million cubic meters per day. This significant inflow necessitates a discharge from the Chao Phraya Dam at a rate of 2,900 cubic meters per second, despite efforts to channel water into the irrigation system on both sides of the dam.
Thammanat confirmed that this maximum drainage rate would continue for approximately one week, after which it would gradually decrease as the water level in the North decreases and sea level rise eases. To manage the situation, he has prepared water pumps and pushers to expedite the drainage of water from the lower reaches of the Chao Phraya Basin into the Gulf of Thailand, targeting areas in Samut Prakan and Chachoengsao provinces. Additionally, small amounts of water will be released into some canals in Bangkok to avoid impacts in the city and its vicinity.
By December, the discharge from the Chao Phraya Dam is expected to decrease to approximately 1,000 cubic meters per second, eventually returning to normal levels of around 700 cubic meters per second. Meanwhile, the government is in the process of preparing special relief measures for farmers and low-lying areas affected by prolonged flooding, currently under consideration by the Cabinet.