The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has plans to work with the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) and governors in neighbouring provinces to better manage the city's flood waters during the rainy season.
Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt on Saturday met Seree Supratid, director of the Climate Change and Disaster Centre at Rangsit University, for talks on prevention and finding ways to alleviate the impact from inundation at Kuson Sueksa School.
At the meeting, Mr Seree proposed a short-term plan to set up a water service centre to cooperate with locals, instructing district chiefs to follow up on situation assessments to ensure a prompt response.
For long-term solutions, he sought cooperation from district chiefs, state agencies and civil society to look for certain areas that can be used to retain water after heavy rain.
Mr Seree also said excessive rainfall is expected during October and November, which could cause many areas to be submerged, notably in the southern region.
Mr Chadchart said rainfall increased more than 50% across the capital during the first half of this month. The BMA will revise its plan and prepare equipment to handle inundation issues. Certain drainage spots will be required to upgrade faster.
The city was aware that heavy rainfall issues increasingly require a more integrated solution.
"Up until now, the BMA only diverted water in the capital. But the BMA will work with the RID to help divert water through other provinces as well in the future, in an attempt to create a balance in the drainage system," said Mr Chadchart.
"The BMA will cooperate with adjacent provinces later."
Regarding the heavy floods that hit Lat Krabang district, the Bangkok governor said the situation has improved and the water volume receded. But deeper areas in some communities were still submerged in water.
He said the BMA also agreed to encourage public participation and will provide resources such as sand bags to communities hit by floods.
