Thai PM warns Bangkok to brace for flooding

by Boonradom Chitradon

BANGKOK, October 20, 2011 (AFP) - Thailand's premier warned Thursday that it was impossible to stop the kingdom's worst floods in decades gushing into Bangkok, ordering the city's sluice gates to be opened to tackle the "national crisis".

"We cannot block the water forever," a sombre-looking Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, the sister of fugitive former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, told reporters, in the biggest test so far of her fledgling administration.

"The longer we block the water the higher it gets. We need areas that water can be drained through so the water can flow out to the sea," added Yingluck, who in recent days has appeared to be showing signs of strain.

"I have decided to ask Bangkok to open all gates, which could trigger an overflow, in order to drain water into the sea as soon as possible," she said.

The prospect of serious flooding in the capital triggered a new rush to stock up on food and bottled water, while motorists parked hundreds of cars on bridges or elevated roads, prompting a police warning to move them.

Bangkok has so far escaped major flooding after the authorities reinforced floodwalls and diverted water to areas outside the capital to protect the country's political and economic heartland.

But a massive volume of run-off water is expected to reach the city by the weekend. It is hoped the water will run through Bangkok's many canals and out into the sea, but if there is too much water the waterways will overflow.

"Flood waters are coming from every direction and we cannot control them because it's a huge amount of water. We will try to warn people," said Yingluck, a political novice before taking office barely two months ago.

"This problem is very overwhelming. It's a national crisis so I hope to get cooperation from everybody."

Three months of heavy monsoon rains in Thailand have killed 320 people, damaged the homes and livelihoods of millions of people, mostly in the north and centre, and forced tens of thousands to seek refuge in shelters.

Currently, about one-third of Thailand's provinces are affected.

The opposition Democrats are calling on the government to declare a state of emergency to make it easier to control people and stop them damaging dykes to ease the flooding in their own areas.

Bangkok governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra warned on Wednesday that seven districts in northern and eastern Bangkok were at risk of inundation because of a broken dyke.

He advised residents in those areas to unplug electrical appliances, move belongings to higher ground and study the city's evacuation plan, saying they had 24 hours to prepare for possible flooding.

"We are aware that floodwater is likely to pass through eastern parts of Bangkok," said Bangkok Metropolitan Administration spokesman Jate Sopitpongsthorn.

He said the runoff water was expected to reach Rangsit canal on the northern edge of the city overnight Thursday-Friday.

Bangkok has an extensive drainage system including 200 floodgates, 158 pump stations, seven giant underground tunnels and 1,682 canals covering 2,604 kilometres (1,618 miles), according to the city authorities.

Tens of thousands of soldiers and police have been mobilised to prevent people destroying flood defences.

The authorities have failed to protect a number of major industrial parks from the gushing brown water, which has inundated hundreds of factories outside Bangkok, disrupting production of cars, electronics and other goods.

The government says more than half a million people have been left without work.

Most of Thailand's main tourist attractions -- including the southern islands of Samui, Phuket and Phi Phi -- have been unaffected. 

Bangkok's main airport is still operating as normal and its flood defences have been reinforced.