The National Water Resources Board has set up a ‘War Room’ to monitor the water situation, urging the closure of all risk points to build confidence.

The Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT) has set up a 'War Room' to closely monitor the flood situation 24 hours a day, urging all industrial estates to prepare tools and equipment, as well as to coordinate with relevant agencies to effectively cope with flooding situations and minimize the impact on the industrial sector and surrounding communities. Mr. Wirit Amrapal, Governor of the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT), revealed after visiting the area to monitor the flood situation in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province together with Mr. Sumet Tangprasert, IEAT board member, that the IEAT has set up a war room to closely monitor the flood situation 24 hours a day after the Meteorological Department announced a warning of heavy to very heavy rain in many areas nationwide, which may affect industrial estates in many provinces, especially in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province, where the IEAT has three industrial estates: Nakhon Luang Industrial Estate, Bang Pa-in Industrial Estate, and Ban Wa Industrial Estate. The latest situation is that water from the North has flooded Sukhothai Province and is likely to enter Phichit, Phitsanulok, Nakhon Sawan, Chai Nat, Ang Thong, and Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Provinces as well. Meanwhile, the Royal Irrigation Department reported that the Chao Phraya Dam has gradually increased the water discharge in a stepped manner to be in line with the situation in order to prepare for the amount of water flowing down, including the rain that may fall during this period. The IEAT has been continuously preparing to cope with this situation. At present, the IEAT has flood protection systems in each industrial estate as follows: Nakhon Luang Industrial Estate has a flood protection dam made of compacted earth reinforced with concrete protection materials, 5.5 kilometers long, 8.2 meters high above mean sea level, with 1 pumping station, 4 water pumps with a maximum pumping capacity of 21,600 cubic meters per hour, 1 backup power supply, and 2 water retention ponds in the industrial estate. Bang Pa-in Industrial Estate has a 10-kilometer long concrete-reinforced compacted earth flood protection embankment, 6 meters above mean sea level, with 4 pumping stations, 18 water pumps with a maximum pumping capacity of 32,400 cubic meters per hour, 4 backup power supplies, and 1 water retention tank in the industrial estate. Ban Wa Industrial Estate has a flood protection dam made of compacted earth reinforced with protective materials, 11.1 kilometers long, 5.4 meters high above mean sea level, with 1 pumping station, 5 water pumps with a maximum pumping capacity of 54,000 cubic meters per hour, 1 backup power supply, and 1 water retention pond in the industrial estate. For the flood situation in Sukhothai Province and the tendency to flow into Phichit Province, from asking the Director of Phichit Industrial Estate, it was found that the estate area is far from the Yom River and is not in a flood risk area. However, Phichit Industrial Estate has prepared to deal with the flood situ ation as well, both in terms of prevention and drainage, to create confidence for entrepreneurs and people in the area. Mr. Sumet Tangprasert, IEAT board member, said that the IEAT has urged all industrial estates to coordinate with each province and related agencies to coordinate assistance and prepare in various aspects because the industrial sector is quite sensitive and may have a broad impact on the overall situation. Therefore, please check the readiness of all sectors and prepare in advance, including shelters, equipment and tools, as well as taking care of communities surrounding the industrial estates. Source: Thai News Agency