Thailand's Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Thamanat, stated on the 11th that flood peaks in the lower reaches of the Chao Phraya River will threaten Bangkok and several other provinces along the river over the coming week. The government is stepping up diversion measures, channeling part of the river water into farmland on both sides in order to alleviate pressure on downstream water levels.
At a press conference, he said that many regions in Thailand have recently experienced heavy rainfall. Currently, the Chao Phraya River flow remains at about 2,900 cubic meters per second, and high water levels are expected to persist for one week. After that, the water situation should gradually recede, and is expected to return to normal levels by the third week of December.
Minister to the Prime Minister's Office, Phalatun, also stated that as many reservoirs in the upper reaches of the Chao Phraya are already full, it is necessary to release some water. The water management department is currently endeavoring to divert floodwaters to farmland on both sides of the river to control river flow and prevent the flood peak from heading straight for Bangkok.
In addition, Bangkok city government spokesperson Anmapha noted that the city government has laid flood prevention sandbags in 11 communities outside the embankment in 6 riverside districts to protect residents' safety. These communities, located at the confluence of the Chao Phraya River and Bangkok's canals, include 320 households and about 1,070 residents in risk zones.