Bangkok safe from floods, PM says

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has reassured the public that Bangkok will not be inundated by floods, as the current volume of rainwater is lower than it was in 2011, when a major flood occurred.
Ms Paetongtarn inspected the water situation on Wednesday at the Royal Irrigation Department in Pak Kret district, Nonthaburi. She said that in 2011, the country was hit by five storms, compared to this year, when only one storm has affected the country.
Additionally, rainfall in 2011 was over 25% higher than usual, while this year has seen just 2% more rainfall than average. Major dams can still hold more water this year, unlike in 2011, when they were already at capacity and had to release excess water.
“For those concerned about potential flooding in Bangkok, there is no need to worry. Bangkok will not be flooded,” Ms Paetongtarn stated.
On Wednesday, rainfall in some northern areas caused water to flow from the Ping, Wang, Yom and Nan rivers into the Chao Phraya River in Nakhon Sawan. The water level above the Chao Phraya Dam in Chai Nat is also rising, with the dam releasing water at a rate of 1,899 cubic metres per second (m³/s).
The Department of Water Resources in the lower Chao Phraya River basin is monitoring the water flow at the measurement station in Bang Sai district, Ayutthaya, to ensure it does not exceed 3,000 m³/s.
According to a source, local authorities in the lower Chao Phraya River basin, including Bangkok and nearby provinces, are preparing to manage the incoming water from the North. This involves draining water through various canals and accelerating pumping operations to the Gulf of Thailand, with a combined capacity of around 164 million m³ per day.
The Meteorological Department has forecast that from Monday until Thursday, a moderate cold air mass from China will spread over the North, Northeast and South China Sea, combined with a monsoon trough across the lower North, lower Northeast, Central and Eastern regions. This will result in unstable weather in upper Thailand, with thunderstorms, strong gusts, and heavy rain in some areas, particularly in the North, Northeast, Central, Bangkok and its vicinity, and the Eastern region.
Additionally, high tide conditions could affect communities along the mouths of the Chao Phraya, Mae Klong, and Tha Chin rivers in Samut Songkhram, Samut Sakhon, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Bangkok and Samut Prakan provinces.
Meanwhile, Jirayu Houngsub, an adviser to the prime minister and spokesman for the disaster relief operations centre, said the National Water Resources Office (ONWR) expects torrential rains until Oct 9 to cause water levels in the Kok River, in the northern province of Chiang Rai, to overflow. This could affect 147 km² across six districts: Muang, Wiang Chai, Wiang Chiang Rung, Mae Chan, Doi Luang and Chiang Saen.