Bangkok: Governor Chadchart visited Udomsuk until 3 a.m. to monitor flooding. He found a particularly disturbing incident: a contractor placed sandbags blocking the flow of water. He apologized for any inconvenience caused to the public. The latest update is that water levels in all areas of Bangkok are back to normal.

According to Thai News Agency, last night, Mr. Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok, along with Mr. Wisanu Traisompol, Deputy Governor of Bangkok, Director of the Drainage and Sewerage Department, and relevant officials, visited flood-prone areas at Soi Phueng Mi 50, Sukhumvit 93, Phra Khanong District, and Udomsuk Road, Sukhumvit 103, Bang Na District, to monitor the flooding situation in the area.

After heavy rain of more than 115 mm in the Phra Khanong-Bang Na area caused flooding along Sukhumvit Road, the problem in Soi Phueng Mi 50, Phra Khanong District, was that the waterworks came to install a bypass system, but after completion, the water pump head was not reconnected, making the water pump unusable. Mobile water pump trucks were used to help, including opening the Khlong Kled tunnel to speed up water drainage, and continuing to drain from Khlong Bang Na Chin into Khlong Ban Lai.

Governor Chadchart then led a drainage team to Udomsuk Road, Sukhumvit 103. He stated that Udomsuk never floods and that the system is well-maintained, but today’s flooding was severe. An investigation revealed the cause of the flooding to be caused by a contractor using over 300 sandbags and barriers to block water flow to flush a pipe constructed by the Drainage and Sewerage Department from Udomsuk to Soi Sukhumvit 66/1, down to the Bang O Canal pumping station. The contractor normally blocks the pipe with sandbags to facilitate the cleaning process and removes them every night. However, they were not removed last night, preventing the water from draining.

Governor Chadchart also stated that this kind of problem should never have occurred and is the result of the contractor’s carelessness, causing hardship to the villagers. He has ordered that serious action be taken, with full implementation, and that the contractor will be fined according to regulations.

Governor Chadchart monitored the situation until the water level receded and the water level returned to near normal around 3:00 a.m. Sunday morning. The latest update is that water levels in Bangkok are back to normal.