Thai Cabinet to consider more budget for water management plans

BANGKOK, Feb 17 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said on Friday that she will seek the Cabinet's approval next week of an additional 5-billion-baht state budget to finance her government's 117 water management plans. Yingluck told reporters that the plans cover reforestation and constructions of new dams in upstream areas to slow down runoffs; while water flows in midway areas will be managed through waterways networks. Besides, a 2-million-rai water-retention area, with its capacity to hold 5 billion cubic metres of water totally, will be acquired with least affect to residential areas. For downstream areas, including Bangkok, the Puea Thai premier acknowledged that runoffs from upstream areas will be diverted through the eastern and western sides of the Chao Phraya River; while water pumps will be installed, dykes will be strengthened and damaged sluice gates will be repaired to ensure fast flows of water into the sea. According to the premier, close-circuit television cameras or CCTVs will also be installed at all sluice gates and a satellite reconnaissance system will be used to monitor and assess water flows. Premier Yingluck announced that all the flood-prevention plans were set to be complete over the next couple of months, timely for this year's seasonal monsoon period. (TNA)