Thailand ready to cope with new round of floods

BANGKOK, February 2 (TNA) - Thailand has put in place preventive measures against any repeated round of floods; while a water management expert says that the country's water situation in the upcoming dry season is not worrisome. Speaking at the 4th National Health Assembly, held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok Thursday, Thai Public Health Minister Wittaya Buranasiri acknowledged that his ministry, for instance, has plans to cope with all forms of disasters. Wittaya revealed that he has ordered all hospitals to elevate their power generators and improve wastewater treatment, as the Thai government has allocated a budget of 800 million baht for the preparation, as well as medical supplies. Meanwhile, in a discussion on His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej's science for flood solutions, Thailand's former Royal Irrigation Department director-general Pramote Maiklad, who is now a member of the government's Strategic Committee on Water Resources Management (SCWRM), said there have been no concerns over water during the country's upcoming dry season and there is enough time to discharge water from reservoirs and dams which are now 82-84 per cent full and discharge can continue until mid 2012. The senior Thai water management expert noted, however, that he is worried over the unclear amount of water in fields and downstream areas of the dams, suggesting that floodways should be well developed and maintained to speed up flood drainage into the Gulf of Thailand. (TNA)