Dyke solution to Bangkok's flooding threat is double dutch, says expert

Bangkok Post: As Thailand experiences its worst flooding in decades, scientists are reviving talk of building a dyke across the Gulf of Thailand to protect the country from climate-related flooding. The monster dyke could be based on those in the Netherlands, where a network of dykes helps prevent surging sea water invading the land.

…At a seminar called ''Bangkok: The Underwater City'' organised by the House committee on natural resources and environment recently, scientists discussed factors that could cause Bangkok to become a sinking city. One is the city's geography, with a slope on the eastern side facing towards the Chao Phraya River. This means the capital is exposed to possible city-wide flooding during the rainy season as rain water flows across the city _ from higher ground in the west towards the slope down to the river.

Other factors include overflows of the Chao Phraya due to excessive flood water and run-off from the North; extreme rises in sea levels coinciding with heavy rainfall; land subsidence in Bangkok; and the lack of an urban natural drainage system.

…A local academic, however, says such extreme measures may not be necessary, and may not even work well. Geologist Thanawat Jarungsakul said the Gulf has different ecological qualities from those of the Netherlands. The Gulf receives fresh water from rivers that carry sediment. The sediment accumulates near the shores when flushed out and becomes mudflats that provide nursing grounds and food sources for marine life. To sustain their quality, circulating water is needed….

A tuk tuk in Bangkok during the monsoon, shot by Catatonique, Wikimedia Commons, under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license