THAILAND: Progress has been made in diverting floodwaters around Bangkok, but capital still remains at risk
Record ID:
562452
THAILAND: Progress has been made in diverting floodwaters around Bangkok, but capital still remains at risk
- Title: THAILAND: Progress has been made in diverting floodwaters around Bangkok, but capital still remains at risk
- Date: 22nd October 2011
- Summary: BANGKOK, THAILAND (OCTOBER 21, 2011) (REUTERS) CHAO PRAYA RIVER VARIOUS OF CHAO PRAYA RIVER SANDBAGS AT THE RIVER BANK SANDBAGS IN FRONT OF BUILDING VARIOUS OF SANDBAGS CAR PASSING PILES OF SANDBAGS FLOOD WALL IN FRONT OF BANGKOK BANK VARIOUS OF FLOOD WALL IN FRONT OF BANK EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF BANGKOK BANK BHAKORN VANUPTIKUL,TALKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF BANGKOK BANK BHAKORN VANUPTIKUL, SAYING: "If it reaches Bangkok, we're talking about (damage) five to ten times bigger than the industrial estates up north. I don't know if it is even measurable. It will also interrupt the way of life." SANDBAGS COVERED BY CANVAS IN FRONT OF BUILDING (SOUNDBITE) (English) EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF BANGKOK BANK BHAKORN VANUPTIKUL, SAYING: "One of the things the bank trying to do is to maintain the financial system, make it operational, make sure payments can be settled, all the transactions can be done. Because without the financial system, nothing will function." PEOPLE WALKING PAST SANDBAGS IN FRONT OF CITIBANK SANDBAGS BANGKOK TRAFFIC
- Embargoed: 6th November 2011 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Thailand, Thailand
- Country: Thailand
- Topics: Disasters,Weather
- Reuters ID: LVAB4N9ULYGHZBBMW5XTLOAPFAK0
- Story Text: Thai officials reported progress in diverting floodwater round Bangkok into the sea on Friday (October 21) but some people in the capital were still warned to move to higher floors as the government struggled with the worst flooding in 50 years.
After trying to hold the line for a week, the government decided to open some canals on Thursday (October 20) to allow water to run through the inner city, which carries the risk of inundating some districts but relieves the pressure on dikes.
The flooding has killed at least 342 people since July and has devastated industrialised areas to the north of Bangkok.
Several businesses buildings in Bangkok business centre have stacked up sandbags, some covered with big canvas, at least 2 metres (6.56 feet) high.
Bhakorn Vanuptikul, Executive Vice President of Bangkok Bank said if floodwaters do swamp Bangkok, the damage would be massive.
"If it reaches Bangkok, we're talking about (damage) five to ten times bigger than the industrial estates up north. I don't know if it is even measurable. It will also interrupt the way of life," he said.
Bhakorn added that banks would need to keep running.
"One of the things the bank trying to do is to maintain the financial system, make it operational, make sure payments can be settled, all the transactions can be done. Because without the financial system, nothing will function," he said.
The central bank put the damage from floods to industry at more than 100 billion baht ($3.3 billion USD) on Thursday (October 20).
Water now covers a third of Thailand's provinces, some 4 million acres (1.6 million hectares) in the north, northeast and centre of the country. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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