Sakontee Blames BMA for Flooding, Demands New City Plan Halt
Sakontee Pattanakul criticizes BMA for slow water draining despite warnings and urges a halt to the new city plan over flood basin concerns.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Sakontee blames the BMA as the root cause of urban flooding due to slow drainage
- Criticizes failure to lower water levels despite early warnings from meteorological agency
- Demands an immediate halt to the new Bangkok comprehensive city plan draft
- Expresses deep concern that reducing flood absorption areas favors investors
Mr. Sakontee Pattanakul has voiced sharp criticism regarding the ongoing flooding issues in Bangkok, pointing out that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration itself is the root cause of the slow water drainage problems. He noted that despite advance warnings issued by the Meteorological Department, the city administration failed to proactively lower water levels in canals and water retention areas in a timely manner.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
In addition to water management flaws, Sakontee urged BMA executives to urgently suspend the drafting of the new Bangkok comprehensive city plan. He raised serious concerns that the new regulations might alter land-use zoning in a way that cuts down natural flood retention basins, posing long-term risks to the city and raising suspicions of favoring real estate investors.
The debate over Bangkok's comprehensive city plan and drainage infrastructure highlights the constant tension between urban economic development and climate resilience. Reducing natural retention areas, such as agricultural zones or floodplains, for commercial development significantly increases the city's vulnerability to extreme weather events.
This situation underscores the critical challenge of capital city management, where local authorities must carefully balance economic expansion with effective disaster mitigation, especially as heavy rainfall events become increasingly frequent and severe.
Source: Matichon Politics
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