Floodwaters threaten Bangkok

The governor of Bangkok has expanded the areas on alert for floods as the waters from the Chao Phraya River edge toward to the capital.

Flood waters from central Thailand, hard-hit by record heavy rain, are now moving down the river and it is feared they might reach the capital as early as Friday.

On Thursday night, Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra called on people in the capital's 2 northern districts, including Don Muang, to prepare for evacuation. This follows similar evacuation warnings issued to 7 other districts earlier in the day.

Parts of the Don Muang district, including some roads, have already been inundated. The area includes an airport where the Thai government has based its flood task force.

The government plans to open flood gates to reroute the waters to the eastern part of the city in order to prevent the center of Bangkok from being flooded.

But the plan would raise the risk of flooding in the eastern districts.

The government earlier projected that there would be no floods in the capital. Some people are criticizing the government for its lack of foresight.

The floods in Thailand have affected about 430 Japanese-affiliated firms in the central region, which includes Ayutthaya. Thailand is a major production base for Japanese firms in Southeast Asia.

Friday, October 21, 2011 08:27 +0900 (JST)