Rapid Assessment for Resilient Recovery and ... - GFDRR

Flood events have worsened in recent years, and indications suggest this change is due to
both natural and human induced factors. Despite the substantial knowledge on hazards in
Thailand, and on flooding in particular, further analysis is required to assess the possible
changes in the hazard risk and vulnerability profile of the country. It is essential to
understand the evolving flood patterns, and the possible causes for change and their
implications, particularly if improved standards and specifications are to be applied to
housing, critical facilities and infrastructure. As part of the process, it will be relevant to
assess the possible secondary impacts of flood control structures, some of which seem to
have contributed to the drainage problems appearing in certain areas of the country.
Damage and Losses
More than 480 kilometers of river dikes (total length of existing dikes is about 960 kilometers)
were partially damaged (see images in Annex 6), and there was severe damage to the
main and secondary irrigation and drainage canals and the lower-order irrigation infrastructure
linked to the river. This includes serious siltation of the main canal and distributaries (about
969 kilometers of irrigation canals and 400 kilometers of drainage canals), breaches and
siltation of smaller canals and water courses, and destruction of hydraulic and other water
control and drainage infrastructure such as regulators, sluices and culverts. The damage,
with related losses and needs for recovery and reconstruction are summarized in Table 24.
Over 11 percent – equally roughly to 213,000 ha – of the present irrigation and drainage
areas (total about 12.2 million rai – 2 million ha) in the 26 assessed provinces has been
damaged. Indirect losses such as the disruption of irrigation supplies, siltation and waterlogging
of agricultural land, are covered in the agriculture sector in this assessment report.
Table 24: Water resources
management - damage,
losses and needs requirements
in Thai baht, millions
Disaster Impacts
Ownership
Recovery and Reconstruction Needs
Sub-sector/
Component Damage Losses Total Public Private Short term Medium term Long term
Royal Irrigation
Department
Maritime Dept.
Bangkok MA
TOTAL
7,723 7,723 7,723
242 242 242
750 750 750
8,715 8,715 8,715 2,133 9,486 31,486
Recovery and Reconstruction Requirements
Needs for reconstruction and recovery can be largely categorized into two broad categories:
technical and organizational or institutional. They are presented in these groupings
here, but listed on a timeline in Table 25 so as to show financial needs allocations for the
short, medium and long term.
Some recommendations here are similar to those in the DRM chapter and the Transport
sector chapter and coordination amongst responsible agencies will be necessary to avoid
overlap and duplication of efforts.
82 THAI FLOOD 2011 RAPID ASSESSMENT FOR RESILIENT RECOVERY AND RECONSTRUCTION PLANNING