City Hall should adopt a Japanese idea and build two underground kaem ling water retention areas as a long-term solution to better deal with flooding in Bangkok, according to the rector of a leading technological institute.
Kaem ling, which literally means "monkey cheek" in Thai, refers to water retention areas, which are already used above ground around the country to offset massive flooding. However the Japanese idea of building them underground is an interesting option, says Suchatvee Suwansawat, rector of King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang.
Bangkok has a similar terrain to some Japanese cities, so the construction technique should be applied here too, he said.
"The capital sits in a low-lying area which is two metres below sea level," Suchatvee Suwansawat said, adding some areas in Japan which are about three metres below sea level.
The use of underground water catchments there has helped solve flood problems in the long run, he told a seminar on flooding yesterday at the institute.
Mr Suchatvee said he still backed current measures here to use pumps to drain water from streets to the Chao Phraya River, but the capital should also arm itself with other flood prevention methods.
Underground kaem ling should be built in two areas to help drain water from "critical spots", he said.
"One such flood-prone location is the areas around Ploenchit. Flooding here could be relieved by constructing a kaem ling under the state-run Tobacco Authority of Thailand on nearby Rama IV Road, Mr Suchatvee suggested.
Other critical spots include Vibhavadi Rangsit, Bang Su, Phahon Yothin, as well as part of Ratchadaphisek Road. "To solve floods there, a kaem ling should be built under Chatuchak Park," he said.
A water catchment area should retain about 100,000 cubic metres of water. That requires a depth of between 15 and 20 metres, Mr Suchatvee said.
When heavy rain hits Bangkok, "water would flow into kaem ling via gravity and without pumps," he said.
It would later be drained out in the dry season, he added.
He also suggested City Hall make its pumping system and water gates to block sea water fully automatic.
