Visit to the Pumping Station

Suvarnabhumi Pumping Station: Late in the afternoon on Tuesday 11th October 2011, Mr. Cherdsak Choosri, the Governor of Samut Prakan Province, visited the Suvarnabhumi Irrigation Canal Pumping Station in Bang Pu District. A situation had been reported of floating vegetation and logs that were slowing down the pumping of floodwater out to sea. On a good day, the pumping station is able to drain 8 million cubic meters of water out to sea. Even at high tide. But, on Tuesday afternoon the pumps were quiet as rubbish and vegetation had to be cleared first. This irrigation canal is important as it drains the canals from around Suvarnabhumi Airport. When we went back on Thursday 13th October we found that the situation had been resolved and that 3 out of the 4 pumps were working. These pumps are working 24 hours a day and so at least one pump needs to turned off in order to cool down. At the pumping station we found that inmates from the Samut Prakan Central Prison were being used to help keep the irrigation clear.