BANGKOK 2 October, 2011 (NNT) – The unprecedented flooding is estimated to cost Chiang Mai eight billion THB in losses.

Mr Boonlert Buranupakorn, President of Chiang Mai Provincial Organization disclosed through a video conference that the damage caused by the current flooding was worse than that brought on by the flooding in 2005 which cost the province five billion THB.

Boonlert proposed that water retention systems be built in the royally-initiated Monkey Cheek model in districts where the Ping River passes to solve flood problems in the long term. Construction of the water retention system should start from Mae Taeng district first, and extending to Chiang Dao and Mae Rim districts.

The project, which is expected to retain as much as 10 million cubic meters of water and delay floods for four to five hours, requires a budget of 255 million THB.

Mr. Boonlert suggested that 100,000 check dams also be built to prevent mudslides in the future. If approved, the project may be funded by the Provincial Administrative Organization’s budget first.

National News Bureau of Thailand