BANGKOK, Thailand – The Cabinet has approved the Royal Irrigation Department’s Chai Nat–Pa Sak–Gulf of Thailand Flood Diversion Canal Project, scheduled for implementation from 2027 to 2034. The project is one of nine programs under the Lower Chao Phraya River Basin Flood Mitigation Master Plan and has received approval from the National Water Resources Committee and the National Environment Board for its Environmental Impact Assessment.
RID Director-General Wittaya Kaewmee said the project will increase drainage capacity from upstream of the Chao Phraya Dam toward the sea from about 210 to 930 cubic meters per second, an increase of approximately 720 cubic meters per second. The increased capacity allows larger volumes of water to be diverted during periods of high inflows across the Chao Phraya River Basin.
Once completed, the project is expected to reduce the area affected by flooding by about 3.48 million rai, limiting impacts on communities, farmland, and economic areas. The system will also retain more than 155.77 million cubic meters of water for use during the dry season, providing additional supplies for households and agriculture.
The RID is also accelerating the Bang Ban–Bang Sai Flood Diversion Canal Project, with completion targeted for 2030. The canal will connect with the wider drainage network and help reduce flooding in key economic areas of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya. Following Cabinet approval, the RID will proceed with the Chai Nat–Pa Sak–Gulf project in coordination with relevant agencies. (NNT)
