Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt has criticised a contractor after unexpected flooding hit Udomsuk Road, a location that “should not have flooded,” during heavy rainfall over the weekend.
The flooding, which began late Saturday, September 27, and continued into the early hours of Sunday, also impacted Phra Khanong and Bang Na districts. Chadchart, joined by Deputy Governor Wisanu Subsompon and the director of the Drainage and Sewerage Department, inspected hard-hit areas, including Soi Phuengmee 50 and Udomsuk Road.
Parts of the city saw over 115 millimetres of rainfall, submerging roads and affecting residents. In Soi Phuengmee 50, the situation worsened as a bypass water project had left a pump offline. Officials responded by deploying a mobile pumping unit and opening the Khlong Kled tunnel to redirect water into nearby canals.
However, the most severe disruption occurred on Udomsuk Road, which Chadchart said usually does not flood due to its well-maintained drainage system.
Investigations revealed that a contractor cleaning the drainage pipes had placed over 300 sandbags and wooden barriers inside a culvert. These were meant to block water during cleaning temporarily, but were not removed as scheduled, blocking water flow and causing the road to flood.
“This should never have happened. It was sheer carelessness on the part of the contractor that caused residents to suffer,” Chadchart said.
He ordered city officials to enforce strict penalties and ensure similar issues do not recur, as reported by Bangkok Post.
Chadchart stayed on-site until around 3am to oversee the drainage work. By Sunday morning, Bangkok officials confirmed that floodwaters had receded across all affected areas.
Separately, Bangkok is gearing up to launch major waste management reforms under its No Mixed Waste initiative, starting October 1. The programme, aimed at reducing costs and promoting recycling, has already gained traction with over 239,000 households signed up through the BKK Waste Pay platform.
The story Bangkok governor slams contractor for Udomsuk flood as seen on Thaiger News.
