Bangkok--26 Dec--AIT
Experts from various streams suggested remedial measures and emphasized the need to learn lessons from the Thailand flood. At a seminar on "Lessons learned from the 2011 Thailand Flood Disaster and Future Directions for Flood Prevention and Mitigation," organized by the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) and ASEAN Affairs in association with the Center for Advanced Infrastructure Technology (CAIT), University of Mississippi, panelists stressed the need for knowledge sharing, capacity building, and preparedness.
Prof. Said Irandoust, President, AIT, remarked that the lessons are relevant not only for Thailand, but also for other countries in Asia and beyond. Narrating the developments leading to the flood at AIT, the President remarked that the Institute tried to utilize its own knowledge base, besides its internal and external expertise, to thwart the threat of the flood "However the forces of nature proved to be too strong," he added.
Prof. Irandoust added that AIT never stopped working despite the flood, and the Institute was one of the first institutions of higher learning to restart academic activities. "We plan to rebuild AIT as a sustainable environmentally friendly campus that will act as a showcase for the rest of the world," he added.
The AIT President added that the Institute will organise more seminars to help facilitate knowledge sharing and exchange of views. AIT will continue to help in capacity building for flood protection, and plans to be a knowledge hub for sharing data pertaining to water management.
Mr Swarup Roy, founder and CEO of ASEAN Affairs remarked that it is people who will have to act to "Save Our Planet". Stating that we need an Arab Spring to save the planet, he stated that the issue has to be resolved by the power of the people. He quoted the prominent scientist Dr Art-ong Jumsai Na Ayudhya who had predicted that Bangkok would be underwater in his lifetime. We have poisoned the air, water and earth, and we are doing awful things to the three awesome elements that sustain life, he added.
Dr. Pornsak Suppataratarn, Technical Advisor (Flood Control Expert) TEAM Group of Company presented a simulation on the flow of flood waters in Thailand. He remarked that though the rainy season in Thailand is from May to October, 80 per cent of rainfall occurs between August to October.
He presented flood mitigation concepts, along with both short-term plans and long-term measures to thwart any further flood disaster in Thailand. Repairing of damage, flood control facility, and strengthening of dykes were listed as important short-term plans by Dr. Pornsak. He suggested that a Ring Road project created with an investment of 300,000 million Baht could emerge as a major flood protection measure in Thailand.
Dr. Masahiko Nagai, Associate Director, Geoinformatic Center (GIC), AIT elaborated on the work done during the flood in Thailand. He remarked that immediately after the declaration of the International Disaster Charter, AIT's GIC produced satellite images and shared them with various agencies in Thailand as well as globally. AIT's students, including doctoral students were involved in producing these images, he added. Dr. Nagai, who was also project manager during the International Disaster Charter activated during the tsunami in Japan earlier in March 2011, is now producing maps based on satellite imagery following the flash flood in the Philippines.
Dr Waheed Uddin, Professor of Civil Engineering and Director, CAIT, University of Mississippi, USA. and AIT alumnus (1975) remarked that the Early Warning System (EWS) in US had helped create a system where the number of fatalities following natural disasters like flood had reduced dramatically. Dr. Waheed added that communities have to be prepared for natural disasters, and there is a need to rely on social media to help communicate with each other. He stressed the need to investigate the cost of human trauma following a disaster. He also made a detailed presentation on the use of LIDAR as a technology for flood disaster prevention and infrastructure planning.
Photo shows AIT President Said Irandoust giving an address. Also in the photo are from left: Dr Waheed Uddin, Mr Swarup Roy, Dr. Pornsak Suppataratarn, and Dr. Masahiko Nagai.