Factors influencing the sustainable flood prevention in Bangkok, Thailand

Abstract

This objective of this research is to study 1) Level of flood management policy, flood problem management, readiness of agencies, cooperation among government sector, private sector, community, and sustainable flood prevention in Bangkok, 2) Influence of flood management policy, flood problem management, readiness of agencies, cooperation among government sector, private sector, community, and sustainable flood prevention in Bangkok, and 3) Sustainable flood prevention approaches in Bangkok. This research used the mixed methods of quantitative and qualitative research. Regarding the quantitative research, the sample group consisted of a total of 320 people living in the Bangkok Metropolitan Area affected by the flood disaster in the year 2011. The data was collected using questionnaires and was analyzed by a structural equation model. For qualitative research, the in-depth interviews were conducted on 21 key informants. The research results revealed that 1) The flood management policy, flood problem management, readiness of agencies, cooperation among government sector, private sector, community, and sustainable flood prevention in Bangkok were at the high level. 2) The flood management policy had the most overall influence on the sustainable flood prevention in Bangkok followed by the cooperation among government sector, private sector, community, readiness of agencies, and flood management, respectively. 3) The approaches for sustainable flood prevention in Bangkok are (3.1) To improve relevant regulations to facilitate the operations, (3.2) To decentralize the management power to local agencies, (3.3) To integrate the cooperation among various units to be in the same direction and, (3.4) To improve the city plan in accordance with the current drainage guidelines