Mr. Kobchai Sungsitthisawad, Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Industry revealed that the ministry has been assigned by the Office of the Royal Thai Volunteers to improve the quality of water in Prem Prachakorn Canal on the occasion of the birthday of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn (Rama the Tenth) as the ministry possess the expertise in developing innovative solutions to help citizens, with numerous successful projects such as the mist sprayer, the machine to clean up PM2.5 particles, and the portable clean water machine.
“We have monitored the quality of water in Prem Prachakorn Canal throughout various areas in Bangkok and found that Don Mueang and Lak Si districts are the areas with the densest communities and the highest levels of wastewater, therefore, these areas are the most appropriate places for the pilot project. We have asked for cooperation from SCG, a company in the private sector, to help design and develop a system to treat wastewater before it is released into the canal. Two units of the wastewater treatment system for household use have been installed at the 8th building at the police flat at Tung Song Hong which can help treat wastewater for the community. Moreover, SCG has donated 185 grease trap tanks to the community at the police flat as well as to other homes and restaurants in Don Mueang and Lak Si districts in order to address the wastewater problem at its source. SCG has also installed four units of the floating litter trap to Don Mueang and Lak Si districts to address the problem of litter which can help clear the waterway for canal traffic as well as prevent large drainage systems from malfunctioning. This is the first time that a litter trap has been installed in a canal, furthermore, the equipment can also be removed for installation in other areas. The ministry have also organized a volunteering activity with 200 stakeholders in the area with the aim to create awareness and engage them in environmental preservation activities and sustainably encourage locals to take part in reviving Prem Prachakorn Canal,” said Mr. Kobchai.
Mr. Yuttana Jiamtrakarn, Vice President–Corporate Administration, SCG, added that “SCG is glad to have worked with the Ministry of Industry for the ‘Volunteering to Survey, Design, Source and Install Wastewater Treatment Systems in Prem Prachakorn Canal in Honour of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn, Rama the Tenth’ which aims to improve the quality of water in public waterways and key rivers in the country. This initiative is expected to address the wastewater problem and serves as a pilot project in solving wastewater issues in urban areas where homes are located on the public waterways.”
SCG has donated 1. Household Wastewater Treatment Units comprising a DIY grease trap innovation developed by SCG made from common materials which are low-cost and easy to put together that can be used to trap food scraps and separate grease from the water before releasing the water into the drainage system and a Zyclonic Wastewater Treatment System Innovation from SCG which can get rid of waste and kill bacteria in wastewater from homes and toilets using biological and electrochemical means to produce water that is free from color and odor that can be reused for watering plants or general cleaning activities. One tank of the wastewater treatment kit can be used to treat up to 600 liters of water per day. Moreover, it is small in size and easy to install and maintain while it can be connected to any building’s septic tank and wastewater tank, 2. HDPE–Bone Litter Trap from SCG to address the problem of litter in rivers and canals. The litter trap has a lid that can be opened and closed using the principle of water flow and water pressure in order to collect trash that is floating in the waterway. The structure is made from polyethylene plastic beads with UV-resistant substance to enable outdoor use. The material is strong and durable so that it can be used for a long time. While it is lightweight, the litter trap can collect as much as 700 kilograms of trash. The floating litter trap innovation was put to use for the first time in a canal near the river delta in Rayong province. For this project, the litter trap was adapted to fit the area to enable litter to be collected at a faster pace, 3. Improve the Scenery at the Tung Song Hong police flat in order to create a more beautiful and safer environment for residents by using curb stone made from leftover material form the manufacturing process in line with circular economy which encourages resources to be used to its full capacity,” said Mr. Yuttana.
Prem Prachakorn Canal spans a distance of over 50 kilometres through the areas of Bangkok and the provinces of Pathum Thani and Ayutthaya. The Ministry of Industry has organized volunteering activities to improve the quality of water in key waterways in the country, with two projects already completed. The first is the Prem Prachakorn Canal Project where there are 104 factories and one industrial park located on the canal which have wastewater treatment systems with only 23 factories releasing water into the canal. The second is the U Tapao Canal / Songkhla Lake Project which saw all factories signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to treat wastewater before releasing the water into the canal; joining the Green Industry initiative; using water according to the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle principle; and participating in training programs in the vigilant network for waterways. For 2020-2021, the ministry will be carrying out the project at Tha Chin River where many factories are located as well as at Saen Saeb Canal which is near Bang Chan Industrial Park.
