If you’ve been feeling a little lower recently, it’s not just your imagination.
Bangkok is sinking at an alarming rate due to depletion of groundwater sources, according to a Chulalonkorn University professor.
While the city is settling at a rate of 20.1 milimeters to 28 milimeters per year, it is also losing land area due to erosion, said engineering Associate Professor Itthi Trisirisattayawong at a seminar yesterday.
In neighboring Samut Prakan the rate of settling is less than half at about 10 milimeters per annum.
The fastest sinking areas are Thepharak and Srinakarin roads, and in the western parts of Bang Phli and Bang Bo districts.
These rates have almost doubled since 10 years ago, especially in northern parts of the city, along the Rangsit-Nakhon Nayok Road and parts of Pathum Thani.
The future impact of ongoing groundwater depletion has not been studied.
Erosion also threatens Sukhumvit Road, the major roadway runing along the coast southeast of the capital. Anek Suksamran, a Samut Prakan official, predicted that the crumble could reach the road in six years.
Exploding urban growth and suburban sprawl are faulted for contributing to the drain of aquifers, which is unregulated by the government, The Nation reported.
Photo: Flickr user Jayhay
