TNAG-0093-FCO40-129-Water-supplies-1968 — Page 32

10

11

G

16 SEP 1967

By Bag

Mr. Scrivener

No. 15 Saving

CONFIDENTIAL

SAVING TELEGRAM

016010

BANGKOK TO FOREIGN OFFICE

but

the

12 September, 1967

LASY

REF.

Recd 16 September, 1967

Sp

MEX

Routine

Confidential

Addressed to Hong Kong telegram No. 5 Saving of 12 September

Foreign Office 15 Repeated for information Saving to:-

(Foreign Office please pass also to Commonwealth Office for

information)

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F.O. telegram No. 683 of 24 August to Bangkok:

Water supplies,

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We shall need to know the approximate months for which this feasibility study is required. The Thais have developed reservations about Bangphra where, they now say, due to this year's drought and the need to reserve water for irrigation purposes, there is not after all a surplus available until next year's rains. Besides this a political angle has become apparent regarding use of the water at Bangphra. We are sending you by bag (as well as the water characteristic figures) a translated editorial from the Daily News of 26 August on the subject.

2. Thais have however made alternative proposition that the reservoir at Kangkrachan west of Cha-am and north of Hua Hin on the West coast of the gulf which is not yet filled to capacity will

The reservoir is 30 kms. from soon have the capacity you require. the sea but there are small canals which reach to within 3 kms. of the shore. A main problem is that the east side of the gulf is very shallow and does not reach a depth of 10 metres until 3 miles from the shore, or a depth of 20 metres until 16 miles from the shore. The Thais have said we could take water 24 hours a day (probably without charge in return for constructing some pavement or lining). The capacity of the reservoir is expected to be 70,000 cubic metres. We will shortly be checking on the capacity of the present small pumping station there, on the head of water available, and on the

The reservoir will probably terrain in relation to pipe-laying.

be filled by the end of this year but we have some doubts about this.

3.

Bangphra

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Should you decide that in spite of paragraph 1 above information on Bangphra ought still to be collected the following will be useful. At maximum storage level the reservoir is 22 metres

There would be above sea level, minimum 18 metres above sea level. two possibilities for pipe-laying.

•

1. Along the existing road from the reservoir 11⁄2 nautical miles to the shore then 5 to 6 nautical miles across the sea to a -point where the depth is 20 metres.

2. Along the, road 1 miles to the main highway then 5 miles south along the highway to Ban Ao Udon, then 2 miles over the sea to a point where the depth is 20 metres (as suggested in paragraph 4 of your telegram under reference).

soon.

The information requested in your paragraph 3 sections (b) and (e) has not yet" been made available to us, but we will get hold of it RECEIVED IN 0.L. ALARCHIVES No. 63 O.P.A

C.0.

DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION

H.K. & W.I.D. 'C' I. & G.D. News Dept.

F.O. F.E.D.

J.I.P.G.D. J.I.R.D.

CONFIDENTIAL

18 SEP 1967

br.22.9.67 (((4))

A furt telegan has

now

2074.

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