Tak dam still standing

2 Jan 2012

Despite predictions that one of Northern Thailand’s biggest dams would collapse on New Year’s Eve, it was still standing as the sun rose yesterday morning. Provincial authorities in Tak say they now plan to sue the man who started the rumour of the demise of Bhumibol Dam.

The man who publicised the claim the dam 200kms south of Chiang Mai would be destroyed by an earthquake is Thongbai Khamsi, a native of Chanthaburi Province. He says that prior to his young son’s death almost 40 years ago, the boy made several predictions about local and global catastrophes.

Before Suthas, whose nickname was Pla Bu, died prematurely of a brain tumour, he is said to have forecast that Bhumibol Dam would burst at 22:00 on 31 December 2011. He is also said to have correctly prophesied aeroplanes flying into the World Trade Center in New York and the 2004 tsunami.

After Pla Bu had foretold the disasters, his father made notes of them and took them to Chanthaburi’s Suan Sri Mahapo Temple for safekeeping. After the first predictions had come true, rumours that Bhumibol Dam would be destroyed as foretold made their way onto the internet.

As the rumour spread like wildfire and New Year’s Eve loomed closer, some local residents went to other provinces and tourists planning to visit Tak changed their itineraries. On Friday, the province’s administration boss, Songkhram Manassa, registered a complaint with the regional police force saying that the unsubstantiated rumour had damaged the local economy.

A New Year’s Eve countdown celebration was organised by the authorities to prove they had confidence in the dam. Anudith Nakornthap, a Thai government minister, led a team of dignitaries to the dam for the countdown, but most had left before the prediction would have come true.

Mr Nakornthap said that the dam had been constructed by US engineers to withstand 7.5 magnitude earthquakes. The Indonesian earthquake, which triggered the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, and the March 2011 one off the coast of Japan were both measured at 9.0.

Tags: Tak dam standing