WEM Students Explore Thailand’s Leading Water Management Sites
On September 30, 2024, students from the Water Engineering and Management (WEM) program at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) had the opportunity to visit two of Thailand’s most significant water management sites: the Royal-Initiated Khlong Lad Pho Floodgate Project and the Hydro-Informatics Institute (HII). The field trip provided students with first-hand insights into advanced water management systems and offered practical knowledge to complement their academic studies.
The day began with a visit to the Royal-Initiated Khlong Lad Pho Floodgate Project in Samut Prakan Province. This critical infrastructure plays a vital role in controlling floodwaters in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region by accelerating water drainage from northern areas into the sea. The floodgate operates in two distinct phases: managing overflow during the rainy and flood seasons and maintaining water balance during the dry season. This innovative solution showcases Thailand’s proactive approach to flood management, and the students gained valuable insights into how large-scale infrastructure mitigates flood risks in urban areas
In the afternoon, the students visited the Hydro-Informatics Institute (HII) in Bangkok, a leading public organization dedicated to water resource management. HII introduced the students to cutting-edge technologies used to monitor and manage water systems. They explored automated telemetry stations that monitor weather and rainfall, a Big Data platform for analyzing water-related data, and high-performance computing facilities used for processing complex water resource information. HII’s data-driven approaches enhance Thailand’s national water management capabilities.
This field trip provided WEM students with invaluable hands-on learning and a deeper understanding of real-world water resource management. AIT and the WEM program extend their sincere thanks to the Royal-Initiated Khlong Lad Pho Floodgate Project and the Hydro-Informatics Institute (HII) for their warm hospitality and knowledge sharing. These experiences empower students to tackle global water challenges with innovative solutions.
