BANGKOK (AP) -- The Thai capital needs 1.2 million sandbags to construct a 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) wall within 48 hours to keep encroaching floods from swamping into the city, Bangkok's governor said Monday night.
"Every second counts," said Sukhumbhand Paribatra, whose call for city residents not to let down their guard posed a contrast to government statements in the morning that the flood threat to Bangkok appeared to be easing.
Sukhumbhand said barriers had to be built up at several canals carrying overflow water from Pathum Thani province just north of Bangkok, where soldiers joined volunteers in trying to save the country's oldest industrial estate from being inundated.
Relentless monsoon rains that began in late July have affected two-thirds of the country, drowning agricultural land, swamping hundreds of factories and swallowing low-lying villages along the way. The nationwide death toll has risen rose to 307, mostly from drowning. (33 images)
"Every second counts," said Sukhumbhand Paribatra, whose call for city residents not to let down their guard posed a contrast to government statements in the morning that the flood threat to Bangkok appeared to be easing.
Sukhumbhand said barriers had to be built up at several canals carrying overflow water from Pathum Thani province just north of Bangkok, where soldiers joined volunteers in trying to save the country's oldest industrial estate from being inundated.
Relentless monsoon rains that began in late July have affected two-thirds of the country, drowning agricultural land, swamping hundreds of factories and swallowing low-lying villages along the way. The nationwide death toll has risen rose to 307, mostly from drowning. (33 images)
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Vehicles at a Honda car factory submerge in floodwaters in the Rojana industrial district in Ayutthaya province, central Thailand, Sunday, Oct. 16, 2011. AP / Sakchai Lalit
A Thai flood victim on a raft uses a paddle to collect relief supplies dropped from a Thai military helicopter in Pathum Thani province, north of Bangkok, Thailand, on Monday Oct. 17, 2011. AP / Sakchai Lalit
Thai workers run in panic after they were told to evacuate as water started to break through the makeshift barriers made of sand bags at Nawa Nakhon industrial estate on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, Oct. 17, 2011. AP / Apichart Weerawong
Being assisted by Thai soldiers residents grip a rope as they cross a flooded street on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, Oct. 17, 2011. AP / Apichart Weerawong
Motorists park their vehicles on a freeway where they thought safer from floods in Pathum Thani province, north of Bangkok, Thailand, on Monday Oct. 17, 2011. AP / Sakchai Lalit
A Thai military helicopter drops relief supplies to flood victims in Pathum Thani province, north of Bangkok, Thailand, on Monday Oct. 17, 2011. AP / Sakchai Lalit
Thai residents collect relief supplies dropped from a Thai military helicopter in Pathum Thani province, north of Bangkok, Thailand, on Monday Oct. 17, 2011. AP / Sakchai Lalit
A Buddhist temple is surrounded by floodwaters in Pathum Thani province, north of Bangkok, Thailand, on Monday Oct. 17, 2011. AP / Sakchai Lalit
A mosque, center, is submerged by floodwaters in Pathum Thani province, north of Bangkok, Thailand, on Monday Oct. 17, 2011. AP / Sakchai Lalit
Buildinga are surrounded by floodwaters in Pathum Thani province, north of Bangkok, Thailand, on Monday Oct. 17, 2011. AP / Sakchai Lalit
Motorists park their vehicles on a freeway where they thought safer from floods in Pathum Thani province, north of Bangkok, Thailand, on Monday Oct. 17, 2011. AP / Sakchai Lalit
Houses and fields are inundated in Pathum Thani province, north of Bangkok ,Thailand, Monday, Oct. 17, 2011. AP / Sakchai Lalit
Motorists park their vehicles on a freeway where they thought safer from floods in Pathum Thani province, north of Bangkok, Thailand, on Monday Oct. 17, 2011. AP / Sakchai Lalit
Thai workers make their way on a flyover above a heavy traffic jam when they were ordered to evacuate when water started to break through makeshift barriers in to Nawa Nakhon industrial estate on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand Monday, Oct. 17, 2011. AP / Apichart Weerawong
Factory workers and soldiers make sand bags to build floods barriers at Nawa Nakhon industrial estate on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand Monday, Oct. 17, 2011. AP / Apichart Weerawong
Factory workers join hands in stacking sand bags to make floods barriers at Nawa Nakhon industrial estate on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand Monday, Oct. 17, 2011. AP / Apichart Weerawong
Thai workers join hands in fixing the makeshift barriers made of sand bags as water started to leak through it at Nawa Nakhon industrial estate on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand Monday, Oct. 17, 2011. AP / Apichart Weerawong
Factory workers join hands in stacking sand bags to make floods barriers at Nawa Nakhon industrial estate on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand Monday, Oct. 17, 2011. AP / Apichart Weerawong
Factory workers and soldiers join hands in making sand bags to build floods barriers at Nawa Nakhon industrial estate on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand Monday, Oct. 17, 2011. AP / Apichart Weerawong
Factory workers form lines to fix the makeshift barriers made of sand bags as water started to leak through it at Nawa Nakhon industrial estate on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand Monday, Oct. 17, 2011. AP / Apichart Weerawong
Vehicles at a Honda car factory are seen by floodwaters in the Rojana industrial district in Ayutthaya province, central Thailand, Sunday, Oct. 16, 2011. AP / Sakchai Lalit
Floodwaters inundate a Buddhist temple in Ayutthaya province, central Thailand Sunday, Oct. 16, 2011. AP / Sakchai Lalit
A factory in the Rojana industrial district soaks in floodwaters in Ayutthaya province, central Thailand, Sunday, Oct. 16, 2011. AP / Sakchai Lalit
Wat Mahathatu temple is surrounded by floodwaters in Ayutthaya province, central Thailand, Sunday, Oct. 16, 2011. AP / Sakchai Lalit
Residents wade through the floodwaters in Ayutthaya province, central Thailand Sunday, Oct. 16, 2011. AP / Apichart Weerawong
Residents swim in the flooded road in Ayutthaya province, central Thailand Sunday, Oct. 16, 2011. AP / Apichart Weerawong
An official for an expressway checks for the level of floodwaters on a closed-down part of the highway on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand Sunday, Oct. 16, 2011. AP / Apichart Weerawong
Factory workers join hands in stacking sandbags to make flood barriers at Nawa Nakorn industrial district on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand Sunday, Oct. 16, 2011. AP / Str
A man drains flooded water from his ice sales shop nearby Chaophraya River in Bangkok, Thailand Sunday, Oct. 16, 2011. AP / Sakchai Lalit
Residents suffering from floods gather at the gate to a mosque in Ayutthaya province, central Thailand Sunday, Oct. 16, 2011. AP / Apichart Weerawong
A Thai villager pulls her boat with her dog through floodwaters in Pak Kred district in Nonthaburi province, Thailand, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011. AP / Sakchai Lalit
Thai villagers wade through floodwaters in Pak Kred district in Nonthaburi province, Thailand Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011. AP / Sakchai Lalit
A giant Buddha statue sits amidst the floods in Ayutthaya province, central Thailand Saurday, Oct. 15, 2011. AP /
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