ミャンマー滞在～Part4(3/12-3/18)～

ミンガラーバー、ヨネシンです！
ミャンマー生活もいよいよ後半に入りました。

しばらく調査などが続いたので、比較的のんびり過ごしました。
と同時に生産技術研究所でのポスター発表の準備などをしておりました。（イベントには参加できていませんが展示は行いました）



ところで、私の部屋には全くと言っていいほど設備がないと申し上げましたが、
当然洗濯機はありません。
といってもちゃんと洗濯してましたよ。
ちゃんと、洗濯屋があるのです！！

ランドリーサービス（と言えば聞こえがよい）

一着あたり１００チャット（10円）で洗濯できます。
ためた水をつかって、おばちゃんがゴシゴシやってくれます。（若干Tシャツ伸びました。）


また、運動不足解消のため近所のジムにも行きました。
一か月20000チャット（2000円）で筋トレし放題です。めちゃくちゃ安くもないですね。

そのオーナーがこの方。

ミャンマー最強の男

ミャンマー全土のチャンピオンです。
後ろの壁の写真で表彰台に乗っている人と同じです。
ジムを２つ経営しているばかりではなく、弁護士でもあるそうです。超人ですね。


さて、休日を利用してバガンに行きました。
日本でいう京都、奈良みたいなところですね。高速バスで9時間ぐらいかかりました。

途中SAみたいなところで休憩もあります。

意外としっかりしているサービスエリア

レストランで軽食を。ミャンマーの麺は本当に美味しいです。カレーは脂っこいですが、麺はあっさりしていて朝食にもってこいです。

ミーシャイという太麺

バガンで、またも友人と合流し観光しました。入域料として25ドルもとられましたが、去年はもっと安かったと記憶しています。

なんとかパヤーの仏像

電動バイクを借りて走り回ってました。

ヤンゴンに戻ってからは動物園、シュエダゴンパヤーなどを見物しました。

 Yangon Zoological gardenは家族連れなどでにぎわっていました。

くま

 ヤンゴンいちの見どころであるシュエダゴンパヤー（パゴダ）は入るだけで8ドル（外国人のみ）とられるのがつらいところです。

ライトアップしたシュエダゴンパヤー

19日からの調査に備えてよいリフレッシュとなりました。
それではPart5をお楽しみに～～！！

ミャンマー滞在～Part3(3/4-3/11)～

ネェカウンラー、ヨネシンです。
Part3書いていきますよ～
ミャンマー到着から2週間経ち、ある程度生活にも慣れてきたところです。
と、同時にミャンマー料理にも飽きてきたころです。

そのころ、日本から遊びに来てくれた人たちがいました。社会基盤学科の優秀な同期3人が来てくれました。

はるばるやってきた友人

当ブログでもおなじみのミカイ君も来ました。ミャンマーのほかにタイ、ブータンにも行ったそうです。

寺で昼寝するミカイ

それまで何かと動きっぱなしだったので良い気分転換になりました。

そのころ川崎先生、慶應の神武先生、白井さんもミャンマーに到着。

私は再びバゴー調査に同行しました。

BRDC（Bago Region Development Committee)を訪れ、その後市内の集落を歩きました。

BRDCオフィス

バゴー川左岸の堤防

バゴー川には左岸にのみ堤防があります。というのも、昔は左岸にしか人が住んでいなかったのですが、人口増加により右岸にも人が住み始めました。当然、主に洪水被害を受けるのは右岸側です。王宮や著名な仏塔といったものは左岸にあります。

バゴー近郊のThanatpin村やKawa村でも、現地農民に聞き取り調査を行いました。

バゴーシッタン運河沿いの住民

Kawa村の集会所にて

洪水に関する彼らの懸念は、第一に作物が無事かどうかのようです。
最初は「オラのムラになにしきた」的な雰囲気を感じましたが、話をするうちに打ち解け、昼食をご馳走してもらいました。またいつか来ることになるかもしれません。

のどかなところです

3月10日にはYTUにてワークショップが開かれました。将来の早期警報システムについて議論が交わされました。
はじめに、グループ別のディスカッションをする流れになるはずが・・・

U Mint Soe氏

「簡単だし一人でできるよ！」

という展開に。

ですが、参加者の皆さんは非常に熱心でたくさんの話を聞くことができました。

僕自身も、発表をする機会を頂き、いくつかのフィードバックを頂きました。

とても有意義な時間を過ごせました。

川崎先生たちはこの日に帰られました。

おまけ

次の日、目黒先生ご一行もミャンマーにいらっしゃったので夕食に連れて行っていただきました。

高級シャン料理の店でした。

目黒先生

ごちそうさまでした！

こういうのもミャンマーならではの出会いですね！


それではまた次回～～！！

Post-installation Discussion for Zaung Tu Weir AWS Operation, Management and Maintenance – 22-23 February 2016

Initially, the post-installation discussion was planned to be held at Yangon Technological University with the other stakeholder members on 23^rd of February, 2016. However, this was held directly after the installation of the observation system at Zaung Tu Weir. The post-installation discussion was held at Irrigation Technology Centre (ITC) on 22^nd of February 2016. Discussion was led by University of Tokyo (UTokyo) group led by Dr. Akiyuki Kawasaki and representatives from Yangon Technological University (YTU), Irrigation Department (ID), Department of Hydropower Planning Implementation (DHPI), and Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH). 

Important discussion points were the operation and management of equipment, maintenance of equipment and responsibility, data retrieval and management among stakeholder members for the newly installed observation system. In addition, the issue on YTU server due to some technical problems. Currently, the request for addressing the technical problems with Internet Service Provider of YTU is being prepared. Furthermore, similar issues where discussed for future installation of 4 weather stations and 2-3 water level stations in Bago River Basin was also discussed among the group. Practical and technical issues of the selected areas where installation was planned were also discussed. Preparation of the selected site for installation and related budget concerns were also discussed and plan of action was proposed to deal with issues. 

Related to the discussion on the establishment of YTU server for the telemetry system, UTokyo group led by Dr. Kawasaki discussed with IT officer in YTU on how to address the current issue can be addressed. The meeting was held on February 23, 2016. Plan of action was established during the meeting and request is being prepared to address the issues. A brief tour of the current YTU server (figure above) was also done after the meeting.

Installation of Automatic Weather Station (AWS) at Zaung Tu Weir – 22 February 2016

The installation of the equipment was done by the University of Tokyo (UTokyo) group led by Mr. Akira Kodaka, Dr. Ralph Allen Acierto, Dr. Akiyuki Kawasaki, Dr. Komori of Tohoku University, JICA coordinator Mr. Okazaki and representatives from Yangon Technological University (YTU), Irrigation Department (ID), Department of Hydropower Implementation (DHPI), and Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH) as shown in Figure 1. 

Figure 1. Weather Observation Installation Group (UTokyo, YTU, ID, DHPI) at Zaung Tu Weir

The fencing of the area and the stainless steel pole was managed and implemented by members of the Irrigation Department. Figure 2 shows the pre-installation situation of the fenced area where the observation system was installed. The installation of automatic weather station equipment for Zaung Tu Weir was started at 9:00am in the morning.  

Figure 2. Pre-installation image of fenced area for the Weather Observation Station at Zaung Tu Weir

Figure 3. Left Image show assembling the Solar Panel mounting support attached to the stainless steel pole. Right image show assembling of the weather sensor equipment and enclosure

The installation started by assembling the mounting of solar panel to be attached to the steel pole as shown in left image of Figure 3. Simultaneously, another group was putting together the weather sensor assembly (weather sensor and included pole holding the sensor) as shown in right image of Figure 3. Figure 4 shows the attachment of the solar panel to the mount support being done by the members of installation team. Left image of Figure 5 shows the attachment enclosure holding the data logger, modem, battery, and other appurtenances.

Figure 4. Attachment of Solar Panel to mount support attached to the stainless steel pole

Figure 5. Attachment of box enclosure (includes data logger, battery, charging regulator, modem, and other appurtenances) and weather sensor assembly to the stainless steel pole

Middle and right image shows the attachment of the weather sensor assembly to the stainless steel pole. The observation equipment was assembled after 2-3hours as shown in Figure 6 before getting a quick break from intense heat under the sun. 

Figure 6. Final checking of the connection of solar panel to the charging regulator and of weather sensor to the data logger

Around 12:30, final checking of equipment and demonstration was also done by Mr. Akira Kodaka as shown in Figure 7. Figure 8 shows the on-site data retrieval demonstration and hands-on practice by representatives of the installation group.

Figure 7. Connecting the data logger to the computer to set-up and check if weather sensor was already operational

Figure 8. Post-Installation check and data retrieval demonstration from the observation system

Figure 9 shows the installed weather observation system in fenced area on the left side area of Zaung Tu Weir facing downstream.

Figure 9. Weather Observation System installed in Zaung Tu Weir

Observation System Lecture and Equipment Check at Irrigation Technology Centre (ITC) of Irrigation Department (ID) – 21 February 2016

The lecture on the installation of automatic weather station equipment for Zaungtu Weir was held at Irrigation Technology Centre (ITC) as coordinated with Irrigation Department (ID) counterparts. The lecture was initiated and given by the University of Tokyo (UTokyo) group led by Dr. Akiyuki Kawasaki, Mr. Akira Kodaka, and Dr. Ralph Allen Acierto with great contribution from Dr. Komori of Tohoku University. This was attended by JICA coordinator Mr. Okazaki and representatives from Yangon Technological Institute (YTU), Irrigation Department (ID), Department of Hydropower Implementation (DHPI), and Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH). The list of participants were as shown in table below.

Figure 1. Pre-installation lecture on equipment at ITC seminar room

Name	Department	Designation
U Oo Kyaw Aye	DHPI	Staff Officer (Civil)
Dr. Aung Than Oo	ID	Assistant Director (Civil)
Dr. Zaw Zaw Latt	ID	Staff Officer
Dr. Zin Mar Lar Tin San	YTU	Associate Professor
Daw Khin Si Si Hlaing	ID	Staff Officer
U San Win Naing	ID	Staff Officer
U Thet Wai Tun	ID	Staff Officer
U Htet Phyoe Lin	ID	Staff Officer
Daw Moh Moh San	ID	SAE
Daw Phyu Hnin Su	ID	SAE
Daw Shwe Pyi Tan	ID	ES
Daw Aye Aye Than	ID	SSAE
Ma Kya Kyu Thin	YTU	PhD Student
Ma Su Wai Thin	YTU	ME Student
Ma Shelly Win	YTU	PhD Student
U Thaung Htike	DHPI	ES
U Kyaw Win Hlaing	DHPI	SSAE
U Than Kyaw	DMH	Staff Officer
Daw Khon Ra	ID	Director
Dr. Win Win Zin	YTU	Associate Professor
Mr. Shin Yonehara	UTokyo	Undergraduate Student

The lecture was divided into two main parts. First part dealt with presentations from the UTokyo members in introducing the observation system for the SATREPS project and past experience on observation and telemetry system by Dr. Komori from Tohoku University. Second part dealt with hands-on introduction of the components of observation system to be installed the next day at Zaung Tu Weir as shown in Figure 2. Practical considerations for the installation and management of the observation system was also briefly discussed. 

Figure 2. Hands-on Lecture on Equipment showing members of the stakeholders having first-hand experience on the equipment

Preliminary Survey of Potential Observation Site at Zaung Tu Dam – 20 February 2016

The initial survey for checking potential observation site at the Zaung Tu Dam was participated by University of Tokyo (UTokyo) members Mr. Akira Kodaka, Dr. Ralph Allen Acierto, and Mr. Shin Yonehara. The group also joined by three member of Department of Hydropower Planning Implementation. Mr. Oo Kyaw Aye (Staff Officer, Civil) was from the Investigation Branch, while Mr. Kyaw Win Hlaing and Mr. Thaung Htike was from the Maintenance Branch. The group left the accommodation at 6:30am using a 4-wheel-drive (4WD) vehicle due to the rough terrain going to Zaung Tu Dam. Zaung Tu dam is accessible during the dry season through the roads for almost 4hours (one-way) drive using a 4WD vehicle. However, during the rainy season the area is accessible primarily through using a pump engine boat along the Bago River. The travel time during rainy season would take at least 7hours one-way from Zaung Tu Weir according to the DHPI and Department of Hydropower Generation Enterprise (DHGE) officers. This is compared to around 3-4hours drive on dry season from Zaung Tu Weir. The members of DHPI and Mr. De Par Aung (plant manager, DHGE officer) were kind enough to give a tour around the facilities in Zaung Tu Dam. Figure 1 shows the powerhouse of the Zaung Tu Dam that has a 20MW capacity using two hydropower turbines.

Figure 1. Powerhouse (middle image) of Zaung Tu Dam including the outlet (left image) of turbine and top view of the two generators(right image) inside the powerhouse

Currently, manual observation of rainfall and water level are being managed by the members of DHPI maintenance branch. Figure 2 shows the rain gauge used for manual observation of at least 3 times in a day. Observation is done at 6:00am, 12:00nn, and 6pm in local time.

Figure 2. Location of Current Manual Rainfall Observation (rain gauge) at Zaung Tu Dam downstream

The initial survey was done to check potential sites for the future installation of weather observation system at Zaung Tu dam. Several sites were selected and considered near the powerhouse area due to a relatively flat area and less number of trees.  Figures 3 to 7 shows the other dam facilities such as intake structure, spillway, and embankment.

Figure 3. Left image shows the Powerhouse and Switchyard. Right image shows the Intake Structure at the Zaung Tu Dam Reservoir

Figure 4. Intake Structure Tour by DHPI and DHGE members to UTokyo members

Figure 5. Spillway Structure of Zaung Tu Dam showing upstream side (left) and roadway ontop of spillway (right)

Figure 6. Spillway Structure of Zaung Tu Dam showing the downstream side

Figure 7. Embankment of Zaung Tu Dam showing the main embankment (left) and left flank embankment (right)