alexakap

If the river and the canals aren't helping, what can anyone do?

The water is moving SLOWLY flowing to the south. You can break down the flood walls, and it will still move SLOWLY to the south. It isn't being "kept" on the north side. There is a hell of a lot of water, and it is moving slowly.

Don't explain to me abot how and where the water flows: it is my 2nd week of being soaked at Pathumthani, and it flows right through my corridor.

Once again: you have no idea how MUCH and how FAST those waters are. I do.

PS: and it IS being kept here. Go and see the CLOSED watergates at Klong Prapa (protecting the lower areas such as ChaengWattana and so on). Those are shut, man. And at my house I got around 1.5-1.8m of water then (Im higher that thi watergate),

PPS: and the water (here) flows NOT no Bangkok - not to south. It flows (here) from east to west, bypassing Klong prapa (which leads north to south but shut).

Hold on, I'll search the pic for you...

Here it is: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=76234

(download a huge res to get the whole picture of the problem)

Unfortunately, I don't think authorities have much choice here: they're trying to contain the flood in the zones already flooded while evacuating as much water as they can through the sea. Maybe they could drain it even faster by pushing more on the capacity of the canals. I'm no hydrologist. But I'm convinced that "spreading" the problem would just make things worse.

But keeping water on north side (as it is now) is also dangerous: the water MUST flow to South, and more you block it now - more will flow tomorrow.

But that WILL flow (as a spice melange, yeah.

Seems whatever you do - you'll fail....We ppl cant play Gods well.

The river isn't blocked. It is still flowing. Some of the canals are also flowing, but in a controlled manner (except for the one forced open by locals ofcourse).

Once again: SEE THE MAP.

The river NOT helping here, nor canals. You can't emprty your swimming pool with a teaspoon, I am sorry.

It is a HUGEEEEEE volume of water going down everywhere (out of the river's basin).

Hold on, I'll search the pic for you...

Unfortunately, I don't think authorities have much choice here: they're trying to contain the flood in the zones already flooded while evacuating as much water as they can through the sea. Maybe they could drain it even faster by pushing more on the capacity of the canals. I'm no hydrologist. But I'm convinced that "spreading" the problem would just make things worse.

But keeping water on north side (as it is now) is also dangerous: the water MUST flow to South, and more you block it now - more will flow tomorrow.

But that WILL flow (as a spice melange, yeah.

Seems whatever you do - you'll fail....We ppl cant play Gods well.

"We have limited numbers of army vehicles and boats and we cannot go into every street and hand out food and water three times a day," he said.

This is exactly why they can't afford to let the flooding to extend to a lot more districts in Bangkok. While it might (very hypothetically) reduce the height of water in the already flooded zones, it will spread even more thinly the resources they have for rescue. It's probably much easier to handle a limited perimeter of high level flooding than a larger perimeter of medium level.

Spread evening is good. So everyone get 10 to 15 cm of water. Rather than having some poor farmers take 2m deep water by themselves.

Also, most people in central BKK live in condos. 10 to 15 cm of water won't even hit their lobby.

...and how did you get those "10-15cm" per Bkk?

Bkk is just a small dot on the map. And you seems have no idea HOW MUCH water is waiting up there, right on DonMueang...This "dot on the map" WILL BE FLOODED without any noticeable level drops in the already flooded arres (read: the deepness will be somehow equal to the already flooded areas). And now have an educational drive to Don Mueang...

"I have never said there would be no more water in Bangkok,

+

Bangkok is safe! - PM

Goddamned liar.

the canals IN BKK are for city drainage and have to be pumped out to sea to remove water, or the flood gates to the North can be opened to the river if it is low. During heavy rain periods

the pumps are at full capacity.

When the rain stopped/slowed, BMA partially opened the flood gates to allow in as much water as the pumps could remove. There was absolutely no point in opening them further and flooding large urban/suburban areas - the pumps can't pump any more and there is nowhere for it to flow to. Since FROC "took over" exactly the same policy has been followed.

That was exactly as being happened NOW in DonMueang/SaiNoi area. The gates were just opened in full - w/o any control.

"Absolutely no point", yeah....say it to those being affected (incl.me myself).

Nearly 3 out of 4 Bangkokians says govt help for flood victims not sufficient in all areas: Poll

Is this a Bangkokian opinion on the govt help for the entire country over the past 3-4 months or just an opinion peculiar to Bangkok and it's whole 3-4 days of flood drama?

Shall we compare 1sq.km of upcountry rice fields with 1sq.qm of inner Bangkok - in terms of importance, possible losses (as a result of wealth of the residents/businesses) and interfering to the country's recovery speed in the nearest future?

Just a question, not a flame you know.

Flooding upcountry IS the disaster, yes. People died there, same ppl as in Bkk. And every piece of land IS important and must be under close watch, yes

But try to watch to tomorrow: will the complete flooding of, say, Kon Kaen comparable to the complete flooding of Bangkok, and how long the country will recover in both cases?

As for me myself, I found that common Thai ppl were/are much, MUCH helpful in this situation then the govt officials.

More than a week with waters, I hardly see ANY govt support or even ANYONE in sight.

All they did is daily flying around on their white helicopters over submerged moobaans, and that's it.

They better provide that helicopter's fuel to those who need emergency evacuations or something...

And Thai Royal Army was also helpful - they organized shuttle cars (big khaki army cars) in the affected areas for those who wanna leave, and soldiers were somehow not smiling - but yet helpful.

Govt officials? Haven't seen any in sight since the whole story turned to be the disaster. Even common police are gone from their boots/police stations. A looter's paradise!

Just to repeat, the mass of water is an immediate concern. You may rather have 50cm for a month, but some already have a meter for weeks and probably will stay with it for another few weeks. Some out there will have water running through the living room for MONTHS. Unless you have experienced that don't even try to be superfluously sympathetic

Correct.

And please mind that flooding is NOT something pleasant like you have now at your dry house plus some water on the floor. Imagine the reality:

1. First thing you'll notice is tap water shortage, when floodwater comes to pumps at your g-floor. READ: no shower, NO toilet wash, NO drinking water (even if you have purifier).

2. Second thing is electricity: it will be off. Don't believe those officials from BMA said that the electricity will stay - they have no idea what are they talking about. The first second floodwater lick the someone's plugs (those might be not your ones - but any Somchai's ones at the g-floor, or just a old cable with damaged isolation somewhere on the ground) - will be the second where main breakers will switch your building off. And they can't be turn ON while the shortcut is still there. READ: no lights, NO aircon, NO computer/internet, NO waterpump (if you have private house), NO charging for mobiles/notebooks - you'll be unable to make even emergency call!!! And you can't even run to your neighbours as they'll have very same situation...

3. The floodwater coming is not a clean water as at your nearest swimming pool. The coming one is a BAD water, full of BS. Completely black in color (seems like someone just mixed the charcoal powder in the water). It has bad smell, itchy when touching your skin, and has some chemicals dissolved on it (it has passed NavaNakorn ind.est., don't forget). You can't drink this liquid even after long boiling.

4. The water comes fast. SO fast. And the first entry to your house it will make NOT through your frontdoors barricaded with hundreds of sandbags - no....it will strike you from behind: from your toilet/bathroom (and all your recent shit wil flow to your corridor, BTW). Remember those water holes at the floor? Keep your eyes on'em.

The water can reach 1.5m deep just within 30min, as it was on my house.

5. And there will be NO food for you - NO common Lotus/BigC shoppings (no elecric for them -> closed), NO 7/11, NO local markets (submerged) and NO even mama/papa shops and/or walking vendors. NOONE. But you'll be able to have fishing at your g/floor, and make some fries if you have gas tank and portable gas stove....Have you?

5. And THEN there will be night. Dark night with NO aircon, NO elecric, NO water, NO toilets, NO TV/internet/bashing th govt here at thaivisa, VERY hot and VERY humid night, and only strange sounds "Blurrrppp......blurrrrrrp...." will be heard in the dark. And there will be the very looooong night for you, believe me....And there will be other ones....

AND NO COLD BEER to cover the stress!!!!!!!!!

Greets from 1.5m sinked Pathumthani (ohh, dried as a bone Thonburi - as I abandoned my house yesterday due to all said above). I stand that for more than a week, but finally my wife got mad about this all. I can stand waters (as I have trainings while in da army), but I can't stand furyous girl longer than an hour...

Saw this pic, taken 25/10/11, of the Thammasat University Rangsit Campus evacuation shelter at Pathumthani, on another forum:

Very, VERY similar to my house (being abandoned now - see above). High black waters + junk, but yet electricity is available.

PS: Im living in sight of this Thammasat. Just 10-15 min of driving. The situation is even badly than this - the water is STILL rising, as per today's morning. And it is rising FAST.(say, 1cm/hour).

Today I had to abandon my house as that was COMPLETELY sinked:

1. The water level had reached to 2m, and only rising during the last week. And that rising fast!!!

2. The water itself is a bad water: stinky, totally black-coloured flow. My silver ring has changed color to browny\black (sulphurized?) once I have touched this water for 10min or so. Also it is itchy if you walk in that...I juess it is the turdy water from NavaNakhon...

Yet some fish seems to me happy in that...and locals seems to enjoy this fishing...and those fishes are HUGE (me myself havw seen "pla-duk" over 1m in size, catched right in front of my moobaan)

3. The tap water lines were cut for 2 days (means NO clean water at all). It is OK as I have huge stock at floor2, but...

4. Yesterday THEY HAVE CUT ELECTRIC (regardless the high words of BMA(?) that tap water and electricity will stay.

Can you imagine sleeping in the hot moist night at the 2nd floor, witht that smelly black waters at the 1st floor...sleeping with alerts, every 5min to wake up and check - how far was the water risen....? No aircon, no electric, no even freshwater for drink....and those sounds from deep water ("Blurrrp....blurrppp....") drove my wife crazy through the night...

Today morning I decided to abandon my house, and have a boat in this 2m deep black smelly junky waters - heading to Bkk. Arrived to Thonbury - life is very normal here, dry as a bone, and seems I came back from the wet Hell....

Anyway, it makes this life "tasty", doesnt it? Next few days I'll have a boat back - just to check the things over there, in da my abandoned house.... PS: Pathumthani - Don Mueang area.

Sure it s not natural enymore and wasnt. The dams were closed for the next dry season and they didn t except so much water. So they opened the gates...

....and more than that - they have'em opened in FULL and WITHOUT any steps or control.....instead of opening bit-by-bit to improve flow, but under the level of possible disaster - and be ready to shut it back down if the flow becomes too strong...Nope. Noway. TIT.

And now the WALL of water is going down.

Mind that the dams will be drained sooner or later. And you know what?.....the dry season comes, and rainings already stopped..........Yeah, let's empty the dams NOW......

I understand and have sympathy.

I also have some flood experience.

My business was flooded out 3 times a few years ago in Chiangmai.

The losses were quite high, certainly beyond what could afford, but somehow we got through it.

Point is what is happening now is a major disaster for the country and if you yourself are flooded maybe empathy with others is a more appropriate reaction.

Natural disaster made worse by human politicking ( of all kinds )............

It was "natural" disaster monts ago, up North.

Now it is man-made disaster here in the central plains, where no any rain falled for a month or so - but the water comes from the wide-opened watergates.

You please don't tell me it is "natural" here and now. It isn't.

(Deleted post edited out)

I do. My house is under water for a week now - but I do my best to keep fighting with it - while other Thais just disappeared from my mooban. Come here and gimme a hand, I'll show you the nearest pump without the operator (fled the scene last night)...

Or send me one or two those so-called "Thai leaders" - I do not care who will come. The pump is waiting, and we lack of hands now.

She is NOT a leader at all...Period

This is the subject n.2. And I must agree - she is not capable to lead Thai ppl. Perhaps she may lead Dubai'ans much better - who knows...no flooding happened there for the last million years AFAIK.

But here - all of us "cold hearted Falangs" can only watch this circus.

I dont need people who dont know anything about flooding telling me I am a cold hearted Falang

Frankly speaking, you do NOT have her....at your homecountry, a cold hearted Falang. She's NOT your leader.

Just a reminder.

Also, my experience is that women can be at their most effective and devastating in the teary eyed stage.........

Politic is genderless. There are no "women" in there - but "the sharks" bite each others. Why must we start mind gender differences now?

Or do you expect her stop the flooding while being in hysteria, or how you call that? Geez.....

...... edited to shorten to essentials...

PS: and I will be GLAD to see thousands of lawsuits to TH govt to compensate the losses, when this all is over. Stupidity must be punishable, I am sorry. And she's free to cry at her home, on her off-hours (if she prefers).

Well Blomberg just reports today (21 Minutes agor) that others are involved eavily too in this desaster:

Japan's casualty insurers may face about 190 billion yen ($2.5 billion) in net payouts to cover damages from Thailand's floods, according to Deutsche Bank AG.

Japanese property and casualty insurers have underwritten as much as 70 percent of seven flooded industrial estates in Thailand that are facing about 410 billion baht ($13 billion) in damages,

link to source:

Good. I foresee much more to follow. Teach those bastards in charge!

Heavy congestion on the sidewalk of Soi Nana in direction to Sukthumvit Road, as all hookers and pimps are now going back to Isaan for a few weeks.

Which route they'll be able to reach Isaan?? Gimme a break, upper Viphavadee (starting Laksi\DonMuang and up) is completely under water. Boats are there, but not cars/trains/buses.

And this is the main way to the North.

If they want to go Isaan now - they must have a huge hook (go to Chantaburi or even Trat, and then go up North). That will be a huge voyage and huge expenses.

Bangkok's residents flee Thai floods

Frankly speakin' Thais are very, VERY easy to give up under any stress.

Like a kids.

See the water the scary reports about water - and just run as a chickens...Geeez.....But HEY, WHO WILL PROTECT THEIR CITY???

On my moobaan now just 50 ppl instead of overall 1500 in normal days.

Yes, it is flooded for a week now.

A few days ago someone still operated at the pumps.

Today morning - no one. Everyone flied, leaved their belongings\houses\cars. Everything is ready to be "picked", and noone in sight - just a water.

The funny thing is that my moobaan is 2-storey (noone building is 1-storey...oh, ok, just guard's tower at the entrance), and water just 1m or something. And it is far from the river.

The scary thing is noone left to operate the pumps. Perhaps I'll go and start'eem....

Why Thais so easy to give up??

"Bangkok is 100% safe" - said PM earlier

"We are to guarantee that Don Mueang is well protected" - she also said

And even "Defence Minister confident Grand Palace will be spared from flood"

And "This will not affect to tourism!!" - said TAT chief just a week ago...

Shit. All of their speaches. All of them themselves.

The local fuel outlet has power and fuel, the local motorcycle taxi chaps have acquired a boat and will collect fuel and water etc.

Why you'll need fuel - when you unable to ride or even start the vehicle...?

It's not just road vehicles that use fuel, boats and in this case a genset also burn petrol or diesel.

...but it STILL sits on the very ground...or even (sometimes/somewhere) underground. Now let's just add water and turn gravity on.

Or will you put that to the very roof's top?

The local fuel outlet has power and fuel, the local motorcycle taxi chaps have acquired a boat and will collect fuel and water etc.

Why you'll need fuel - when you unable to ride or even start the vehicle...?

Try this:

I'm so chilled out it's like I'm floating.

+1

And I can't have beer as it is totally empty at the nearest LotusExp (the only place I dared to swim to).

I can put up with a lot - but no beer my buddah!!!!

wodka

wine

wiskey

anything?

Water. Just a raw water, mate.

But (a bright side) - LOTS of water...