A huge water mass is poised to flow downstream into Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi

[webfact]

A huge water mass is poised to flow downstream into Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi

By Thai PBS

 

 

The Royal Irrigation Department is confident that it is capable of managing a huge amount of water mass, estimated at 1,300 million cubic metres, currently retained in 12 water retention areas or “monkey cheeks” in Ayutthaya and Suphan Buri provinces.

 

Somkiart Prachamwong, the department director-general, said Wednesday (Oct 25) that the huge water mass is still less than recorded during the Big Flood in 2011.

 

Citing aerial photos of water situation provided by the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA), he said that the water mass on the western side of the Chao Phraya river is larger than that on the eastern side, so the department plans to divert water from the west to the east of Chao Phraya river and will try to drain as much water as possible from the western side into Tha Chin river.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/huge-water-mass-poised-flow-downstream-pathum-thani-nonthaburi/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2017-10-26

[Crossy]

Great! (not). We will continue filling sandbags.

 

Of course, not a hint as to what this "huge water mass" is going to do to the current river level, information vital for those who are not yet flooded, or are flooded somewhat.

 

[lopburi3]

Why make it easy?  They stopped publicly reporting Bangkok Canal water levels about a year ago AFAIK and delayed weather radars to 10 minutes or more late and more often than not they are down for hours or days at a time.  We cavemen do not understand such technical information so why provide it?

[boomerangutang]

Up here in Chiang Rai, the predicted large storm didn't quite manifest.  We did get rain, but they were short-lived, 4 to 15 minutes each time - though a few were intense.  Because the ground has been saturated for weeks, the water flows off like it was hitting a tarp.  Even places with small watersheds (1 to 6 rai) are developing small streams.  Full cloud today.  I'm doing laundry, so will have to hang clothes inside.  It's not a problem for me, as I have a large house.

 

If I was rich, I wouldn't invest in property in (or reside any where near) Bkk.  First off, I'm not a city person.  Secondly, I have this odd proclivity to not be in flood-prone regions.  I'm a desert guy - am planning to move to SW USA, near some of those magnificent national parks.  

[YetAnother]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The Royal Irrigation Department is confident that it is capable

cannot say the opposite, which is what people really think

[robblok]

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

Great! (not). We will continue filling sandbags.

 

Of course, not a hint as to what this "huge water mass" is going to do to the current river level, information vital for those who are not yet flooded, or are flooded somewhat.

 

Crossy,

 

Not only that id like to know if its a blanket of water km wide or that this will be drained through the river with maybe some flooding on the river banks. The information is always insufficient. They are talking about areal photos and satelite images. Why don't they show them.

 

The stupid junta is doing exactly the same thing YL did in 2011 keeping people in the dark. 

[edwinchester]

Call me paranoid but yesterday, on a trip into Bangkok, there was a very large work crew fixing anti flood barriers erected after the 2011 floods. This was in an area that locals say has only flooded in 2011. Maybe the Irrigation Dept know something but aren't letting on..?

[Ossy]

Thank God the water's only POISED - gravity defying, almost - to flow downstream . . . sounds more of an act of God (to quote Prayut) than the big rains themselves.

[toofarnorth]

1 hour ago, robblok said:

Crossy,

 

Not only that id like to know if its a blanket of water km wide or that this will be drained through the river with maybe some flooding on the river banks. The information is always insufficient. They are talking about areal photos and satelite images. Why don't they show them.

 

The stupid junta is doing exactly the same thing YL did in 2011 keeping people in the dark.

Hey robblok ....................keeping people in the dark . My father many many years ago would of said " Don't talk wet "   Not heard that in years , must use it more often .

[champers]

1 hour ago, robblok said:

Crossy,

 

Not only that id like to know if its a blanket of water km wide or that this will be drained through the river with maybe some flooding on the river banks. The information is always insufficient. They are talking about areal photos and satelite images. Why don't they show them.

 

The stupid junta is doing exactly the same thing YL did in 2011 keeping people in the dark. 

It is far easier to manage the media than to manage a huge mass of water. Keeping Bangkok clear of flooding is the sole priority over the next few days; not that I'm saying it isn't a priority normally.

[melvinmelvin]

3 hours ago, Crossy said:

Great! (not). We will continue filling sandbags.

 

Of course, not a hint as to what this "huge water mass" is going to do to the current river level, information vital for those who are not yet flooded, or are flooded somewhat.

 

 

great indeed, exactly what I don't need now

 

with the current water level I can take 45 more centimeters of water,

even then water will slosh onto the floors due to waves from passing boats

 

any more than that then its time to pack and move out

 

(even with + 45 cm the level will be about 1 m lower than 2011)

 

good that you have sand and bags Crossy,

sandbags are of no use to me, cant save/protect this house with sandbags

 

 

 

[melvinmelvin]

46 minutes ago, champers said:

It is far easier to manage the media than to manage a huge mass of water. Keeping Bangkok clear of flooding is the sole priority over the next few days; not that I'm saying it isn't a priority normally.

 

I think that in that respect they have their priorities right,

nothing to gain from having flood all over Bangkok, that would really hamper the society and country

at large

 

[Denim]

4 hours ago, Crossy said:

Great! (not). We will continue filling sandbags.

 

Of course, not a hint as to what this "huge water mass" is going to do to the current river level, information vital for those who are not yet flooded, or are flooded somewhat.

 

 

Only problem with sandbags is that after the crisis has passed a lot of the sand in the bags ends up clogging the drains again for next year.

[zydeco]

2 hours ago, robblok said:

Crossy,

 

Not only that id like to know if its a blanket of water km wide or that this will be drained through the river with maybe some flooding on the river banks. The information is always insufficient. They are talking about areal photos and satelite images. Why don't they show them.

 

The stupid junta is doing exactly the same thing YL did in 2011 keeping people in the dark. 

I don't think there is anything to worry about.  If there was, Thais would be in on it through informal networks of getting the word out.  That would mean people clearing out the store shelves of drinking water and other canned goods.  No sign of that where I am.  And my house was under 80 cm of water for 2 1/2 months in 2011.

[robblok]

15 minutes ago, melvinmelvin said:

 

great indeed, exactly what I don't need now

 

with the current water level I can take 45 more centimeters of water,

even then water will slosh onto the floors due to waves from passing boats

 

any more than that then its time to pack and move out

 

(even with + 45 cm the level will be about 1 m lower than 2011)

 

good that you have sand and bags Crossy,

sandbags are of no use to me, cant save/protect this house with sandbags

 

 

 

Thanks that is useful information. 

[robblok]

Just now, zydeco said:

I don't think there is anything to worry about.  If there was, Thais would be in on it through informal networks of getting the word out.  That would mean people clearing out the store shelves of drinking water and other canned goods.  No sign of that where I am.  And my house was under 80 cm of water for 2 1/2 months in 2011.

There are no signs here either and before it went quite slow so I would have plenty of time. I am just annoyed that they have satellite images and pictures of planes. (i can imagine drones right now would come in handy). But none of it it is made available. 

[Thian]

23 minutes ago, melvinmelvin said:

 

I think that in that respect they have their priorities right,

nothing to gain from having flood all over Bangkok, that would really hamper the society and country

at large

 

Maybe we should show the Thai what happens if we all abandon BKK for a while now....they won't get electricity, water, internet, cellphone, stocked up shops or fuelstations..so they can go back sitting on their kwai all day.

[Crossy]

I'm posting river level information in this thread, purely because that's where I did my first reports.

 

 

Stay dry and safe out there people, it is not over by a long chalk

 

[Crossy]

45 minutes ago, Denim said:

Only problem with sandbags is that after the crisis has passed a lot of the sand in the bags ends up clogging the drains again for next year.

Don't worry our 200 bags will be disposed of responsibly. Mostly improving the mud left behind in the garden by the flooding.

[sujoop]

50 minutes ago, robblok said:

There are no signs here either and before it went quite slow so I would have plenty of time. I am just annoyed that they have satellite images and pictures of planes. (i can imagine drones right now would come in handy). But none of it it is made available. 

Perhaps try here:
https://map.longdo.com/?locale=en
 

-Select 'latest flood 7 days'
-Then compare with selections 2010/2011
(no where near previous flood area mass)
--------------
Or here (unfortunately a tad difficult to navigate):
http://flood.gistda.or.th/indexEN.html

 

-Click 'satellite image receiving schedule'
-Then click 'RADARSAT' or 'COSMO' satellite option
-Then at top/right click 'daily flood map'
-Then click 'pdf' option of daily report
 (scroll to bottom to see sat image)
 

Good chance for local flooding near river areas though as volume on the Chao Phraya is being micro-managed within cm's of overflow and between tides to allow for max discharge from upstream (I can attest to this as I live on the river, albeit several floors above;)

 

 

[Cadbury]

4 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

Why make it easy?  They stopped publicly reporting Bangkok Canal water levels about a year ago AFAIK and delayed weather radars to 10 minutes or more late and more often than not they are down for hours or days at a time.  We cavemen do not understand such technical information so why provide it?

I suspect that Somkiart Prachamwong the Department Director-General is like Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble and a member of the Late Order of Water Buffaloes Lodge No. 26. 

[Crossy]

Nice one @sujoop there's a scary amount of blue "poised" to attack about 10km north of us

[robblok]

3 minutes ago, sujoop said:

Perhaps try here:
https://map.longdo.com/?locale=en

-Select 'latest flood 7 days'
-Then compare with selections 2010/2011
(no where near previous flood area mass)
--------------
Or here (unfortunately a tad difficult to navigate):
http://flood.gistda.or.th/indexEN.html

-Click 'satellite image receiving schedule' 
-Then click 'COSMO' satellite option
-Then at top/right click 'daily flood map'
-Then click 'pdf' option of daily report
 (scroll to bottom to see sat image)

Good chance for local flooding near river areas though as volume on the Chao Phraya is being micro-managed within cm's of overflow and between tides to allow for max discharge from upstream (I can attest to this as I live on the river, albeit several floors above;)



 

Thanks your map is real useful, there is a large water mass above us (quite far away). I will keep checking it if it moves down or not. Could be that its just a retention area.  Its about 40 km above is so it won't be comming here anytime soon. It also needs to take a few obstacles. So no idea.

 

But thanks I will be keeping an eye on this real good information.

[robblok]

1 minute ago, Crossy said:

Nice one @sujoop there's a scary amount of blue "poised" to attack

 

Question is is it a water retention area, and are there dams or roads that keep it from flowing on. 

[Crossy]

2 minutes ago, robblok said:

Question is is it a water retention area, and are there dams or roads that keep it from flowing on. 

It could well be (almost certainly in fact) which means it's going to come our way down the river

[Ossy]

1 hour ago, melvinmelvin said:

 

great indeed, exactly what I don't need now

 

with the current water level I can take 45 more centimeters of water,

even then water will slosh onto the floors due to waves from passing boats

 

any more than that then its time to pack and move out

 

(even with + 45 cm the level will be about 1 m lower than 2011)

 

good that you have sand and bags Crossy,

sandbags are of no use to me, cant save/protect this house with sandbags

 

 

 

 

Passing boats!! . . . I thought I was seeing things, MM. It sounds so funny, but I know that it'll be far from funny for you. And, as for the 2011 flood being about 1 metre worse, that just does paint a horrible picture. Sorry to hear of your worries. Do you know where the opening picture was taken? Those houses are under a metre or more, when pic taken . . . remiss of the report not to state place and time, just to get everyone excited . . . bloody typical.

[robblok]

5 minutes ago, Crossy said:

It could well be (almost certainly in fact) which means it's going to come our way down the river

Yes then it would be coming towards you.. but if its a retention area then they will control the discharge .. i think. 

[248900_1469958220]

I've been trying to follow all this closely. I live in the Pathumtani area, though quite far away from the epicentre of last time. Its been remarkable how hush hush all this has been. There have been VERY heavy rains north for ages. Last week the people of the Central Plains were told to 'brace for severe flooding'....then it died again...Today this. Its like they are hoping it will all go away if they dont say anything. 

 

Goodluck to all. It seems its only luck they are relying on. Seems its been a dogs breakfast of a plan all along......again

[Ossy]

44 minutes ago, Cadbury said:

I suspect that Somkiart Prachamwong the Department Director-General is like Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble and a member of the Late Order of Water Buffaloes Lodge No. 26. 

Yaba-daba-doom! Come on, Barney, let's grab some more of those pickanick baskets . . . no, there's something wrong, there.

[robblok]

24 minutes ago, 248900_1469958220 said:

I've been trying to follow all this closely. I live in the Pathumtani area, though quite far away from the epicentre of last time. Its been remarkable how hush hush all this has been. There have been VERY heavy rains north for ages. Last week the people of the Central Plains were told to 'brace for severe flooding'....then it died again...Today this. Its like they are hoping it will all go away if they dont say anything. 

 

Goodluck to all. It seems its only luck they are relying on. Seems its been a dogs breakfast of a plan all along......again

The scary thing is they did exactly the same during the YL government in 2011. I commented heavily about the NON information then. Seems I will have to do the same again. Its crazy that something like this does not get more accurate covering. One would say now that private drones are not that expensive reporters and such could keep a much better check on it.

 

I guess we can't trust the goverment all too afraid to lose face on this issue.  I like the map Sujoop posted that is good information. I will keep an eye on the water mass to see if its moving or not. Seems to be contained by a road and other obstacles right now.