Seems, like many countries, Thailand's going to be faced with increasingly devastating floods over the coming years. I know they have a system of dams, runoffs, canals and waterways, but a lot of these were constructed decades ago I think. Any ideas what approach might be adopted now? Can they expand or upgrade the current infrastructure, or does it need a complete rethink? I'm clueless.

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40006292

 

In Old City Sukhothai they have dredged moat waterways and many run offs which has worked well in the main. 

There is a couple of problem places but only because a few people haven't upgrade their property to deal with really heavy sudden rain storms. 

New Sukhothai has been hit for the second time in about 10 years,  they just build the wall higher to cope with the river rising,  when it really IMO should be properly  dredged out.

Houses on stilts and ramps for cars

how to get rid of water fast?From what i have seen is ,during high tide the natural flow

is very slow.No way you can change that,Bangkok is at the end of the pipe and water will always funnel there.

Reservoirs and damn can do a really good job but there has to be a balance between how much water

to keep and how much to let out.

You let too much out?Farmers will not have enough water to grow their crops and will be angry.

You keep too much water in the reservoir?That is what has happened now and we all can see the result.

These two issues are not easy to deal with,it is not possible to predict the amount of rain.

Bigger reservoirs,straightening out the rivers and a huge canal to bypass Bangkok.

Maybe a move able dam and building dikes along the rivers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flood_control_in_the_Netherlands

33 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

Houses on stilts and ramps for cars

 

You mean like they used to be? (ok without the ramps for cars)

3 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

You mean like they used to be? (ok without the ramps for cars)

Yes. The move to European style housing is a big mistake for a country that regularly floods.

1 minute ago, Will B Good said:

Yes. The move to European style housing is a big mistake for a country that regularly floods.

 

Which is why our home is a "bungalow on sticks" although we do have a downstairs kitchen and workshop.

6 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

Which is why our home is a "bungalow on sticks" although we do have a downstairs kitchen and workshop.

There are a few European bungalows around us that are built up about 1m from the ground, a good move. A lot of people don't realize houses often flooded from water seeping upwards through the ground, rather than ingress from outside flooding.

 

Given the choice I would go for a traditional Thai house every-time.

Floods - what's the answer?

 

Open the gates.

19 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

Which is why our home is a "bungalow on sticks" although we do have a downstairs kitchen and workshop.

Just finished mine.

Just now, RafPinto said:

Just finished mine.

More d*** waving.

1 minute ago, Will B Good said:

More d*** waving.

 

He probably needs to take that to the "Special Clinic"

1 hour ago, Will B Good said:

Houses on stilts and ramps for cars

Houses on stilts and a boat dock!

All the above and stop building on flood plains.

 

Someone recently asked my wife if her house was flooded. She said if mine ever floods yours will be under water.

30 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

He probably needs to take that to the "Special Clinic"

It's called my "boomboomgalow".

15 hours ago, RafPinto said:

Just finished mine.

Many home owners around my way have had the same architect as your home . 

Small difference being the houses here have a tilt to the side often .

16 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

In Old City Sukhothai they have dredged moat waterways and many run offs which has worked well in the main. 

There is a couple of problem places but only because a few people haven't upgrade their property to deal with really heavy sudden rain storms. 

New Sukhothai has been hit for the second time in about 10 years,  they just build the wall higher to cope with the river rising,  when it really IMO should be properly  dredged out.

Actually, the core city area of Amphore Mueang has been flooded about 5-6 times in the last 10. 

And there has been significant new khlong drainage constructed - north and south of the city along the path of the Yom - of the last decade which has seen some success. But still the bottom lands of the riverside have overflown, as it always has. 

That "new" river wall in the city, after a few years in the works, was a bit of a white elephant - as it does little to stem the rising flow....they can't dredge in the city as that would mean taking out businesses/homes. 

 

If you've ever talked with some old timers in the area, you'll hear that Sukhothai never had flooding of such significance from the 1930s through the 1960s........the contemporary culprit? Decades of uplifted paved roads and bypasses on natural flood plains - the same problems that develop through most of the north/central and the greater basin [this side of the Isaan Plateau] is largely due to cementing over most everything and systematically removing thousands of ancient drainage khlongs. 

 

Surprise, surprise.

 

18 hours ago, bradiston said:

Any ideas what approach might be adopted now?

Don't build on flood plains, and if you must, build on pillars.

Not sure why you think floods will be worse in the future, they seem the same as always to me.

16 hours ago, RafPinto said:

Floods - what's the answer?

 

Open the gates.

Buy a house on the hill.

One answer is to decentralized and depopulate Bangkok as a government, business and residential center; develop new cities on higher ground.

But the governmenthas instead further industrializes the city with more condos, bridges, roads and railways. I believe these developments are political in nature to strengthen a political powerbase whose location is historically Bangkok rather than adjusting to climate change characterized in part by rising seawater.

18 hours ago, RafPinto said:

Just finished mine.

Not high enough. ????

18 hours ago, Will B Good said:

Yes. The move to European style housing is a big mistake for a country that regularly floods.

When we took down my wife's old house after the back end badly flooded and fell down it was landfilled 2metre in height before the new build. 

They have done good in our village getting water away they stopped the poor going to the roof a long time ago. 

11 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

One answer is to decentralized and depopulate Bangkok as a government, business and residential center; develop new cities on higher ground.

But the governmenthas instead further industrializes the city with more condos, bridges, roads and railways. I believe these developments are political in nature to strengthen a political powerbase whose location is historically Bangkok rather than adjusting to climate change characterized in part by rising seawater.

The giant outlet water tunnel is nearly finished in time for the dry season. 

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

Buy a house on the hill.

I prefer Hillary.

15 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Not high enough. ????

It only looks moderate to keep the thieves out.

Once opening the front door, the property goes 100m deep. Marble, Jacuzzi, smart TV's in my 15 bedrooms.

I also drive a poor looking Toyota Vios but with a Ferrari engine.

18 minutes ago, RafPinto said:

It only looks moderate to keep the thieves out.

Once opening the front door, the property goes 100m deep. Marble, Jacuzzi, smart TV's in my 15 bedrooms.

I also drive a poor looking Toyota Vios but with a Ferrari engine.

???? Fair call and that brings me to my farmhouse, I calI the room I've built within it 'Tardis' and I guess after 15 years it's been safe with much better properties either side but I've always been a bit concerned that some thief may go in and leave some money by the outside door and see the room ??. ????

 

 

2 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

???? Fair call and that brings me to my farmhouse, I calI the room I've built within it 'Tardis' and I guess after 15 years it's been safe with much better properties either side but I've always been a bit concerned that some thief may go in and leave some money by the outside door and see the room ??. ????

 

 

Advertise it on Airbnb.

26 minutes ago, RafPinto said:

I prefer Hillary.

You're in need of serious therapy.????

1 hour ago, RafPinto said:

Advertise it on Airbnb.

Seriously don't want people knowing about it, the front door handle and lock by the stairs and the top of open side areas have 5/15 electric current flowing along, all the family have been warned it gives a nice old jolt if anyone touches. ????