file photo

 

by Michael Bridge

It is no secret that Bangkok is up there on the list as one of the fastest sinking cities in Asia, if not the World.

•    Bangkok, Dhaka, Jakarta, Manila, and Shanghai are among the most at-risk sinking Asian cities.

•    By 2030, some six hundred million Asians will be affected by rising sea levels.

•    Cyclones, storm surges, high tides, and sea-level rise to cause serious flooding by 2030.

•    This is developing as rising sea levels and climate change are posing serious threats to the population and economy of several Asian coastal cities — Bangkok, Dhaka, Jakarta, Manila, and Shanghai, among them.

 

•    Threats come from a combination of tropical cyclones, storm surges, high tides, and sea-level rise that increase the risk of serious flooding by 2030. 

 

•    Some six hundred million people worldwide — the majority in Asia — will be affected by rising sea levels in flood-prone coastal regions, some of the economic centres. 

Rising seas could affect three times more people by 2050 than previously thought, according to new research, threatening to all but erase some of the world's great coastal cities including Bangkok. 

What is the Thai Government doing?

Apparently, the government along with Bangkok, has several flood prevention initiatives including the dredging of canals, improving Bangkok's drainage systems, and increasing the height of a 77-km flood wall along the Chao Phraya River.

Bangkok is not alone as many parts of Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City are sinking by 0.2-0.4 inches per year. 

 

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According to a research report by the Vietnamese Ministry of Natural Resources & Environment and the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, the city has sunk by around 1.3 feet (0.4 meters) already. 

Also, it has become so serious that Jakarta, the largest city of Indonesia, has already started to create a new capital city.

President Joko Widodo announced in 2019 that the capital would need to move from Jakarta due to rising sea levels and the risk of building collapse. 

Now the name of the new city has been unveiled: Nusantara, which means 'archipelago'. 

It's being built in the province of East Kalimantan on the island of Java.

Cities at risk by mankind

The main reasons cited were “over-exploitation of underground water, rapid urbanization and effervescent transport activities.”

Cities at Risk of Coastal Flooding, Ranked by Exposed Population in 2070 Coastal City Exposed Population Estimate (per million)

Kolkata 14.0  Mumbai 11.4  Dhaka 11.1  Guangzhou 10.3  Ho Chi Minh City 9.2  Shanghai 5.5  Bangkok 5.1  Yangon5.0  Miami 4.8  Haiphong 4.7

Sinking cities are urban environments that are in danger of disappearing due to their rapidly changing landscapes. 

One of the main reasons contributing to these cities becoming unlivable are the combined effects of climate change, combined through rising sea levels, intensifying storms, storm surges, land subsidence, and accelerated urbanization.

Several of the world's largest and most rapidly growing cities are located along rivers and coasts, exposing them to natural disasters. 

Bangkok is a good example of sea and river flooding.

As countries continue to invest people, assets, and infrastructure into these cities, the loss potential in these areas also increases.

Sinking cities must overcome substantial barriers to properly prepare for today's dynamic environmental climate.

Nearly two metre rise by 2100

Although reports vary widely in predicting the height of sea level rise in the future, IPCC estimates predict a 1-meter rise over the next century.

Other reports consider the IPCC estimates to be far too low and suggest levels closer to 1.9 meters by 2100.

Nevertheless, sea level rise is an unavoidable reality. 

Philippine’s city underwater 

Even as Asia’s megacities continue to submerge, officials of one small Philippine city are planning a major US$460 million reclamation project that will damage or sink their beautiful seaside city into the dark blue southern sea.

 

file photo

Scientists and environmentalists have called on the local government of Dumaguete to scrap the reclamation project, citing the devastating impact it may have on the marine environment and coastal communities. 

The 174-hectare project seeks to develop the site as a “5G-ready mini-city, complete with shopping malls, condominiums, esplanades and other business establishments”.

Bit of an extreme solution for a city the size of Bangkok, but it just shows how serious we need to take this global threat.

 

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I dont know better but according to press Bangkok already under the water.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Cities at Risk of Coastal Flooding, Ranked by Exposed Population in 2070 Coastal City Exposed Population Estimate (per million)

Kolkata 14.0  Mumbai 11.4  Dhaka 11.1  Guangzhou 10.3  Ho Chi Minh City 9.2  Shanghai 5.5  Bangkok 5.1  Yangon5.0  Miami 4.8  Haiphong 4.7

This is so confusing. Are they saying 5.1 people per million? If Bangkok has 10 million people, does that mean 51 people will be affected? To be honest, I am a bit more concerned about the leak in my roof at the moment.

It is not 2100 yet so .... why worry? It is known already for sometime and the Netherlands offered help to prevent floodings, but hailand did not  eed the help and could deal with it alone.. So in the coming years probably nothing will change as we see every year floods all over the country too, and when the water is not withdrawing anymore they will start to think 

Serious issue.

Poor reporting, translation or geographical knowledge.

I am certain East Kalimantan is not on the island of Java.

What a terrible piece of journalism (though typical in UK and USA on this subject), happily passing on the questionable science of the IPCC, which itself is a biased UN organization using computer models that make assumptions about the future rendered skewed by the biases of those scientists working for governments and NGOs around the world (but especially in the UK and USA). 

Note how the media (and scientists) have changed the buzz word in the last decade from "global warming" to "climate change" which seems vaguely threatening, but in fact I would hazard a guess that most people would prefer a warming climate than a cooling one.

 

There has always been climate change throughout the last 800,000 years, and that will always be so.  At least ALL scientists can agree on that.

But what propaganda pieces like this never discuss is the way CO2 emissions restrict the escape of the earth's natural radiation (and warmth) into the cool depths of space, and so keep the warmth at home.

 

At the same time, it behooves all of us (I hope we agree) to reduce pollution wherever we can, but pollution is a different (and more important) subject than climate change.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

It is no secret that Bangkok is up there on the list as one of the fastest sinking cities in Asia, if not the World.

Sinking in more than one way..

Maybe Bangkok could be saved by pulling all the brown envelopes out of the drainage klongs !

2 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Sinking in more than one way..

Can't sink soon enough however we all know what always float to the top

Same dribble since 1970, the climate change zeliots spread the ???? fear.

They've known about this for at least 25 years and have done nothing about building a new Capital City on higher ground or moving to another City in situ; so let them all drown.

 

Meanwhile; the smart Bangkokians have been buying Property much further North for many years, hence there are thousands of empty second homes in Northern Moobahn's just waiting for people to arrive with wet feet.

1 hour ago, Kiwithl said:

Serious issue.

Poor reporting, translation or geographical knowledge.

I am certain East Kalimantan is not on the island of Java.

You are correct. It is Borneo. Java is much further south.

If sea levels are rising, why are the water levels the same at low and high tide at Patong Phuket as they were thirty years ago? Why are the high and low water marks at the beach in my home town in the UK, the same now as they were 60 years ago?

The clue to the reason these cities in S.E.A. are flooding is quite clearly stated in the article, and it is not because the sea levels are rising.

Well the title is probably correct ... 'sinking'.  Doubt the water level is changing enough to become an issue.   Building that much weight on soft ground, is there any surprise.

 

Ground at the mouth of any river is simply going to be sediment washed down over the centuries.  

 

As silly as building BKK airport on a swamp, and the need of constant maintenance, due to settling.

Just do as in-the-know 'world leaders' do. Buy beachfront property after talking down the market.

5 hours ago, webfact said:

•    Bangkok, Dhaka, Jakarta, Manila, and Shanghai are among the most at-risk sinking Asian cities.

•    By 2030, some six hundred million Asians will be affected by rising sea levels.

•    Cyclones, storm surges, high tides, and sea-level rise to cause serious flooding by 2030.

•    This is developing as rising sea levels and climate change are posing serious threats to the population and economy of several Asian coastal cities — Bangkok, Dhaka, Jakarta, Manila, and Shanghai, among them.

 

•    Threats come from a combination of tropical cyclones, storm surges, high tides, and sea-level rise that increase the risk of serious flooding by 2030. 

 

•    Some six hundred million people worldwide — the majority in Asia — will be affected by rising sea levels in flood-prone coastal regions, some of the economic centres. 

We heard you the first time.    555

Shockingly bad article, repetitive and not proof read by anyone.

10 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

We heard you the first time.    555

I'd be shy to put my name on this daily garbage he produces. Strictly amateur.

And yet there are mugs who want to "invest" in Bangkok condos. ????

When building in East Kalimantan think stilts.

 

 

 

Is there a ‘t’ missing in the headline?

2 hours ago, Chosenfew said:

Same dribble since 1970, the climate change zeliots spread the ???? fear.

Everything is sinking except the cost to live in these cities even the rats think it is unfair.

They mention sea level rise and land sinking in the same article. These are not the same things! Low IQ “journalism”

Yes, it´s a real investment opportunity.

Finally! A world leader at something!

If you look at all the new concrete structures in Bangkok, (road junctions, sky train, buildings), it is not surprising that the capital is sinking.

Far too late now but, if a couple of decades ago, they had invested a decent public transport system and brought in a tax or toll system for private vehicles, not only would they have not contributed to the sinking rate but also decreased Thailand's contribution to global warming.

Traffic congestion would be reduced and less production of cement (which is a significant pollutant) necessary. 

 

 

Sounds good. Bangkok deserves it.

They are even not able to protect female students against Stalker on there way home.

Either the police is able to enforce traffic laws.

Super fail.

Hope, that Bangkok is gone soon.

14 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

They've known about this for at least 25 years and have done nothing about building a new Capital City on higher ground or moving to another City in situ; so let them all drown.

 

Meanwhile; the smart Bangkokians have been buying Property much further North for many years, hence there are thousands of empty second homes in Northern Moobahn's just waiting for people to arrive with wet feet.

They have been building extra high-rise condos in Bangkok and Manila etc for 25 years. Many of them are empty, of course.  One dy everyone will need to live on at least the 5th floor or higher......

Lots of people are investing in Grab home delivery by drone.......