Bangkok could be submerged in seven years warns economist

[webfact]

A Thai economist warned that Bangkok could be submerged by the sea within the next seven to eight years. The government has been urged to take immediate action to prevent significant economic and social damage.

 

Anusorn Thammajai, Dean of the Faculty of Economics at the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and former member of the National Research Council of Thailand highlighted in a recent discussion the escalating impact of natural disasters on the quality of life and the economy. He pointed out that issues such as flash floods, global warming, and severe climate fluctuations are becoming increasingly problematic.

Research on the La Niña phenomenon in Thailand indicates that it could last for nine to 12 months, leading to lower temperatures and a potential increase in rainfall up to 14 billion cubic metres. This could severely damage the agricultural sector in many areas, causing both droughts and heavy floods.

 

Anusorn stressed that if the government allows the recurrent problems of floods and droughts, combined with over four months of air pollution annually, to continue, the economic and quality of life impacts will worsen.

Anusorn mentioned a Greenpeace study warning that in the next seven to eight years, Bangkok might submerge under the sea, leading to severe economic and social damage if preventive measures are not taken seriously now. The intertwining of the economy and the environment is becoming increasingly significant.

Expressing concern, he noted that Bangkok could be underwater in the future, causing extensive damage to infrastructure and large-scale construction projects by both the government and private sector.

 

Without serious study on Bangkok’s subsidence and the rising sea levels, and without significant investment to prevent Bangkok and its metropolitan area from submerging, the city faces a dire future.

 

According to the Greenpeace study, if over 80% of Bangkok is submerged, the economic damage could be estimated at 18.6 trillion baht, affecting over 10.45 million people.

 

Solutions

 

To address this looming crisis, Anusorn proposed six urgent policies: constructing water barriers, elevating coastal roads, which are large-scale projects requiring substantial budget planning from the government; and planting mangrove forests to act as buffer zones to absorb water and mitigate the impact of sea waves.

 

Planting mangroves along areas from Bang Khun Thian, Samut Songkhram, Samut Sakhon, to Samut Prakan would restore nature and also serve as tourist attractions.

Additionally, he suggested re-organising coastal land use, decentralising investment to regional areas, shifting to renewable energy, and studying the potential relocation of the capital. The policy of moving the capital, akin to Jakarta, should be seriously considered.

 

He urged that the new government must start investing in preventing Bangkok and its metropolitan area from sinking under the sea, reported KhaoSod.

 

by Puntid Tantivangphaisal
Photo courtesy of KhaoSod

 

Source: The Thaiger 2024-08-27

 

 

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[JoePai]

Why not more the Capital to a higher area ?

[Lacessit]

9 minutes ago, JoePai said:

Why not more the Capital to a higher area ?

Two options - move, as Indonesia is in the process is doing. Or build dikes.

 

Either way, it will be very expensive.

[MalcolmB]

Once we hit climate tipping point these problems will be all over the world near the coasts.

 

 

[milesinnz]

Funny, I would have expected such an article from a meteorologist.. But hey, this is Thailand.. maybe economists study meteorology ???... I am looking forward to an economic assessment by a meteorologist...

[mokwit]

Just now, MalcolmB said:

Once we hit climate tipping point these problems will be all over the world near the coasts.

 

 

Martha's Vineyard will be OK.

[lordgrinz]

Oh, dear God, please let be! 🙏

[Karma80]

Government investment? We can't even sort out who the government is.

[retarius]

It couldn't happen to a nicer place. My God but I loathe Bangkok...it is an evil, smelly, dirty, hot toilet that you feel sick even taking a dump in.

I read yesterday in the Guardian about Antartica where and iceberg the size of Britain cleaved off and is melting. They said it would raise sea levels by 10 to 30 feet (which I don't believe)  but even a 5 feet rise would re-contour the coastlines of the earth.

So gingers crossed that a modest and slow rise in sea levels to wipe this vile and evil travesty of a city off the face of the earth, and a let's have mass exodus of people to the North and North East so that house prices go up. 

[retarius]

44 minutes ago, JoePai said:

Why not more the Capital to a higher area ?

They have been talking about this for decades, a move to Khao Yai.....they probably had committees and sub-committees studying it, but, as is commonly the case in Thailand, so action has been taken

[hellohello123]

An economist predicting sea levels!?!

 

I guess i may have a chance of being a brain surgeon in Thailand

[Will B Good]

I hope so ...rents are going to dive to the bottom.

[Will B Good]

Is the smart money moving to just outside BKK or all the way to Korat I wonder?

[NemoH]

Hahahaha… there are and had been so so so many predictions and it all started in the 90s… from global warming to icebergs melting 🤣🤣🤣 I don’t know what to believe anymore. 
 

But my crystal ball did say we will get a casino in Bangkok soon 🤣🤣🤣

[crazykopite]

At least the government can hold office in the submarines that are on order from the Chinese 

[klauskunkel]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The government has been urged to take immediate action to prevent significant economic and social damage.

The government is convening right now to discuss how best to profit individually from this situation.

[Will B Good]

1 minute ago, klauskunkel said:

The government is convening right now to discuss how best to profit individually from this situation.

 

 

Casinos on stilts.....you heard it here first.

[mfd101]

Time to buy up big in Korat.

[brianbiegler]

Lol an Economist. I'll take my chances. 

Tell me, did the economist get in touch with the board of directors of any large lending institutions who underwrite loans collateralized by property on coasts? I've noticed over the course of my lifetime that building large properties in coastal areas is kinda popular. 🤷‍♂️

[Andrew65]

1 hour ago, mokwit said:

Martha's Vineyard will be OK.

Miami Beach is looking dodgy?

[DualSportBiker]

1 hour ago, retarius said:

It couldn't happen to a nicer place. My God but I loathe Bangkok...it is an evil, smelly, dirty, hot toilet that you feel sick even taking a dump in.

I read yesterday in the Guardian about Antartica where and iceberg the size of Britain cleaved off and is melting. They said it would raise sea levels by 10 to 30 feet (which I don't believe)  but even a 5 feet rise would re-contour the coastlines of the earth.

So gingers crossed that a modest and slow rise in sea levels to wipe this vile and evil travesty of a city off the face of the earth, and a let's have mass exodus of people to the North and North East so that house prices go up. 

Nothing quite like the selfishness of hoping an entire economy is trashed so your own property value goes up. Keep dreaming. 

[Xonax]

1 hour ago, milesinnz said:

Funny, I would have expected such an article from a meteorologist.. But hey, this is Thailand.. maybe economists study meteorology ???... I am looking forward to an economic assessment by a meteorologist...

Climate and Weather are two different things!

[johnc925]

Yes, tune in nightly for your economist's weather predictions. Boy, how far will they take this farce... 😒

[Mark17AA]

No response from TAT yet, probably debating the number increase in tourists and the spend, and of course the quality level.

[Mark17AA]

11 minutes ago, DualSportBiker said:

Nothing quite like the selfishness of hoping an entire economy is trashed so your own property value goes up. Keep dreaming. 

Dont feel its a bit unfair to Gingers in this context!

[chippendale]

Haha, here we go again

They've been predicting disaster within 10 years for the past 50 years.

 

Follow the smart money.

 

The smart money is buying up Miami beachfront homes and luxury condos in Bangkok from scared sheep. It's a giant, beautiful scam.

[black tabby12345]

Bangkok Submersion in the future?

 

I have heard of the proposal of capital relocation to Nakon Nayok(100km inland) 

suggested during Thaksin regime.

 

Bangkok Post - A capital idea

[JonnyF]

I remember them saying this 7 years ago.

 

Nothing changed.

 

Maybe K.Anusorn has his eye on some luxury waterfront condos at basement prices from terrified chicken little sellers. 😃

[GammaGlobulin]

This is old news.

Yet, still likely.

 

[Mad Mustang]

Ha ha ha. Utter nonsense