Floods, Mudslides In North - And More To Come

[MUYTHAI]

Losing everything is horrible. My condolences and best wishes go to those that are suffering.

We also need to consider that there just are someplaces that people shouldn't live. Building on old river beds on historic flood plains, in area's that are known to be flash flood prone.

Common sense relocation. I hope that the people who's lives have been destroyed do receive assistance but also place their homes in better thought out locations.

Spot on. Most of central Thailand used to be a huge flood plain / marsh. Look at a relief map. The Schomburgk's Deer (Google it) evolved in the floods plain of central Thailand and had hooves that were very wide, due to natural selection, in order to walk on the marshy land without sinking. It also possessed the largest number of antler tines of any contemporary deer species. The species is presumed extinct due to hunting (also by the European imperialist trophy hunters) and habitat destruction. Most of central Thailand is now "drained" and converted to rice farms, other ag. uses, etc.

Water from the streams of the surrounding mountains / highlands drained into this area and into the ocean. For obvious reasons, nobody was concerned about village / city location planning long ago.

Flooding in the mountains / highlands usually only occurs as high water at stream locations and is not catastrophic... except when the forests, etc. have been cleared or altered at higher elevations. This has been witnessed thousands of times at various areas on Earth. It is a fact.

Best wishes to those affected by the current wave of flooding!

[MUYTHAI]

I lived in the country side for many, many years. An old lady was the nearest neighbor. She used to say: Fire and water--they make good servants, but poor masters.

I like her wise aphorism...grass hopper!

[ramsesxix]

Damage is estimated at 24 billion baht?? The story of the flooding is just hitting the news, not all the people or livestock have been evacuated, but they already have a damage estimate!

I wonder whose arse they pulled that number out of. Having worked in risk management for a number of years, I can tell you that a damage estimate pulled as quickly as this is nothing more than a wild prediction.

haven't you got nothing better to moan about???

if pointing out that the authorities in the region should be focused on evacuation efforts and the ensuing clean up effort and not on making up silly numbers, then yes, I suppose I have nothing better to moan about.

the next time i choose to 'moan' i will make sure i do so with your blessing

Edited September 25, 2009 by ramsesxix

[reallyok]

As a full time resident in Chiang Rai, I have noticed the infrastructure is lacking for areas outside cities. The best constructed road, by far, is the one that snakes many miles up a remote hill to a Royal site. Most other roads are barely passable, with ditches in the wrong places or non-existent. ....same for culverts. Potholes and erosion in the middle of roads are big enough to lose a truck tire in - even on roads with hundreds of vehicles per day.

Roads in Thailand are generally very good. Main arteries around Bangkok - out to Kanchanaburi and East to Trat are all good. South to Krabi and so on as well as to Chiang Mai but once you get to the outter regions then it drops off. Needless to say priority is given to roads travelled by the privileged same as when a drive by on Sukhumvit seems to magically remove all street vendors blocking the footpaths. The facade will always be there that Thailand is perfect to some and not so to others.

But compared to countries like Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, Thailand roads are a dream. Outback roads in places like Australia are shockers too as they are left to the municipal councils. I guess the same system applies here. But the issue here on the flooding is a major one to be sure. Bangkok being built at zero above seal level means there is all but no runoff thus constant flash flooding especially when the runoff drains are blocked by road surfacing.

Further north you would think that would be impossible but mountainous areas force water to run faster - thus the mud slides and so on. No point in complaining I guess as Thailand will support areas most travelled and road usage in the North past Chiang Mai seems not to rate by someone's standards. Interesting to see if any damming or water retention will come under the Senates spending spree next session. It can only be brought to their attention and then the local member needs to push the agenda. The ridiculous quote of billions of Baht in damage (in another blog this forum) could well be saved by putting it into roads and environment management rather than a knee jerk reaction after the event.

We can only hope there are no lives lost in the process of water movement in the next few days.

I must admit that i have never been to the "deep north" although i will, for sure this year. But the first time i visited 6 years ago i was very surprised by the roads, north , south, east and west of Bangkok , they are far better than i expected.

[moskito]

thats really bad news, all the best to the farmers.....

btw, is that the first rainseason in Thailand ?

[Garry]

I'm north east (about 20kms) of Chiang Rai and my wife tells that they have had no problems with the wet..YET. The farms around here haven't been overflooded in a very long time. Fingers crossed it won't expand to other areas beyond where other unfortunates have been effected.

[cMe2]

Damage is estimated at 24 billion baht?? The story of the flooding is just hitting the news, not all the people or livestock have been evacuated, but they already have a damage estimate!

I wonder whose arse they pulled that number out of. Having worked in risk management for a number of years, I can tell you that a damage estimate pulled as quickly as this is nothing more than a wild prediction.

or perhaps wild speculation on the amount of relief they're expecting.

[cMe2]

As a full time resident in Chiang Rai, I have noticed the infrastructure is lacking for areas outside cities. The best constructed road, by far, is the one that snakes many miles up a remote hill to a Royal site. Most other roads are barely passable, with ditches in the wrong places or non-existent. ....same for culverts. Potholes and erosion in the middle of roads are big enough to lose a truck tire in - even on roads with hundreds of vehicles per day.

Roads in Thailand are generally very good. Main arteries around Bangkok - out to Kanchanaburi and East to Trat are all good. South to Krabi and so on as well as to Chiang Mai but once you get to the outter regions then it drops off. Needless to say priority is given to roads travelled by the privileged same as when a drive by on Sukhumvit seems to magically remove all street vendors blocking the footpaths. The facade will always be there that Thailand is perfect to some and not so to others.

But compared to countries like Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, Thailand roads are a dream. Outback roads in places like Australia are shockers too as they are left to the municipal councils. I guess the same system applies here. But the issue here on the flooding is a major one to be sure. Bangkok being built at zero above seal level means there is all but no runoff thus constant flash flooding especially when the runoff drains are blocked by road surfacing.

Further north you would think that would be impossible but mountainous areas force water to run faster - thus the mud slides and so on. No point in complaining I guess as Thailand will support areas most travelled and road usage in the North past Chiang Mai seems not to rate by someone's standards. Interesting to see if any damming or water retention will come under the Senates spending spree next session. It can only be brought to their attention and then the local member needs to push the agenda. The ridiculous quote of billions of Baht in damage (in another blog this forum) could well be saved by putting it into roads and environment management rather than a knee jerk reaction after the event.

We can only hope there are no lives lost in the process of water movement in the next few days.

I must admit that i have never been to the "deep north" although i will, for sure this year. But the first time i visited 6 years ago i was very surprised by the roads, north , south, east and west of Bangkok , they are far better than i expected.

the outback "roads" in australia are merely drovers tracks fit for only cattle and the wild bush horsemen.

[hanssna]

this is always bad news, even tho it seems to happen every year. we had enough of flooding in the south here ourselves.. all the best wished to the people who have lost everything !

[spacebass]

Terrible news. May those who are affected be able to recover to some semblance of normalcy.

The word is 'normality'.

[exrockstar]

We were lucky in the far north then. Today, I drove from Chiang Saen, through Mae Chan, Thoed Thai and up the unpaved section to Huay Mae Kham. Only saw a very light shower on the way back down.

[oops]

Floods, mudslides in North - and more to come

BANGKOK: -- Thirteen districts out of 18 in the northern province of Chiang Rai have been declared disaster areas after flash floods inundated 322 villages,destroyed bridges and caused mudslides in many areas.

Villagers in tambon Mae Jaydee in Wieng Pa Pao district are stranded after mudslides blocked access in and out. Wide areas of farmland are under water and livestock and villagers are being evacuated.

A 10metre section of a bridge linking two large villages in Mae Saruay province has been washed away by floodwater, leaving 700 hilltribe people in 177 households isolated, said district chief Natthawet Rattanasathaphorn.

Overall damage is estimated at Bt24 million from flooding in 66 tambons in 13 districts, with 322 villages affected, said the provincial public safety office.

Meanwhile, 10 other provinces in the Northeast have been declared prone to flash flood following many days of heavy rains and the possibility of torrential rains over the next threedays from today.

Provinces at risk are Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan, Amnat Charoen, Kalasin, Roi Et, Yasothon, Ubon Ratchathani, Surin and Buri Ram, according to a warning by the Meteorological Department.

-- The Nation 2009-09-25

Can you slow down I am trying to count the spots..

[Foggy Bottom]

Losing everything is horrible. My condolences and best wishes go to those that are suffering.

We also need to consider that there just are someplaces that people shouldn't live. Building on old river beds on historic flood plains, in area's that are known to be flash flood prone.

Common sense relocation. I hope that the people who's lives have been destroyed do receive assistance but also place their homes in better thought out locations.

In the case of the hill tribes, they have no choice - mostly they are told where to live by the government and the army (excluding the royally appointed and protected lands allocated to the lucky). Worst part is, there's a long history where as soon as a village has made their surrounds agriculturally viable, they are relocated again and guess who moves into where they were moved out of?

Suggest some research may help your understanding of why some peoples in Thailand have no choice over where they live, let alone what happens to their homes in bad weather.

Foggy

[webfact]

18 provinces warned of flash foods because of Ketsana storm's influence

Residents of 18 provinces were Sunday warned to brace themselves for heavy rains and flash floods because of a tropical storm in Philippines.

In its daily weather forecast issued at4 am, the Meteorological Department said Mae Hong Son, Phrae, Uttaradit, Tak, Sukhothai, Phitsanulok, Kamphaeng Phet, Phichit, Phetchabun, Loei, Chaiyaphum, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Sawan, Chanthaburi, Trat, Ranong and Phangnga would be hit by heavy rains and possible flash floods.

The department said the heavy rains would be unleashed by the influence of low pressure trough over the lower North, the Central and the Northeast Thailand and the rather strong southwest monsoon over the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand.

The weather condition would be complicated by the influence of the Ketsana tropical storm in the South China Sea or the west of Luzon island, the Philippines is moving westward.

The storm is expected to affect Thailand's weather during September 30 to October 3.

-- The Nation 2009/09/27

[webfact]

Ketsana expected to hit Mukdahan Wednesday

The Meteorological Department Tuesday warned residents of 18 provinces to brace themselves of heavy rains and flash floods as Typhoon Ketsana is landing on Vietnam Tuesday and is expected to reach Mukdahan Wednesday.

In its fourth warning on Ketsana, the department said the typhoon was now over the South China Sea and was centered about 220 km east of Danang, Vietnam or Lat 16.0 oN, Long 109.8 oE with sustained winds of 140 km per hour.

The storm is moving west at a speed of 15 km per hour to make landfall over the coast of Vietnam Tuesday, the department said.

It said Ketsana is expected to move across Laos ahead to Mukdahan by Wednesday.

It said Nong Khai, Nakhon Phanom, Sakon Nakhon, Mukdahan, Amnat Charoen, Kalasin, Maha Sarakham, Roi Et, Yasothon, Ubon Ratchathani, Sisaket, Surin, Buri Ram, Nakhon Ratchasima, Chanthaburi, Trat, Ranong and Phang Nga would be hit by heavy rains.

-- The Nation 2009/09/29