Bangkok On Full Alert As Rainwaters Set To Break From Chao Phya Dam

[SergeiY]

Do we have any maps showing the most vulnerable areas?

Like, say, color-coded type to show which are more flood-prone than others?

This Google map may serve to show what's going on. Two points - It does not rate the risk hazards and those annoying blue and red markers are difficult to remove.

Cheers!

http://maps.google.c...96&source=embed

I don't know who made that map but it doesn't show that large parts of Bangkok would be flooded, including the new airport, and that's silly since I was walking up to my waist in floodwater back in the mid 80's when Sukumvhit up to areas near Lumpini park were completely flooded.

LaoPo

Is the silom, sathorn area prone to be completely flooded?

[OzMick]

Civil engineers do not talk about flood prevention, it is called flood mitigation as they realize that sooner or later a rainfall event will exceed all expectations and it will flood. There is no person to blame for this, though the religious could blame god.

There are some actions that can help. Reducing de-forrestation is a good start - a tree will hold in its leaves an amazing amount of water. Building dams and then reducing dam levels ahead of the flood front keeps flows to a manageable maximum, at least until their capacity is overwhelmed. Dredging of flow-ways will increase the flow rate. Building of levee walls is popular but can be a trap - if they breach then the flooding actually becomes worse and the natural drainage is blocked.

When there is a flood, everybody wants action, right bloody now, without realising that the POSSIBLE actions are being carried out. One month after the event, almost nobody will be showing interest in any further mitigation activity.

Noah (aka Manu, Deucalion and Utnapishtim in other cultures) is a myth, and not even a good one as even intelligent children realise that it is ridiculous.

[kutjebu]

Move the capital to another location-seriously!

They did; in 1767 the capital was moved from Ayutthaya to Thonburi then in 1782 it was moved again to its current location.

Don't move it.Make Chiangmai the capital .Then the red,yellow and other colors are together.

[tonglen]

When there is a flood, everybody wants action, right bloody now, without realising that the POSSIBLE actions are being carried out. One month after the event, almost nobody will be showing interest in any further mitigation activity.

I agree. Not only will no one care about the flood mitigation/elimination once the waters have subsided, no one will care about the collateral damage the displaced survivors are currently experiencing. For example, have you heard any recent updates from the flooding in Pakistan, earthquake damage in Haiti...etc?

The media capitalizes on the more graphic, prurient details and then....goodbye.

On another note: If Noah is just a myth, how is it then that EVERY modern and ancient civilization (archeological or not) has a story involving a great flood?

[culicine]

A few years back we had similar flooding. At that time, many land owners upstream were copping flack by not letting their land to become flooded though shutting off sluice gates on channels leading to their land. Thus more water stayed in the river and ended up on bkk streets. Is this an issue this year? I haven't read anything to this effect.

[aussiebebe]

I live in a condo in Bangkok so I'm expecting to only have problems with disrupted transportation, but maybe someone who knows more than me can explain, why ever did those traditional Thai homes on stilts fall out of favour? Seems like they were raised up and cooler, and survived floods more readily, or were they prone to collapse?

Also, I was reading on wikipedia about an area in Bangkok - Pravet - which never seems to flood. It's south towards the airport. Ironically it seems to be populated by Thai Muslims who were almost given the land at some point in the past when it was deemed worthless - who's laughing now?

[finner]

Hope y'all in Bangkok can swim. I don't care what the gov't says, I've seen the HUGE pumps pumping UPHILL to the Chao Praya river and therefore Bangkok may be officially above sea level but is definitely below river level. Anybody for water wings?

[mommysboy]

Move the capital to another location-seriously!

yes shouldn't cost much:blink:

[mommysboy]

I think it's about time priorities were considered:

ergo:

Will Soi Cowboy remain dry?

[farangUSA]

Does anyone know a webcam site concerning the Chao Phraya river in Bangkok?

[waza]

Move the capital to another location-seriously!

yes shouldn't cost much:blink:

imagine all the tea money that would cost

[mommysboy]

Move the capital to another location-seriously!

yes shouldn't cost much:blink:

imagine all the tea money that would cost

All the tea in China. Of course billionaires who don't need to worry over finances, eg, waza, could donate.

Also Bangkok is where it is because like many capital cities this is where the major river begins to meet the sea. If they chose the ideal location again they'd choose Bangkok!

They need to build flood walls, aka dykes.

[LivinLOS]

Where is Noah when we need him.....stop off at Pattaya and pickup 2 of each

In Pattaya? Seriously? Perhaps you could clarify the what part of two each!

Animal vegetable and mineral..

[MikeyIdea]

Do we have any maps showing the most vulnerable areas?

Like, say, color-coded type to show which are more flood-prone than others?

This Google map may serve to show what's going on. Two points - It does not rate the risk hazards and those annoying blue and red markers are difficult to remove.

Cheers!

http://maps.google.c...96&source=embed

I don't know who made that map but it doesn't show that large parts of Bangkok would be flooded, including the new airport, and that's silly since I was walking up to my waist in floodwater back in the mid 80's when Sukumvhit up to areas near Lumpini park were completely flooded.

LaoPo

Thanks for giving newer Thailand lovers a perspective LaoPo. People are quick to blaim governments for doing nothing when there actually has been considerable improvement.

I came after you and I have been at near waist level in flooding on Sukhumvit only one single time. But look at it now, it never even gets knee deep and there is an enormous improvement, the definition of "bad flooding" has moved a lot.

Edited October 27, 2010 by MikeyIdea