As Waters Retreat, Hat Yai Begins Its Big Cleanup

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FLOOD CRISIS

As waters retreat, Hat Yai begins its big cleanup

By The Nation

Songkhla

Residents, soldiers, and volunteers yesterday busily cleaned up the economic town of Hat Yai as the devastating floodwaters subsided.

The worst flooding engulfed Hat Yai earlier this week, leaving locals in dismay without any electricity or tap water.

At press time, electricity had been restored in most parts of Hat Yai town. Running water, however, will not come back until tomorrow.

The cleanup operation started immediately, clearing debris that was everywhere.

"I don't think the cleanup operation will be completed within one day. But we will do our best," medical student Tatsinee Narinrat said as she swept a Hat Yai road. "We come here to help. We feel so sorry for the flood victims".

Tatsinee was among hundreds of volunteers from the Prince of Songkla University.

Because of the flooding, many vendors at popular Kim Yong Market yesterday decided to offer big discounts for products remaining in their shops. A brandname blouse, which usually fetched between Bt800 and Bt1,000, was sold at just Bt200.

The market attracted big crowds and a traffic jam occurred.

Many convenience stores, however, have found their places looted. Not just basic necessities but also cigarettes and liquor went missing during the floods.

Nakhon Hat Yai Municipality mayor Prai Pattano said his agency was now trying to provide people with drinking water because running water was still not available.

He expected to restore normalcy to Hat Yai within the next three to seven days.

At some points earlier this week, thousands of Hat Yai residents were marooned in metresdeep floodwater.

Prai said the waters drained quickly because preparations, including canaldredging, had been made in advance. "The scope of damage is less than the big flood in 2000," he said.

Transport Minister Sophon Saram said all roads in Hat Yai district had returned to usable condition and

repair work on railways was underway.

Royal Thai Air Force's Directorate of Civil Affairs chief, Air Vice Marshal Chucheep Phaewsomboon, said officials from his unit were repairing damage to hospitals and schools as a priority.

In Na Tawee district, Her Majesty the Queen Hospital resumed operations but without Xray or bloodtesting services.

"The flood has damaged our equipment to the tune of Bt10million," hospital director Dr Suwat Wiriyapongsukij said.

Songkhla Irrigation chief Danaiwit Saibandhit said floodwater had already subsided in most parts of the province. "Only outlying districts like the Bang Klam district remain seriously flooded," he said.

Danaiwit said it would take about one week for floodwater to drain from all areas in the province.

"But that's based on the hope that no more downpours are coming," he added.

After emerging from a meeting with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and officials, Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij disclosed the government was now working out a comprehensive rehabilitation plan to cover flood victims in all locations.

-- The Nation 2010-11-05

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HAT YAI

'No need to relocate city'

By The Nation

Shifting Hat Yai city will be expensive, unnecessary: academics, politicians

Relocating Hat Yai City would be an expensive overreaction, as massive flooding is rare and an effective disaster warning system and efficient drainage system would work just as well, academics and politicians said yesterday.

Following the devastating flood in the main city of Songkhla earlier this week that caused billions of baht in damage, many suggested moving the southern region’s commercial centre away from its current setting in a low-lying area.

Urging people to accept the truth of nature, Pramoj Maiklad, a former chief of the Irrigation Department and former senator, argued that Hat Yai had clear waterways to Songkhla Lake. The 1988 flood was countered by diverting water from Khlong U Tapao into the lake. But relying on the 1988 and 2000 flood figures as a flood prevention guideline didn’t cover all the facts, he said, adding that the canal’s carrying capacity was too optimistic.

The canal was excavated in 2001 to expand its capacity from 460 cubic meters per second to 1,075cm/s after the 2000 flood hit the city with 950cm/s of water. While all thought the bigger canal should be sufficient, the recent flash flood inundated the city with 1,600cm/s of destructive force. Rather than moving the city, which would be too costly, the canal’s capacity should be increased and additional drainage systems should be constructed to drain flood waters faster, he said. Better and more timely warning systems for floods following heavy rainfall â€" especially for local administrative bodies â€" were also needed. People should follow weather news and prepare to evacuate after a day or two of downpours, he added.

National Disaster Warning Foundation president Smith Dharmasaroja said the city’s relocation wasn’t necessary if it had better management of water-drainage waterways â€" with pumps installed at a canal’s head and tail to drain water into the Gulf of Thailand within 24 hours.

Kim Chaisaensuk, an economics expert and the rector of Ramkhamhaeng University, said relocation would cost a lot more than the flood damage and such a major flood occurred only once in 10 years. A better water management and flood drainage system that could empty the city of floodwaters in one or two days should be enough.

Somphop Manarangsan, president of Panyapiwat Institute of Technology, and Sopon Pornchokchai, president of the Thai Appraisal Foundation, said moving the region’s economic hub was difficult and unnecessary. Better flood management plans would be an alternative solution. Sopon warned flood-affected landlords not to sell their properties too cheaply to those who used the flood as an excuse for demanding an immense discount.

Sirichoke Sopha, an MP for Songkhla, said the recent flood in Hat Yai district was the severest in recent memory and the district coped with it well with canals to drain water into the sea. He affirmed that there was no plan to take Hat Yai or any important office elsewhere because such a major flood was a natural disaster that hit once in a long while. The city would return to normal in seven days, he said.

Another Songkhla MP, Wirat Kallayasiri, said the recent flood was double the size of the 2000 flood, but fortunately the Ror 1, Ror 3 and Ror 4 canals were dug to drain water well, while a 2.5-metre-high flood barrier acted to protect the city.

-- The Nation 2010-11-05

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NAKHON SI THAMMARAT

Mudslide adds to flood woes

By The Nation

Ten bodies found In Pattani as death toll climbs

As Hat Yai district and Songkhla province battled the flood aftermath, the ordeal continued in other areas in the South, with a mudslide yesterday in Nakhon Si Thammarat’s Khanom district levelling many homes and damaging others in many villages.

In Pattani, 10 bodies possibly of fishing trawler crewmen, were found washed on a beach, while there were reports of a five-year-old boy drowning in Nakhon Si Thammarat’s Hua Sai district. Meanwhile, the Phlai Dam hill located in neighbouring Si Chol district unleashed debris and mud onto 34 villages, including the hardest-hit Ban Khao Lak in tambon Thung Sai.

The district office said the mudslide spanned 15-20 metres in width over a 7km stretch, affecting about 60 rai. It damaged about 50 homes and levelled four houses, though there were no casualties or reports of missing persons filed with local authorities.

The mudslide also caused large rocks to fall on a key road heading to the urban areas, leading to traffic congestion. Tens of households facing the hill have been evacuated to a safer area. The flooding in the province has overall damaged 100 rai of farmland and rubber plantations, 30 roads and 30 bridges, in addition to affecting some 1,000 people, the provincial authorities said.

Certain sections of many roads in areas near the mudslide have been closed to traffic, due to the falling rocks coupled with the strong currents of the flood waters blocking the routes.

In Pattani’s Yaring district, six bodies of men were found washed on the shore and three bodies were found floating nearby. The bodies have not been identified or claimed, but two bodies bore tattoos of a mythical Kirin image, and Big, a heart [Loves] Lek. Another body was later found in the evening.

The five-year-old boy, Jateniphan Thongsri, died after falling into the flood water through a hole in the wooden floor of his home. His body was retrieved later. He was the fourth fatality from the floods in Nakhon Si Thammarat province.

In Pattani, the swelling Pattani river quickly inundated the downtown area in Muang district, forcing villagers to flee with their belongings. The 1.50-metre flood-water level has trapped a large number of people in their homes and forced some 50 families to seek shelter elsewhere.

In Trang, several tambon in Muang district are faced with heavy flooding from run-off water flowing down from mountainous areas in the Ban Thad mountain range. Relief supplies have been distributed to residents living in areas where flood waters have subsided.

The government’s flood relief war room has expressed worry over the flooding in Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Chumphon, Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat because of continuing heavy rains and storms.

The centre said the situation was better in Ubon Ratchathani because of efficient water drainage, before high tides early next week threatened a new wave of floods. Stagnant flood waters remained in Khon Kaen, Maha Sarakham and Si Sa Ket.

Official details about the flooding reveal that 26 provinces in total had been affected â€" six in the Northeast, 12 in the Central and eight in the South.

-- The Nation 2010-11-05

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More bad floods are on the way, academic warns

By Wannapa Khaopa

The Nation

The current flood disaster is just the beginning of more disasters Thailand will have to face.

"Forget the belief that we're in a safe location. We no longer can say Thailand won't face disasters. So, it's time to adjust ourselves and brace for more of them," Professor Thanawat Jarupongsakul said yesterday.

The lecturer from Chulalongkorn University, Faculty of Science's Unit for Disaster and Land Information Studies, disclosed that his studies had found a cause for the heavy downpours in the Northeast and depression in the South - abnormal oceanic and atmospheric phenomena.

"Lanina is a main cause of the current flooding, while Elnino caused drought in the first halfyear, which is irregular," he said.

In the past, Lanina appeared every 4.6 years and Elnino every three years on average. However since 2004 both have occurred more frequently, he said.

"What happened this time caused two different disasters in the same year," Thanawat said, adding that more were due to occur in Thailand. Storms had become increasingly severe over the past 10 years. Rain volume was 6 - 15 per cent higher than the average level for flooding years.

Thanawat urged Thais to keep an eye on weather to brace for possible floods, as Lanina's influence would cause rain in the South until February and probably storms until midDecember.

And that's not all: Elnino would probably affect the country again next year. "The recent volcano explosion in Indonesia could increase the possibility of an Elnino from 25 - 50 per cent, which means Thailand may have neutral weather conditions for 50 per cent of the time and drought caused by Elnino for the remaining months" he added.

"Thailand has never used updated weather knowledge to plan its water management," Thanawat said. "We cannot manage water properly and that leads to severe flooding. If we used [better planning], dams would have stored huge quantities of water, despite the drought just passed," said Thanawat.

Thanawat urged investment in hightech equipment and highly qualified personnel to forecast weather more accurately and in more specific areas. Dams' staff should study extreme weather conditions and abnormal phenomena. Floodaffected people and agriculturists should adjust their way of life by building residences with space in their first floors and growing drought and flood resistant crops.

"Building dikes to prevent floods is not the answer. It causes conflict with others affected by floods as they live or plant crops on opposite sides of the dikes. We should change water management, using updated weather knowledge and integrated and systematic methods," he said.

Thanawat held a media event at Chulalongkorn University to educate people about the main causes of the current flooding and possible disasters, and to encourage agencies to address such problems.

-- The Nation 2010-11-05

[angiud]

El Niño and La Niña....

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Heavy rain in Chumporn, 2 m. deep flood in Pattalung, residents evacuated; mudslide in Kanom district in Nakorn Srithammarat /The Nation

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Major floods cost Bt32.4-54.2 billion loss to economy: KRC

BANGKOK, Nov 5 – Severe floods devastating more than 40 provinces in Thailand's northeastern, central, northern, and southern regions during October and November have inflicted 32.4-54.2 billion baht in damages to the economy, according to Kasikorn Research Centre (KRC).

However, the leading think tank believed a new amount of money would be injected into the economic system through government spending to compensate and rehabilitation for the damages.

Private sector companies are expected to allocate funds to repair damaged properties, procurement, and donations for flood victims.

Simultaneously, entrepreneurs would step up production and marketing activities to offset the shortfall in revenue experienced during the flooding.

Because of this, KRC projected the inundation would cost around Bt15.6-30.5 billion in lost economic growth or make the gross domestic product (GDP) drop by 0.6-1.2 per cent in the fourth quarter of this year.

In addition, it might bring up the inflation rate in the last quarter to 2.9-3.1 per cent from the earlier expectation of 2.6 per cent in case no flooding occurs.

For the whole year, the GDP is forecast to reduce by 0.15-0.31 per cent to 6.8-6.9 per cent from 7.1 per cent projected earlier while the inflation rate is anticipated to rise to 3.3-3.4 per cent from 3.26 per cent in case of no floods. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2010-11-05

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INN: 30 deaths from flood crisis in South alone; 140 nationwide; 21 districts in Nakorn Si Thammarat declared disaster zones due 2 mudslides /via @TAN_Network

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Japan offers $200,000 in aid to Thailand for flood relief efforts /TANN

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High Tides on Nov 6-11 May Cause Flooding in BKK

The Royal Irrigation Department has warned that high sea tides on November 6-11 may cause flooding for communities along the Chao Phraya River bank in Ayutthaya, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi and Bangkok.

-- Tan Network 2010-11-05

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HM the King Grants Bt1 mln to Help Northeast Flood

His Majesty the King had granted Bt1 million of personal funds to help flood relief in the Northeast and 1,000 necessity bags for flood victims in Surat Thani.

-- Tan Network 2010-11-05

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Two streams from the mountain found heading to flood Kanom, Nakhon Si Thammarat, again. /RT @wannasiri_tv /RT @Krit_nnasouth /via@nationnews

[Kissmehoney]

Typical political talk. I have just finished driving around most of Hat Yai and there doesn't seem to have been any preparation for this storm. No warnings or if there was nobody heeded them. I was in Phuket on Nov. 1 and headed back to help my inlaws as I suspected flooding. I had just rented a new 2 story house to put them in and we started to move in the rain against their objections. My brother in law said that he didn't believe that any flooding would occur. I went ahead and moved the old people and children in the family from their 1 story home to the new home at 4:00 PM. By 10:00 PM the water was pouring down the main road and within 30 minutes the water was coming down the Soi. I had already instructed everyone to move everything to the second floor and I went and bought 200 liters of water for us to drink. I think I was the only one here that did that. We had plenty to eat and drink so we took in more peoiple who needed help. We had 15 people in two bedrooms. Cramped but liveable. My truck became a submarine but that was the only thing we lost. Most people here have lost everything. The streets are now filled with the damaged furniture and food. The response was good by the military and government but by the time they got boats in the water the water was receding quickly. Most likely due to the new canals they built after the last flood in 2000.

[asiawatcher]

".. I don't think the cleanup operation will be completed within one day. But we will do our best,"

Judging by the photos, about a week would be a starting point.... Poor buggers.

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AFP: Death toll in Thai flood crisis hits 140

Follow this link:

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BMA prepares prompt response measures for 13 risk areas along Chao Phraya River in Bangkok in case of sudden flood during high tides from Monday /MCOT

[mjnaus]

Typical political talk. I have just finished driving around most of Hat Yai and there doesn't seem to have been any preparation for this storm. No warnings or if there was nobody heeded them. I was in Phuket on Nov. 1 and headed back to help my inlaws as I suspected flooding. I had just rented a new 2 story house to put them in and we started to move in the rain against their objections. My brother in law said that he didn't believe that any flooding would occur. I went ahead and moved the old people and children in the family from their 1 story home to the new home at 4:00 PM. By 10:00 PM the water was pouring down the main road and within 30 minutes the water was coming down the Soi. I had already instructed everyone to move everything to the second floor and I went and bought 200 liters of water for us to drink. I think I was the only one here that did that. We had plenty to eat and drink so we took in more peoiple who needed help. We had 15 people in two bedrooms. Cramped but liveable. My truck became a submarine but that was the only thing we lost. Most people here have lost everything. The streets are now filled with the damaged furniture and food. The response was good by the military and government but by the time they got boats in the water the water was receding quickly. Most likely due to the new canals they built after the last flood in 2000.

You're talking nonsense. There has been plenty of warning from the local government (on television, radio and internet); further more, people here know that if it rains like this for two or three days, you better prepare for the worst. Which is exactly what most people did; from what we have seen, everybody who had a second/third floor moved their stuff up. Monday morning at 10, Carrefour was filled with people shopping for water, rice and other food in preparation of not being able to leave home for a few days... From what I have seen the past few days, the government has not made mistakes, they did warn residents and relief efforts started only a few hours after the city flooded. Of course people just love to point their finger looking for someone to blame...

Edited November 5, 2010 by mjnaus

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Military Denies Discriminating against Flood Victims

The defense minister insists that the military has done its best to provide assistance to flood victims in all inundated areas without discrimination.

As concerns about discrimination against people affected by the devastating floods are growing, Defense Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan confirmed that the Armed Forces have made their utmost efforts to provide assistance to all flood victims irrespective of their whereabouts.

Prawit said news about discrimination in relief distribution to flood victims is baseless.

He noted those people might not have taken notice of military officers distributing help and misunderstood that none of the military's aid had reached them.

The defense minister also expressed his confidence that the use of the central budget to help alleviate the plight of flood victims throughout the country would not have any impact on the budget allocation to the military in the future.

-- Tan Network 2010-11-05

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Health Ministry: 350,000 people fell sick during 16 days of floods, almost 30,000 feeling stress, sleeplessness; 394 under close observation; no suicides found /MCOT

[geriatrickid]

I appreciate that the situation is bad for those that lost their lives and property, but contrast it to silmilar crises in Pakistan and Haiti and Thailand has done okay. The government response can be criticized but compared to Pakistan it looks great. I haven't seen any reports or images of Thais climbing over each other, rioting or running about screaming as was the case elsewhere. People have kept their dignity and gone about the job of recovery and response. No Thais have been gathering to scream death to America because the USA didn't drop food and aid packages. No Thai expects a foreign bail out. Thai officials have tried in their own way to be helpful. Yes its faulty but it sure is alot better than the Haitian and Pakistani response.

Canada and France as the lead donors to Haiti have poured hundreds and millions of dollars into Hairti. What do they really have to show for it? The USA and EU have poured hundreds of millions of dollars into Pakistan and what do they have to show for it except ingratitude, waste and hate in return? Thailand is starting to receive small amounts of foreign aid and the Thais have expressed polite gratitude and will indeed use it to help people.

I'm sorry, but as bad as it is in Thailand, I think the nation as a whole has done ok. Considering that 1/2 the country was udner water and the limited number of deaths, that is something to take some reassurance from. Yes, some things were screwed up and could have been done better, but on the whole Thailand has done ok so far.

[tonglen]

Typical political talk. I have just finished driving around most of Hat Yai and there doesn't seem to have been any preparation for this storm. No warnings or if there was nobody heeded them. I was in Phuket on Nov. 1 and headed back to help my inlaws as I suspected flooding. I had just rented a new 2 story house to put them in and we started to move in the rain against their objections. My brother in law said that he didn't believe that any flooding would occur. I went ahead and moved the old people and children in the family from their 1 story home to the new home at 4:00 PM. By 10:00 PM the water was pouring down the main road and within 30 minutes the water was coming down the Soi. I had already instructed everyone to move everything to the second floor and I went and bought 200 liters of water for us to drink. I think I was the only one here that did that. We had plenty to eat and drink so we took in more peoiple who needed help. We had 15 people in two bedrooms. Cramped but liveable. My truck became a submarine but that was the only thing we lost. Most people here have lost everything. The streets are now filled with the damaged furniture and food. The response was good by the military and government but by the time they got boats in the water the water was receding quickly. Most likely due to the new canals they built after the last flood in 2000.

From your post, it seems youre a good man and a good son-inlaw. Nice to see!

I agree. There are very few, if any, warning systems in place in LOS as a whole.

Now, Phuket just announced they would not be able to keep functional the tsunami warning buoy given them by the USA as batteries were too expensive. Batteries are cheaper than lives, me thinks.

[tonglen]

Does anyone know if the Thai people can include flood insurance on their land? I realize many do not have or cannot afford insurance of any kind....but is it feasible? Is it an option?

[siamiam]

I appreciate that the situation is bad for those that lost their lives and property, but contrast it to silmilar crises in Pakistan and Haiti and Thailand has done okay. The government response can be criticized but compared to Pakistan it looks great. I haven't seen any reports or images of Thais climbing over each other, rioting or running about screaming as was the case elsewhere. People have kept their dignity and gone about the job of recovery and response. No Thais have been gathering to scream death to America because the USA didn't drop food and aid packages. No Thai expects a foreign bail out. Thai officials have tried in their own way to be helpful. Yes its faulty but it sure is alot better than the Haitian and Pakistani response.

Canada and France as the lead donors to Haiti have poured hundreds and millions of dollars into Hairti. What do they really have to show for it? The USA and EU have poured hundreds of millions of dollars into Pakistan and what do they have to show for it except ingratitude, waste and hate in return? Thailand is starting to receive small amounts of foreign aid and the Thais have expressed polite gratitude and will indeed use it to help people.

I'm sorry, but as bad as it is in Thailand, I think the nation as a whole has done ok. Considering that 1/2 the country was udner water and the limited number of deaths, that is something to take some reassurance from. Yes, some things were screwed up and could have been done better, but on the whole Thailand has done ok so far.

Geriatrickid, I agree completely with everything you have said. On November 3rd I was in Chaiya, just north of Surat Thani, which happened to be a day of flooding there. The police, military, and volunteers had a large open air tent setup as a staging area to get food and water to the outlying areas and the people that needed help. They had jeeps and boats at the ready and rescue people were coming and going continuously. I was impressed with their operation and the amount of resources they had at their disposal. As a side note, the next day, less than 24 hours later, the water in Chaiya had dropped about a meter. Where the previous day a truck could barely go, there was now no water at all. It was interesting to see how quickly the water could disappear. Moving just as quickly, the staging area and the rescue people were also gone, presumably they had relocated to some other area in need of help. I would give Thailand high marks indeed for the way they have handled this nationwide disaster.

Edited November 7, 2010 by siamiam