The Thailand Flooding Crisis In Retrospect

[webfact]

FLOOD

The flooding crisis in retrospect

By The Nation

Losses similar to damages caused by this year's political turmoil

Despite their familiarity with inundation, Thais struggled very hard to cope with the magnitude of severe floods this year.

Relevant authorities now say the flooding caused 257 deaths.

In addition, there were many injuries and massive damage amounting to dozens of billions of baht. The houses of about 700,000 families were flooded for at least one week.

A survey by the Agriculture Ministry has found that the floods ravaged 11.26 million rai (1.8 million hectares) of farmland in 74 provinces between August 1 and December 9. Of this farmland, about 5.82 million rai - mostly paddy fields - was destroyed. In the same period, 190,432 rai of aquatic-animal farms in 68 provinces also suffered flood-related damage.

According to the Labour Ministry, the floods hurt 1,218 businesses with 76,340 workers.

The level of loss is on a par with that caused by the political riots in April and May. In the wake of the flooding, the National Economic and Social Development Board even revised downwards its forecast for the country's economic growth.

Despite the flooding, the amount of rainfall received around the country this year has not been especially high. However, when heavy downpours persisted for several consecutive days, many provinces were inundated as rivers overflowed. Among the hardest-hit provinces were Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Sawan, Suphan Buri, Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Songkhla, Buri Ram, Khon Kaen and Phatthalung.

In some mountainous provinces such as Surat Thani and Nakhon Si Thammarat, landslides killed some victims and trapped many others.

In the eyes of many, this year's flooding was the worst in decades.

In Nakhon Ratchasima, locals found their town submerged and big hospitals were forced to suspend services in the face of rising flood water.

In Lop Buri the situation was so bad that rescue workers were unable to reach marooned villages and helicopters were used to airdrop relief supplies to victims.

At worst-hit spots, flood water rose rapidly to a depth of several metres, and victims were forced to cling to the roofs of two-storey houses because the water reached the upper storey.

Province after province was declared a disaster zone as flooding upset the lives of millions of people.

In Songkhla's Hat Yai district, thousands of locals lived in fear for days as electricity, household water and cellphone signals were cut off at the height of the flood.

For the first time in years, after the water stopped rising, the flood remained, not only in paddy fields but also in towns, stagnating for days before slowly draining away.

Relief and rescue operations were very difficult in some areas where volunteers weren't sure how to reach victims. Hundreds of schools had to postpone the beginning of the new semester in early November because flooding posed a big threat to commuting students. Many roads were impassable and some train routes were cut off. The water was everywhere.

However, there were rays of hope.

At the height of the crisis, social networks, television stations, private organisations and ordinary people came together to mobilise help for the victims. Donations of cash and relief items accumulated very quickly. Some people even reached out to victims in their own vehicles, including jet-skis and four-wheel-drive vehicles.

Companies seeing the plight of victims on news services offered speedy help, such as construction materials for home repairs. Vocational students helped to fix damaged homes and electrical appliances.

Swinging government aid behind the relief efforts, the Cabinet approved measures to help flood victims. Families whose houses were under water for more than seven days could claim Bt5,000 in compensation. Owners of destroyed houses were promised Bt60,000, and those with partially damaged houses, Bt20,000.

Rental fees were waived for a certain time for people holding leases on state-owned land or properties that were under flood water for many days or sustained damage.

The Royal Family also stepped in to help to flood victims. His Majesty the King granted at least Bt20 million via the Rajaprajanugroh Foundation to ensure that affected people got basic necessities.

One of the outcomes of the crisis has been a new drive to manage flood risks better around the country. The government is now brainstorming ideas on how to minimise damage in the next flood.

One lesson has been drawn from Hat Yai, where drainage canals were earlier dug under His Majesty the King's initiatives. Flood water drained from the area faster than anyone expected.

Many authorities, including the Education Ministry, are now thinking of building elevated structures so as to avoid property damage when the likes of schools are struck by fierce torrents of flood water.

People living in low-lying areas have also been reminded of the need to protect themselves better against wet-season hazards.

Experts have also begun to air their opinions on how flooding can be alleviated, and there has been some concern about a lack of coordinated effort. Some experts have warned that if provincial governments make isolated attempts to build embankments along rivers, they will simply deliver the floods to downstream areas that may not have similar protective structures in place. Without a holistic approach and collaboration, flooding may become an even greater annual threat.

-- The Nation 2010-12-30

[TheyCallmeScooter]

Good article. Pity it won't receive the interest it deserves. Not when there is a 200,000 lynch mob ready to string up a 16 year old kid for being involved in a tragic highway disaster.

Flooding lessons don't stand a chance.

[Bagwan]

Good article. Pity it won't receive the interest it deserves. Not when there is a 200,000 lynch mob ready to string up a 16 year old kid for being involved in a tragic highway disaster.

Flooding lessons don't stand a chance.

I don't see any connection between an excess of the liquid stuff and a road accident. I do however see a connection with <deleted> politicians who utter fatuous phrases such as "This isn't flood water. This merely excess rain".

[TheyCallmeScooter]

Good article. Pity it won't receive the interest it deserves. Not when there is a 200,000 lynch mob ready to string up a 16 year old kid for being involved in a tragic highway disaster.

Flooding lessons don't stand a chance.

I don't see any connection between an excess of the liquid stuff and a road accident. I do however see a connection with <deleted> politicians who utter fatuous phrases such as "This isn't flood water. This merely excess rain".

I meant that "lessons learned from flood 2010 debrief" isn't sensationalist news. It's a pity as if this topic received a fraction of the interest the highway accident was getting, I'm pretty certain it would be worth more than 8 lives relatively quickly. But it won't. And they won't be saved

lol @ the quote though, who said that?

[blakegeee]

I was told that there is a Chiang Mai map available online that shows how prone to flooding each area in Chiang Mai is. Has anybody else seen this or know where I can find it. We are considering buying a house and I'd like to check how flood-prone the area is.

[rubl]

Good article. Pity it won't receive the interest it deserves. Not when there is a 200,000 lynch mob ready to string up a 16 year old kid for being involved in a tragic highway disaster.

Flooding lessons don't stand a chance.

There's still hope it will get a mention in the no-confidence debate the PTP promised for early this year

[TheyCallmeScooter]

Good article. Pity it won't receive the interest it deserves. Not when there is a 200,000 lynch mob ready to string up a 16 year old kid for being involved in a tragic highway disaster.

Flooding lessons don't stand a chance.

There's still hope it will get a mention in the no-confidence debate the PTP promised for early this year

Random bump timing. Just got off the phone with two friends who've lost their waterfront properties in Brisbane. I'm sure there are threads about it on TV but what a crazy world...

Not just Thais who struggle with flood planning it seems. I'm hearing reports from friends that people are risking electrocution trying to salvage goods from stores which were open and trading last night despite ALL the many warnings. People...sigh.

Now the crocs and snakes coming in. It's like a really bad C-grade movie script...

[Bagwan]

Good article. Pity it won't receive the interest it deserves. Not when there is a 200,000 lynch mob ready to string up a 16 year old kid for being involved in a tragic highway disaster.

Flooding lessons don't stand a chance.

I don't see any connection between an excess of the liquid stuff and a road accident. I do however see a connection with <deleted> politicians who utter fatuous phrases such as "This isn't flood water. This merely excess rain".

I meant that "lessons learned from flood 2010 debrief" isn't sensationalist news. It's a pity as if this topic received a fraction of the interest the highway accident was getting, I'm pretty certain it would be worth more than 8 lives relatively quickly. But it won't. And they won't be saved

lol @ the quote though, who said that?

Samak Sundaravej, of whom it was said. A buffoon even by Thai standards. Was deposed for accepting payment for showing people how to cook on TV - as if there are not enough b****y cooking programmes, all of which have no relevance to 99% of the people..

[TheyCallmeScooter]

I do however see a connection with <deleted> politicians who utter fatuous phrases such as "This isn't flood water. This merely excess rain".

lol @ the quote though, who said that?

Samak Sundaravej, of whom it was said. A buffoon even by Thai standards. Was deposed for accepting payment for showing people how to cook on TV - as if there are not enough b****y cooking programmes, all of which have no relevance to 99% of the people..

Yeah, it takes a pretty special kind of donk to say something that ridiculous. Almost - would be - hilarious, were he not at one point the leader of the country (I'm assuming he was when he released that pearler).

Can you imagine Gillard or even that joker Rudd saying that in Australia? It's just...it's incomprehensible. "The 40,000 homes in Brisbane / Towoomba lost aren't due to flooding, Australia. Please relax everyone. This is just excess rain."

wut? lol.

[rubl]

Yeah, it takes a pretty special kind of donk to say something that ridiculous. Almost - would be - hilarious, were he not at one point the leader of the country (I'm assuming he was when he released that pearler).

Can you imagine Gillard or even that joker Rudd saying that in Australia? It's just...it's incomprehensible. "The 40,000 homes in Brisbane / Towoomba lost aren't due to flooding, Australia. Please relax everyone. This is just excess rain."

wut? lol.

Even sharks of many types come to play:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/01/12/3111496.htm

[TheyCallmeScooter]

Even sharks of many types come to play:

http://www.abc.net.a.../12/3111496.htm

lol.

"I never would have thought I would ever have seen a bull shark in the main street of Goodna."

If you had, Councillor Tully, I daresay you probably would be exposing yourself to valid sectioning.

What madness. I've run out of superlatives.

Of course Inala, the most dire suburb in the country in need of a Noah's Ark cleansing flood, escapes untouched.