THE BMA IS READY TO HANDLE FLOODS DURING THE RAINY SEASON

Bangkok Spokesperson PHUTTHIPHONG PUNNAKANT (พุทธิพงษ์ ปุณณกันต์) revealed that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) now is ready to facelift the city’s flood prevention system, to make sure it is better prepared to cope with future floods and water flow from the northern region.

ฒญฬMr PHUTTHIPHONG said BMA has been inspecting the city’s flood prevention system, including the water pumps, and all concerned parties to monitor the situation closely, in order to come up with solutions to the flood problems.

ฒญฬMeanwhile, Bangkok Governor APHIRAK KOSAYOTHIN (อภิรักษ์ โกษะโยธิน) will inspect in some flood-sensitive areas again next week, to make sure Bangkok is better prepared to cope with future floods.

Source: thaisnews.com ประจำวันพุธที่ 14 กันยายน 2548

Post Note: I know there's thai script at the beginning of some of the paragraphs above, but the wording of the bulletin is verbatim as received.

Bangkok was a mess last night. Roads were totaly flooded. Almost couldn't make it home. Cars were swimming. You couldn't see the wheels on those city bus. Amazing. Another reason to buy a SUV in Bangkok. A sedan would stall because the engine is flooded easily with those flood.

The solution to driving problems is not always an SUV. I was with a friend last night and we were headed to a restaurant in the outer part of BKK. The road was severely flooded, but he tried to get through in his SUV. We almost drowned out there--he couldn't see the road, nearly drove into the ditch etc. We eventually made it back, but the problem was that since we were in an SUV, we went where we shouldn't.

Same mentality happens with 4-wheel drive vehicles.

It's a mess, but it's not too often, so make do--unless of course you have your heart set on an SUV and just need an excuse to get one!