Worst Thai Flooding In 500 Years Predicted!

[Neeranam]

I heard from a friend whose sister works in a big Bangkok hospital that they, and other hospitals are preparing for the worst floods and typhoons, and maybe a earthquake/tsunami in the Gulf of Thailand. They are saying starting next week and until the end of October.

Has anyone heard anything about these diasters? I haven't seen anything on the news. Maybe it is top secret, maybe it is bullshit. With the rate of Polar ice-cap melting, I guess someday the floods will get worse.

Get ready to stock up or run to the hills

[howler]

Unfortunately, from what I've been reading, I think they are preparing for a terrorist attack. There has been word of threats against tourist locations throughout Thailand in the news. I cant remember exactly, but you should find the article in a search.

[lopburi3]

A friend who has a sister who works in a big Bangkok hospital? And somehow the future has been classified Top Secret? Give us a break.

[usatrader]

Just yesterday, my sister-in law, who works for the Government in a high level managment position has adviced us that they are preparing for big floods in Bangkok? That is all she said.

I was, from that conversation, under the impression it was common knowledge? I am surprised no one has read anything of it at all.

We have discussed collecting sand bags and moving furniture and appliances to upper floors in our proporties there.

I hope it is just a recautionary possibility and nothing but that. But all that rain in the North comes south eventually.

Sources:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/08Oct2005_news15.php

Mr Apirak said the Meteorological Department had predicted the Chao Phraya river will rise almost two metres due to continued heavy rains and seawater surges of 1.16m on Oct 9 and 1.22m on Oct 16.

THA T

IS

ALL!

[RamdomChances]

Well it's been chucking it down here (Chao Phraya basin) with some of the heavest continual rain I've seen here, for 3 days so it's going to hit Bkk at sometime, as to the rest ....have'nt a clue

[jackr]

Zero connection between typhoons and floods versus and eathquake and tsunami, as far as we know. Do you think they are covering all angles by predicting the lot to save face loss?...if so they forgot about ball lightning and snow

[chuchok]

Zero connection between typhoons and floods versus and eathquake and tsunami, as far as we know. Do you think they are covering all angles by predicting the lot to save face loss?...if so they forgot about ball lightning and snow 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

yep, can't forget the snow ...Not sure about the lightning though.

[Abandon]

makes sense to be careful - the aussies just got caught out losing the Ashes

[billd766]

Some of us already live in the hills. It has been raining a lot up here as well and you can see on the side of the roads in some places where the soil has been washed off the higher land.

At least we have a 4x4 pickup to get around in.

[STUD]

Some of us already live in the hills. It has been raining a lot up here as well and you can see on the side of the roads in some places where the soil has been washed off the higher land.

At least we have a 4x4 pickup to get around in.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It might be time to start building an ARK.

I heard today about that Earth Quake in Pakistan/ India, Thousands dead!

STUD

[Mighty Mouse]

I wonder if the floods, the tsunami, the typhoon and the earthquake will arrive before the alien invasion.

I hope that the aliens come first with sufficient space ships to transport all of my belongings to safe grounds. This computer doesn't work so well when it is underwater.

[GoodHeart]

Yesterday's The Nation addressed this issue on pages 2 or 3 . What it came down to was the marine tide charts and runoff for the next two weeks. The story said that officials are concerned about higher than average lunar tides in the ocean affecting the Chao Phaya's ability to drain off all the water which has accumulated in the North recently. According to the article, *if* there is any more Bangkok will see some flooding- but it all hinges on how much rain and runoff ensues, and how these factors will coincide with the marine tides.

Edited October 9, 2005 by GoodHeart

[autonomous_unit]

I've heard the same kind of statements, both the rational concern about tides and water from upstream and also the fact that some bigwigs seem to be heeding one or more fortune tellers who predict two weeks of floods.

By the way, does anyone know where in BKK we can buy white gas/naptha (white benzene?) for my backpacking stove?

[plachon]

I heard from a friend whose sister works in a big Bangkok hospital that they, and other hospitals are preparing for the worst floods and typhoons, and maybe a earthquake/tsunami in the Gulf of Thailand. They are saying starting next week and until the end of October.

Has anyone heard anything about these diasters? I haven't seen anything on the news. Maybe it is top secret, maybe it is bullshit. With the rate of Polar ice-cap melting, I guess someday the floods will get worse.

Get ready to stock up or run to the hills

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Been watching too many "Day after Tomorrow" type Hollywood movies and visting too many maw doo, I suggest Neeneram, so sez my wife's brother's pet parrot.

But buying a houseboat on the Chaopraya could be an excellent investment for the future I reckon, if you do insist on living in BKK.

[The_Moog]

A fortune teller has read the runes and came up with the conclusion of disaster in October.

Its been widely publicised on Thai television

(Think about it, how would they know there's going to be a tsunami/quake - science can't tell you that)

So its one for the superstitious.

[Neeranam]

A friend who has a sister who works in a big Bangkok hospital? And somehow the future has been classified Top Secret? Give us a break. biggrin.gif

Do you think I would post this if it were a casual aquaintance whose sister worked as a cleaner in some hospital?

My friend, who was married to a late cabinet minister, has a sister who manages one of the largest government hospitals in the country.

I take this as a serious warning. You might think that not reporting for your 90 day stay in Thailand is more important, up to you.

[Youbloodybeauty]

Do you think I would post this if it were a casual aquaintance whose sister worked as a cleaner in some hospital?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why a cleaner, why not a doctor?

Typical Thai class stuff.

[Neeranam]

Because cleaners generally don't know what is going on with the running of, and important decisions to be made.

[chuchok]

I heard from a friend whose sister works in a big Bangkok hospital that they, and other hospitals are preparing for the worst floods and typhoons, and maybe a earthquake/tsunami in the Gulf of Thailand. They are saying starting next week and until the end of October.

Has anyone heard anything about these diasters? I haven't seen anything on the news. Maybe it is top secret, maybe it is bullshit. With the rate of Polar ice-cap melting, I guess someday the floods will get worse.

Get ready to stock up or run to the hills

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, considering on how some of the worlds leading Scientists can not even agree on global warming and that earthquake prediction is near impossible at this time, why would anyone even consider the above.

Maybe chicken entrail reading might help.

[lopburi3]

I call it as I see it. When someone makes a claim of a 500 year event they had best have something to back it up with. In my opinion that something does not exist and nothing in your post supports such a headline.

[AmeriThai]

I just consulted the Magic 8 Ball for its never-fail answers to vital questions.

[Sel]

I'm quite sure it's the same fortune teller that predicted hugh earthquakes in Chang Mai and Bangkok for earlier this year on some specific dates. Nothin happened. October is in the tellers tea leaves as very disasterous.

I read a report from somewhere before the fortune teller predictions started that it takes about 14 days for the rain water that falls at the head of the chao phaya river basin to reach Bangkok. The 16th is predicted to be bad flooding in BKK as the run off reaches bkk and clashes with the larger than normal high tide. To add to that the council has to discharge water from the canal areas that are reaching their peaks now. (They manage a lot of the canals with sluse gates and pumps. They have been unable to cope with the current volumes of rain when it comes to discharging into the CP so the canals are peaking as rain continues). Supposedly there will be definate flooding on the 16th regardless if it rains.

Maybe the fortune teller is an avid reader that has thrown in a tsunami as a wild card

[The_Other_Mac]

Yesterday's The Nation addressed this issue on pages 2 or 3 . What it came down to was the marine tide charts and runoff for the next two weeks. The story said that officials are concerned about higher than average lunar tides

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

"That's no moon!"

Seriously, as anyone with a Thai calendar can confirm, the next new moon and full moon are on the 3rd and 18th of October, respectively. Those are the times of the strongest (spring) tides. The 11th Oct. is a half-moon, which ought to mean the weakest neap tides.

My gf told me the same story, and wanted to buy a boat. Mind you, she lives in a house in Samut Prakan.

[sbk]

Earthquakes and tsunamis cannot be predicted Neeranam, sounds like a classic case of overreaction. Last year we heard that a tsunami was going to hit Koh Samui on Oct 12. Turned out the information came from a fax from Phuket, probably intended to scare customers into returning to Phuket.

[The_Other_Mac]

Earthquakes and tsunamis cannot be predicted Neeranam, sounds like a classic case of overreaction. Last year we heard that a tsunami was going to hit Koh Samui on Oct 12. Turned out the information came from a fax from Phuket, probably intended to scare customers into returning to Phuket.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A lot of Thais seem to confuse tsunamis and typhoons (and twisters). Reasonable chance of a typhoon occuring in October (one did hit on Nov 25 last year). Last December the Chiang Mai hotel I was staying in sent around a notice to all guests informing them of a disastrous typhoon hitting Phuket.

I think it got clarified in most people's minds after that.

But perhaps not the old fortune tellers. Or, I wonder if Thai has old, imprecise words for tsunami and/or typhoon?

[chownah]

This might just be a coincidence but when engineers design a flood control drainage system it is designed to accomodate a flood of a certain severity and the severity is expressed in terms of the largest flood that would be expected to happen in xxx years. It is common to design to accomodate for a 100 year flood. This means that based on existing records...even if they don't cover a 100 year period (statistics is a wonderful thing)...it is calculated what the biggest flow would be and the system is designed to accomodate that flow. Sometimes a design is for a 500 year event..or 50.....it depends on how important it is to keep the facilities you are protecting dry and how much your budget is.

Also note that if a large area is deforested then the flooding will get worse...the size of the 100 year event (or 500 year event) should be updated to account for this but usually is not...

This probably has nothing to do with the topic at hand...I know.

[naomisri]

George just posted this, could this be what she means?? Not exactly earthquake/tsunami proportions though

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=47126&hl=

It's a storm warning for the next couple of days. I checked the tropical storm risk website and there isn't anything brewing as far as I can see.

The last typhoon warning we had turned out to be a washout

[AmeriThai]

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/08Oct2005_news15.php

Mr Apirak said the Meteorological Department had predicted the Chao Phraya river will rise almost two metres due to continued heavy rains and seawater surges of 1.16m on Oct 9 and 1.22m on Oct 16.

Oct 9 has come and gone. Any catastrophic flooding of the Chao Phraya? Guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens on Oct 16.