21 Thai Provinces Hit By Floods

[webfact]

Twenty-one provinces hit by floods

By The Nation

The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department (DPMD) yesterday said flooding triggered by Tropical Storm NockTen, which has killed 20 people and left one person missing, is continuing to ravage 51 districts in Phrae, Sukhothai, Uttaradit, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Tak, Nakhon Sawan and Ayutthaya provinces, while affecting some 221,000 people.

DPMD chief Wibul Sanguanpong reported that Tropical Storm NockTen had caused floods in 6,809 villages, located in 155 districts in 21 provinces, affecting 1,139,990 people and damaging 619,723 rai of farmlands.

He added that the department has instructed provincial offices and agencies to urgently provide food, water and other aid to flood victims, and to deliver machines, flat boats, and drinking water to the region. Officials will also be dispatched to assess damage and provide assistance, in keeping with the Finance Ministry's regulations.

In Uttaradit's Pichai district, the overflowing Yom River damaged some 40,000 rai of rice fields that were nearing harvest in tambon Tha Mafeuang. About 70 homes were submerged under two metres of water in Ban Thung Sanguan. The tambon has reportedly never flooded before, and the recent flooding was said to have been caused by the diversion of 2,500 cubic metres per second of water from Yom River to Nan River through Khlong Nam Lai to alleviate flooding in Phrae and Sukhothai. Uttaradit Governor Yothin Samutkhiri initially sent officials and 100 relief bags to aid the victims. The damage to Pichai district's farmland has been estimated at Bt22 million.

A 59yearold farmer, On Yaemsuan, tearfully said her 35 rai of rice fields were completely damaged, while she had a September deadline to repay a Bt200,000 loan to grow rice from the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives. She lamented that while she had invested Bt6,800 per rai, the government would only be offering compensation of Bt606 per rai for damage from the floods. She urged new Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and the four Pheu Thai MPs from Uttaradit to help the farmers.

In Amnat Charoen, the previous night of heavy rainfall and runoffs from Nakhon Phanom and Mukdahan caused the Mekong River to rise yesterday, prompting provincial governor Kaenpetch Chuangrangsi to alert Chanuman district officials to measure river levels and prepare for possible floods.

-- The Nation 2011-08-10

[blazes]

How much of the flooding is due to deforestation? (Quite a bit, I am prepared to bet.)

And who owns the land and who cuts the trees and what connection do those owners have with any of the political parties in Thailand?

[Bagwan]

How much of the flooding is due to deforestation? (Quite a bit, I am prepared to bet.)

And who owns the land and who cuts the trees and what connection do those owners have with any of the political parties in Thailand?

We may never know. Evil spirits are at work in there somewhere so don't blame the politicians.

I'm sure that the back room boys are working on coming up with an excuse to blame farangs.

[Bagwan]

How much of the flooding is due to deforestation? (Quite a bit, I am prepared to bet.)

And who owns the land and who cuts the trees and what connection do those owners have with any of the political parties in Thailand?

We may never know. Evil spirits are at work in there somewhere so don't blame the politicians.

I'm sure that the back room boys are working on coming up with an excuse to blame farangs.

[Mario2008]

There is flooding evry year in some areas, but I saw a lot of flooding in areas where that is not normal. Sad to see farmers looking at their fields, their crops under water and destroyed. There is going to be hardship for them.

[rexnong]

I'm in Nakhon Sawan and our house has never been hit with floods until more houses were built on all the land surrounding it now we have a free swimming pool in our garden !!

[olivier2553]

How much of the flooding is due to deforestation? (Quite a bit, I am prepared to bet.)

And who owns the land and who cuts the trees and what connection do those owners have with any of the political parties in Thailand?

Me thinks that flooding occurs in plains, not on the hills.

Flooding is hardly linked to deforestation, but to wrong management of the land: flood would travel across a flat plain quite seamlessly. But when you build a road, you create a dike, and the water gets diverted. A road here, a road there, and the flood starts becoming worse at some points.

It cannot be really avoided, so land management and agriculture should take flood into consideration, instead of expecting that the worse will not happen.

[Mario2008]

One of the reasons flooding occurs is deforestation, the plants, trees etc no longer hold the water as before and the water runs off the hill into rivers.

[ib1b4]

How much of the flooding is due to deforestation? (Quite a bit, I am prepared to bet.)

And who owns the land and who cuts the trees and what connection do those owners have with any of the political parties in Thailand?

Me thinks that flooding occurs in plains, not on the hills.

Flooding is hardly linked to deforestation, but to wrong management of the land: flood would travel across a flat plain quite seamlessly. But when you build a road, you create a dike, and the water gets diverted. A road here, a road there, and the flood starts becoming worse at some points.

It cannot be really avoided, so land management and agriculture should take flood into consideration, instead of expecting that the worse will not happen.

Oliver are you sure that you are in the right forum ? this answer you have giver just makes too much sence! but deforestation does have some affect on flooding. Edited August 10, 2011 by ib1b4

[dude007]

How much of the flooding is due to deforestation? (Quite a bit, I am prepared to bet.)

And who owns the land and who cuts the trees and what connection do those owners have with any of the political parties in Thailand?

Deforestation, indeed... to create more farmland and then with the first heavy rainfall be punished due to irresponsible deforestation! Som nam na...

Unless the farangs, [illegally] buying land through their Thai wives, are the culprits for the deforestation; something that will be investigated through the bank transfers from abroad to the bank accounts from the Thai wives!

Edited August 10, 2011 by dude007

[webfact]

Flooding Lingers in Upper Provinces

Flooding in the provinces remain worrisome as many northern provinces are still under water, and countless rais of farmlands have been damaged.

Chumsaeng District of Nakhon Sawan Province is seeing flooding in more areas, and the water level is on the rise, as the area is downstream and receiving a huge amount of water from the North.

The local municipality has filled all drainage ditches and built sand bags along dams that are under construction.

News reports said the river is 20 centimeters from overflowing.

In Phitsanulok Province, rice farmers in Bangrakam District have hastened to dry their rice before water overflows local roads.

Provincial Governor Preecha Reungchan has advised rice farmers to harvest their rice early, as run-off from the flooding in the North is expected to hit Bangrakam District soon.

More than 90,000 rais of farmland in seven districts are expected to be damaged by inundation.

In Udon Rachatahani Province, Khongchiam District is seeing flooding along the Mekhong River.

Some 70 villages in the area have been affected.

The situation is expected to continue over the next three days, and the water level is now at 12 meters deep.

Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department Director-General Wibul Sa-nguanpong reported that flooding in 13 provinces has subsided, while eight provinces such as Phichit and Phrae remain in critical status.

He said more rain will pour on the north and northeastern provinces between until tomorrow.

-- Tan Network 2011-08-10

[Bubbalicious]

One of the reasons flooding occurs is deforestation, the plants, trees etc no longer hold the water as before and the water runs off the hill into rivers.

That's true in the case of flash floods. These floods are mainly due to too much rain resulting in overflowing rivers. Some areas in Chiang Mai did flood due to changes in the land from housing developments filling in land that previously would have held excess rain water, similar to what happened in March in some places in Korat. But on the whole there is just too much rain than can be handled by the reservoirs, rivers and streams, plus there was literally no summer in the North this year there ended up being a longer rainy season than usual.

[tracker1]

One of the reasons flooding occurs is deforestation, the plants, trees etc no longer hold the water as before and the water runs off the hill into rivers.

That's true in the case of flash floods. These floods are mainly due to too much rain resulting in overflowing rivers. Some areas in Chiang Mai did flood due to changes in the land from housing developments filling in land that previously would have held excess rain water, similar to what happened in March in some places in Korat. But on the whole there is just too much rain than can be handled by the reservoirs, rivers and streams, plus there was literally no summer in the North this year there ended up being a longer rainy season than usual.

[tracker1]

God help us! if you believe the Australian primeminister this could all be resolved with a carbon tax then politicians will be able to control the weather no more droughts no more floods lucky Australia Poor farmers this will impact on the thai economy again if the rice crop lessens

[pastitche]

Funnily enough, I live in Phitsanulok (mentioned as an area at risk) and there has been no flooding nor excessive rain. Indeed, stopping the wife from watering the garden on the premise that it is unnecessary is a major problem.

However it is important to remember that the weather is always unpredictable everywhere and (whether due to man-made climate change or not), we are at its mercy.

Planning for the less than worst scenario at least is always worthwhile, major inundations will not take place everywhere despite heavy rainfall.

[moe666]

The problem with deforestation is the watershed is gone and there are no trees to hold the water and it all runs off. I go to a forest monastary outside of mae Hong Song and the Abbot there says no forest no water as the soil retains the water and it is released slowly in a health forest. A forest that has been clear cut will not retain the water and it just runs off into the rivers to flood down stream.