Bangkok braces as floodwaters rise

By THE NATION

Riverside residential areas in Bangkok and other central provinces are at risk of flash flooding due to seasonally high tides.

The Chao Phraya in Bangkok was expected to reach this year's peak at around 8.30pm last night. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration said preventive measures were in place for 27 communities in 13 districts located outside the flood embankment wall.

In Pathum Thani, north of Bangkok, the Chao Phraya rose yesterday to flood a number of schools, along with residential areas in Somkhok district.

In Phitchit and Phitsanulok provinces, flooding from the Yom and Nan rivers is still affecting many residents, but they have received food supplies and shelter.

A meeting of relevant agencies in Phitsanulok yesterday heard plans to overcome annual flooding in the Yom and Nan rivers basins which will require a budget of Bt3.23 billion.

In the long-term plan, a large number of reservoirs and dams will be built in provinces located in both river basins. The plan is part of an overall national water and flood management plan covering 25 river basins throughout the country.

The controversial Kaeng Sua Ten dam, planned in Phrae province's Song district was not discussed at the meeting, although Phitsanulok residents who face seasonal stagnant flooding demanded that it be built.

Ranong and Phang Nga provinces in the South are also facing flash floods. The provincial relief agency said flooding in Ranong should ease in three days if there is no more heavy rain.

Survival kits and relief supplies were presented by Their Royal Highnesses Princesses Somsavali and Bajra Kitiyabha to flood-affected residents in Phang Nga, where two people have drowned and 26,480 people living in 6,893 households have been affected.

An official flood-damage update released yesterday said 55 people had drowned and one person was still missing, while 11 provinces remained inundated out of a total of 36 provinces affected.

The risk of mudslides in mountainous areas and flash flooding in low-lying or riverside and coastal areas across the country remains constant, the update said.

-- The Nation 2011-09-01

good to know, that the highest tide of the year has passed, but the most important factor is water in the river coming down from the north, and the rainy season is not over yet. The last year, and the year before, it was end of october, when bangkok was the most of risk of flooding.

Just been standing next to the Chao Phraya at Ang Thong and there appears to be a lot of water haeding down stream, more than last year. Sandbagging is in full swing.

Edited September 2, 201114 yr by metisdead
Font reset.

Flooding in Prachinburi Province yesterday.

http://www.thairath.co.th/content/region/198654

Is it just me, but I find it hard to understand why, in a country that must have had the same situation for hundreds of years, they seem to have a flooding "problem" every year!

Do they think that if they do nothing, it'll not happen next year, or is it that the govt. finds making it harder for tourists to holiday in LOS is a more pressing concern than the wellbeing of it's citizens?

OR, is it just a case of TIT?

Is it just me, but I find it hard to understand why, in a country that must have had the same situation for hundreds of years, they seem to have a flooding "problem" every year!

Do they think that if they do nothing, it'll not happen next year, or is it that the govt. finds making it harder for tourists to holiday in LOS is a more pressing concern than the wellbeing of it's citizens?

OR, is it just a case of TIT?

Now that's because it takes 10 years up to implement larger flood control and irrigation projects. They should have been started 10 - 15 years ago to have an effect today. And they are hugely expensive. Which politician would want to spend a large part of available budget on something that another politician will reap the benefit of in 10 -15 years time?

Bangkok took 20 years, it could have been done in 10 years but not much faster than that really

1985 - waste deep on Sukhumvit

1990 - thigh deep

1995 - knee deep

2005 - not much more than ankle deep most of the time

Do they think that if they do nothing, it'll not happen next year? Nope, rather that they know that if they start doing something this year, it will still happen next year and every year until they are not in power any longer

Edited September 2, 201114 yr by MikeyIdea

Is it just me, but I find it hard to understand why, in a country that must have had the same situation for hundreds of years, they seem to have a flooding "problem" every year!

Do they think that if they do nothing, it'll not happen next year, or is it that the govt. finds making it harder for tourists to holiday in LOS is a more pressing concern than the wellbeing of it's citizens?

OR, is it just a case of TIT?

You might try reading something on the history of Thailand. The majority of the country was forested which mitigated the runoff from the monsoons. It was really not that long ago when the total population of Thailand was estimated to be 1.5 million and the entire Chao Phraya River basin was jungle. Blame deforestation, not the people who have inherited the mess. Do you really believe that tourism is the biggest source of revenue in the country and that all government decisions are related to increasing tourism at any cost?

Is it just me, but I find it hard to understand why, in a country that must have had the same situation for hundreds of years, they seem to have a flooding "problem" every year!

Do they think that if they do nothing, it'll not happen next year, or is it that the govt. finds making it harder for tourists to holiday in LOS is a more pressing concern than the wellbeing of it's citizens?

OR, is it just a case of TIT?

It is just you. The Mississippi River Valley floods every year also despite all the mis-guided environmentally unsound Corps of Engineers projects. Flood plains flood ... and it will worsen as the climate warms.

The reason there is more flooding in Bkk., is purely and simply- too much building.Thon Buri NEVER used to flood ,then it was developed, thousands of klongs were filled in. Only one place for the water go. And stay, sometimes for months. I lived in Bang Phlat, in from memory 1995. Jaran Sanitwong and about 5 kilometres inland from the Chao Phraya ,was flooded for ne.arly 4 months. We had a 2 storey town house ,Downstairs had about a foot of water inside, Above our knees , outside. Then ,they really panicked, BIG drains were installed ,Roads were all Raised up .Thousands of pumps installed.Now, no more floods ,while i was living there. We had no Motor bike taxis,water was much too deep, had to walk 3 kms to the main drag. Through floodwaters with Shit, used condoms ,dead snakes ,cockroaches. Etc., Etc, Extremely tasty!!!!!

Bangkok took 20 years, it could have been done in 10 years but not much faster than that really

1985 - waste deep on Sukhumvit

Nice play on words, whether intended or not...

The water along Sukhumvit in long past years certainly did get to be "waist" deep... And it certainly contained a lot of "waste".

Is it just me, but I find it hard to understand why, in a country that must have had the same situation for hundreds of years, they seem to have a flooding "problem" every year!

Do they think that if they do nothing, it'll not happen next year, or is it that the govt. finds making it harder for tourists to holiday in LOS is a more pressing concern than the wellbeing of it's citizens?

OR, is it just a case of TIT?

You might try reading something on the history of Thailand. The majority of the country was forested which mitigated the runoff from the monsoons. It was really not that long ago when the total population of Thailand was estimated to be 1.5 million and the entire Chao Phraya River basin was jungle. Blame deforestation, not the people who have inherited the mess. Do you really believe that tourism is the biggest source of revenue in the country and that all government decisions are related to increasing tourism at any cost?

Hmmmmm

The bit about tourism was sarcasm!

The reason there is more flooding in Bkk., is purely and simply- too much building.Thon Buri NEVER used to flood ,then it was developed, thousands of klongs were filled in. Only one place for the water go. And stay, sometimes for months. I lived in Bang Phlat, in from memory 1995. Jaran Sanitwong and about 5 kilometres inland from the Chao Phraya ,was flooded for ne.arly 4 months. We had a 2 storey town house ,Downstairs had about a foot of water inside, Above our knees , outside. Then ,they really panicked, BIG drains were installed ,Roads were all Raised up .Thousands of pumps installed.Now, no more floods ,while i was living there. We had no Motor bike taxis,water was much too deep, had to walk 3 kms to the main drag. Through floodwaters with Shit, used condoms ,dead snakes ,cockroaches. Etc., Etc, Extremely tasty!!!!!

Agreed about Bkk, but many places currently flooding in LOS are not particularly large, which would indicate ( to me ) that they built the place below flood level!

A relative of my wife in the village built a new house at ground level, despite it being in an area that floods ( and has been deforested for 200 years ). When I visited, they showed me the high tide mark 4 foot up the wall. Needless to say, all the neighbours in their old houses on high poles were OK.

I guess maybe it is TIT.

The water along Sukhumvit in long past years certainly did get to be "waist" deep... And it certainly contained a lot of "waste".

You're quite right. Some parts worse than others. Here's a look at Soi 8 and Sukhumvit Road in October 1991 (It's not my vid). The guy on the footbridge with the cob of corn is someone I used to frequently chat with.

The reason there is more flooding in Bkk., is purely and simply- too much building.Thon Buri NEVER used to flood ,then it was developed, thousands of klongs were filled in. Only one place for the water go. And stay, sometimes for months. I lived in Bang Phlat, in from memory 1995. Jaran Sanitwong and about 5 kilometres inland from the Chao Phraya ,was flooded for ne.arly 4 months. We had a 2 storey town house ,Downstairs had about a foot of water inside, Above our knees , outside. Then ,they really panicked, BIG drains were installed ,Roads were all Raised up .Thousands of pumps installed.Now, no more floods ,while i was living there. We had no Motor bike taxis,water was much too deep, had to walk 3 kms to the main drag. Through floodwaters with Shit, used condoms ,dead snakes ,cockroaches. Etc., Etc, Extremely tasty!!!!!

Agreed about Bkk, but many places currently flooding in LOS are not particularly large, which would indicate ( to me ) that they built the place below flood level!

A relative of my wife in the village built a new house at ground level, despite it being in an area that floods ( and has been deforested for 200 years ). When I visited, they showed me the high tide mark 4 foot up the wall. Needless to say, all the neighbours in their old houses on high poles were OK.

I guess maybe it is TIT.

Absolutely correct .Further up the to the North ,so many places are built , on what are now, flood plains.In the past ,people understood about floods and built accordingly. But the late 90's were something quite special. Sadly in Thon buri ( the whole area is BELOW sea level),they built and built ,filling in every klong. .Did the same thing around Sukumvit and Silom .At the same time had enormous floods. that destroyed T'lands economy. Forced them to take action, which cost Billions of Baht.

Bangkok floods from 1942.

Water was right outside the Grand Palace.

The reason there is more flooding in Bkk., is purely and simply- too much building.Thon Buri NEVER used to flood ,then it was developed, thousands of klongs were filled in. Only one place for the water go. And stay, sometimes for months. I lived in Bang Phlat, in from memory 1995. Jaran Sanitwong and about 5 kilometres inland from the Chao Phraya ,was flooded for ne.arly 4 months. We had a 2 storey town house ,Downstairs had about a foot of water inside, Above our knees , outside. Then ,they really panicked, BIG drains were installed ,Roads were all Raised up .Thousands of pumps installed.Now, no more floods ,while i was living there. We had no Motor bike taxis,water was much too deep, had to walk 3 kms to the main drag. Through floodwaters with Shit, used condoms ,dead snakes ,cockroaches. Etc., Etc, Extremely tasty!!!!!

Agreed about Bkk, but many places currently flooding in LOS are not particularly large, which would indicate ( to me ) that they built the place below flood level!

A relative of my wife in the village built a new house at ground level, despite it being in an area that floods ( and has been deforested for 200 years ). When I visited, they showed me the high tide mark 4 foot up the wall. Needless to say, all the neighbours in their old houses on high poles were OK.

I guess maybe it is TIT.

Absolutely correct .Further up the to the North ,so many places are built , on what are now, flood plains.In the past ,people understood about floods and built accordingly. But the late 90's were something quite special. Sadly in Thon buri ( the whole area is BELOW sea level),they built and built ,filling in every klong. .Did the same thing around Sukumvit and Silom .At the same time had enormous floods. that destroyed T'lands economy. Forced them to take action, which cost Billions of Baht.

If the cause of the flooding in Bkk is in fact high tides, surely the answer would be to copy London and build a tidal barrier, or are there different factors at work in Bkk?

Also, given that various parts of LOS suffer from drought every year, would it not be possible to build a diversion canal up river that would funnel excess water to a series of reservoirs, and when they were full, to send the overflow to the sea. Or is that what they are talking about, but never doing?

Thaibeach lovers,nearly right ,The flooding right now, is due to well above average rainfall. In the North. Nothing to do with Bkk., per se..Bkk's flood problems ,only really get serious in late October ,when the Neap tide + the run off from The Northern river systems -collide. Water flows UP the the river from the sea, Only to meet water flowing DOWN the river from the NOrth. BINGO- Floods

Thaibeach lovers,nearly right ,The flooding right now, is due to well above average rainfall. In the North. Nothing to do with Bkk., per se..Bkk's flood problems ,only really get serious in late October ,when the Neap tide + the run off from The Northern river systems -collide. Water flows UP the the river from the sea, Only to meet water flowing DOWN the river from the NOrth. BINGO- Floods - every year, but not as bad as they used to be. So many pumps and raised roads, massively enlarged drains. Alleviate the problems,we used to suffer annually

Edited September 3, 201114 yr by afarang

Bangkok took 20 years, it could have been done in 10 years but not much faster than that really

1985 - waste deep on Sukhumvit

Nice play on words, whether intended or not...

The water along Sukhumvit in long past years certainly did get to be "waist" deep... And it certainly contained a lot of "waste".

I was thinking of another positive development when I wrote that, how clean Bangkok has become compared to the 80s. The play of words was a trick of the brain, totally un-intentional