Have You Been Directly Affected By The Floods?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Just a poll to see roughly how many of us have been affected, and to what extent.

Disclaimer: few polls are perfect in capturing every condition out there in the world. If you don't find an option for the way you were impacted then pick the closest option, or post below to tell the story. However, please use the main running topic for regular situation updates as per the moderators request, not this poll.

Edited September 30, 2011 by WinnieTheKhwai

[Firelily]

just a thought: those who are affected probably don't have electricity, are busy moving stuff, helping neighbours, cleaning up, wading out to find food and water, that sort of thing....

I know of two colleagues at least who lost their houses, and another colleague's school was totally destroyed.

those people won't be around here casting votes, which "may" skew your results a "bit".....

[WinnieTheKhwai]

That's a very valid comment; indeed I would not expect people who are still severely impacted to be taking the time to post or vote on Thaivisa. Perhaps they will get to the poll/topic in a couple days time though.

[Tonto21]

I live in T.Khi Lek…Mae Taeng and the edge of my property was affected by flash food, as was the village I live in.

I still cannot exit my property by pick-up, only bike, as the track off the land took a hit and now needs building up again. My pond over flowed and I did worry, (for a short time) my house, all wood, on stilts and 'on' the edge of said pond might try and set sail!

It all happened because a smallish canal not connected to the main system, (a run off from the mountain) just couldn't handle the volume, and at end of our village the canal in question has to make a sharp right turn……….Not this day, no it came straight on over the bank.

I got away very lightly; some of my neighbors didn't fare so well. I had spent most of that day around the village helping to remove debris from under bridges to ease to flow and helping in general.

Strangely it turned out for me to be a great learning and bonding experience with my fellow villages. But one I don't really want to repeat for a while.

Edited September 30, 2011 by Tonto21

[naboo]

just a thought: those who are affected probably don't have electricity, are busy moving stuff, helping neighbours, cleaning up, wading out to find food and water, that sort of thing....

I'm flooded in the lower lying parts of my house. Somehow the electricity is still on and I've just disconnected supply to the power sockets lower down. There's nothing left to move, was done on Wednesday when the warnings came. Can't clean up until the floods disappear. Food etc is finding its way to me, many thanks to whoever it was that supplied us with Kai Jiaw, Pad Gra Prao, noodles, water and whatever else is left in the two as yet unopened packages. Much appreciated,

I've got plenty of time to post on the internet. Nothing else to do!

[thaimiller]

It effected me because that's all my wife and family have talked about for 3 F***ing days.......

[KRS1]

Yesterday i wanted Pad Thai from a certain vendor but couldn't get there unless i got my feet wet....so chose not to go.

Today i went to get paint, but couldn't get there for the same reason, so i had to use a lower grade paint.:(

[MESmith]

Took forever to get home from Siam TV with my new TV yesterday.

[realthaideal]

You missed my choice really - I'm housebound. I can't get out because it would drown my motosai. I could wade through belly-chest high water and then go stay else where, but I'd rather just stay home where my stuff is and live off the rice, eggs, and chicken I happen to have in my house. Now that I'm housebound I can't wait to get out. If weather is nice and river keeps going down I may be able to leave tmw with just wet legs and go buy some supplies.

I'm very thankful for internet and torrents to keep me in touch n entertained !

[WinnieTheKhwai]

You missed my choice really - I'm housebound. I can't get out because it would drown my motosai. I could wade through belly-chest high water and then go stay else where, but I'd rather just stay home where my stuff is and live off the rice, eggs, and chicken I happen to have in my house. Now that I'm housebound I can't wait to get out. If weather is nice and river keeps going down I may be able to leave tmw with just wet legs and go buy some supplies.

I'm very thankful for internet and torrents to keep me in touch n entertained !

I saw the FB pics you posted; looks tough indeed. Is the water down enough to get out and in somewhat normally? Not sure how far away from supplies or public transport you are, but would be happy to drive you to Tesco or whatever.

[realthaideal]

Thanks for that Whinnie ! Fortuantely, my house was spared any flood damage, though I couldn't leave my neighborhood. But yeah, things look pretty clear here now and I anticipate hitting the road for some change of scenery and shopping this afternoon. It's great to see the street again ! I'm looking forward to a little bike tour to survey the changes - should be fun. But for now, I just had another long night, so it's my nap time.

[Gladiator]

Fortunately we have yet to have hazard or serious flooding (Doi Tham - Nam Phrae - Hang Dong) unlike many other poor wretched folk. I have much empathy as in 2005 I had a dorm at Nong Hoi and was flooded on two occasions. Once when the Holiday Inn Pumped out water from their complex and it came gushing down my Soi.

Still the level of the fish lake here at the family resort and school has risen to such an extent that it has overflowed into the run-off conduit that comes past my house on the lower ground at the other end of the lake and then on to the next small Ban. The other afternoon my wife heard some stange sounds from the conduit and went to investigate. It was full of Cat Fish (some weigh up to 30 kilo) which had travelled from the Lake and down the conduit - swimming and thrashing about quite happily. We recaptured as many as we could and replaced them back into the lake. But I swear I smelt Cat Fish BBQ that evening coming from the next Ban

[chiangmaibruce]

We spent from 2am the night before last ... until late the next day moving everything upstairs, trying to stop water getting in and then trying to manage it as it took over the ground floor of our place. Then today cleaning up, but took time out to help mini-CMB catch small fish in our garden. The worst part was leeches in the water - perhaps my least favourite animal - did others have them also? Will have to get help to re-install water pump, aircon and hot water heater next week ... they copped some water before I got to them and pulled them out ... hopefully they can be nursed back to life.

Edited October 1, 2011 by chiangmaibruce

[lannarebirth]

I didn't participate in the poll because none of the choices really fit our situation. He've got about 200 rai of land in and around Chiang Mai in 12 different parcels. Our family home in Mae Hia was not affected in any way by the flooding. A 31 rai piece of land he have in Mae Rim with 400 meters of frontage on the Nam Mae Rim WAS flooded, which it was not in 2005. These are rice fields near the Prem School which are higher than all surrounding lands. Interestingly, while none of the surrounding lands were flooded this year (they were in 2005) and ours was, it took me a while to figure out what must have happened. While our land fronts on the river, at it's rear is an irrigation canal. I think water was diverted to the canal to bring down river levels and the canal subsequentl overflowed on our land. I have to say, whoever did it (the Or Bor Tor I guess) did it very gently. Every stalk of rice (which are about 90 cm tal)l but yet without seed heads was covered in dirt from flood water. Not even a single blade was knocked down when i got there and the waters had fully receded. I feel very fortunate about that one

Another piece we have nearby is 28 rai in Ban Mae Ann. It is in the foothills and has rainy season naam huays running through it. Several years ago I put in drainage pipe systems so I could make dams for storing water and roads to drive around. I made them twice as big as the Puyai Baan recommended and for the first time, this year, that wasn't big enough. The dams held but the water went over the dams as the pipes installed could not keep up with the flow. I'll redo it in the dry season and make it twice as big again. I figure it will cost me about 100k bt.

Another piece we have in Ban Mae Ann is 32 rai. It has several fish ponds on it and a drainage pipe system that has worked wonderfuuly for the past 8 years (including 2005) but proved wholly inadequate this year. I will double it's size. Maybe 150,00 Bt cost. The public road to this was washed ot as well and I imagine I'll be they one fixing that too.

Another piece we have has a waterfall on it and it is seeing more water than it ever has and it is holding up magnificently. It is breathtakingly beautiful and makes all the other inconvenances seem pretty insignificant as I revell in it's majesty.

Edited October 1, 2011 by lannarebirth

[iainiain101]

Internet out at our home, back in the hotel now. Cannot find a cleaning service, even though the insurance will pay, they are all overstretched. Doing the cleaning ourseleves, though could do with 4 people to help move a hard wood cabinet so we can clean under it.

Indeed if anyone has a team of cleaners, pm me. We can self invoice for the job to the insurance company.

Insurance agents visited this morning and all seems ok. Buy new furiture, re paint etc. Assuming all goes well, great value.

Iain

[IanForbes]

I can't really reply because I don't know the damage at this point. I leave my motorbikes and some of my belongings with a friend in one of the flooded areas. Apparently, the area is starting to dry out and I won't know the damage until I return in November. But, if I suffer some losses then it was just a calculated risk and acceptible. The same area flooded in 2005. It goes with my theory to never spend in Thailand what you can't afford to lose and not worry about it.

[rafaelo]

i was paying attention to the signs and evacuated and moved out prior to the flooding, now my former home is in need of serious clean up and reconditioning as it was in the flood of 2005.

[IanForbes]

Nice post, lannarebirth. It looks like you adjust to what ever nature brings and try to adapt without blowing off steam. It seems like you are a true Buddhist whether you believe in it or not.