Main highway linking Thailand's North to capital submerged

BANGKOK, Oct 7 – The government has set up an integrated operations centre at Don Mueang Airport as flooding in Ayutthaya closed a section of the Asian Highway in the province, Thailand's main route to the North.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra convened a meeting at Don Mueang Airport at 10am Friday to tackle the flood threatening the capital, Bangkok, after flooding has largely shut down the central province of Ayutthaya, 76 kilometres north of Bangkok.

The government set up a new operations centre to respond to flooding nationwide, drawing agencies and experts from varied sectors to Bangkok’s Don Mueang for an integrated response to the crisis. The airport now mainly functioning for some domestic flights is now offering free parking for the public if their homes are at risk from flooding.

The three-storey parking building for domestic passengers and the five-storey cargo building can serve 3,000 vehicles, said acting president of the Airports of Thailand (AoT) Somchai Sawasdipol.

The floods forced a section of the Asian Highway in Ayutthaya to close yesterday and motorists to the North must use a detour to Bang Bua Thong in Nonthaburi and to Suphan Buri before returning to the Asian Highway in Chai Nat.

The flood situation in Ayutthaya worsened on Friday as more floodwater flowed through damaged dykes.

Minister of Science and Technology Plodprasop Suraswadi inspected Ayutthaya on Friday morning before meeting with the prime minister. He said he would advise the meeting that the military be deployed to help patrol flooded homes in Ayutthaya, so local residents can evacuate their homes. Many remained home as they are worried about their valuables and other belongings.

Local residents now need food to be distributed to their communities, he added.

Meanwhile, flooding hit the coastal tourist city of Pattaya on Friday after heavy rain triggered flooding on the inbound and outbound Sukhumvit Road near Pattaya. Flood flowed into houses along the road and car owners had to park their vehicles on the higher roadside.

Local officials of the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department are expediting draining the flood water. Clogged sewers were blamed for flooding. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-10-07

Scary!

Anyone has a map of risk areas in Bangkok?

Scary!

Anyone has a map of risk areas in Bangkok?

Even those in charge don't know the risk areas.

I'm right in the middle of the worst in Ayutthaya and eveyone's saying its the worst they've ever seen.

And there's much more water to come.

I'd get out.

Scary!

Anyone has a map of risk areas in Bangkok?

Even those in charge don't know the risk areas.

I'm right in the middle of the worst in Ayutthaya and eveyone's saying its the worst they've ever seen.

And there's much more water to come.

I'd get out.

I have several production machines here on the ground floor. They are actually everything I have in matter of money.

You seriously scare me!

Why it doesn't surprise me that these in charge don't know anything?? But maybe someone else?

Thai Rath: Bhumiphol dam highly critical. Threats of overflowing growing seriously. /via@tulsathit

Thai Travel News: Map Showing Flooded Roads in Thailand http://bit.ly/n6VHRu

/via@RichardBarrow

Need to get from Trat to Phitsanaluk tomorrow in a Toyota Yaris. Anyone got a good idea for a route?

Need to get from Trat to Phitsanaluk tomorrow in a Toyota Yaris. Anyone got a good idea for a route?

Airplane or jetski....

Need to get from Trat to Phitsanaluk tomorrow in a Toyota Yaris. Anyone got a good idea for a route?

I would guess Kabinburi==Khorat= Khon Khen.............331--304--highway 2

Edited October 7, 201114 yr by ginjag

Need to get from Trat to Phitsanaluk tomorrow in a Toyota Yaris. Anyone got a good idea for a route?

Head for Korat then Khon Kaen and west to Phitsanulok - it's the long way round but you're on high ground the whole way

I have several production machines here on the ground floor. They are actually everything I have in matter of money.

You seriously scare me!

Why it doesn't surprise me that these in charge don't know anything?? But maybe someone else?

Either start building a wall of sandbags or stop the machines and prepare them as good as possible for flooding. It's good idea anyway to identify possible actions to limit flooding and water damage in general. Some machinery might need a bit of protective lube, some parts temporary removal. For outer suburbs of BKK (and a few areas within) next week seems critical. So better get going on it

I have several production machines here on the ground floor. They are actually everything I have in matter of money.

If they mean that much, have you considered shutting up shop for the duration and bricking up doorways/entrances? If it floods there'll be no production anyway. Also, wrap em up in clingfilm.

I have several production machines here on the ground floor. They are actually everything I have in matter of money.

If they mean that much, have you considered shutting up shop for the duration and bricking up doorways/entrances? If it floods there'll be no production anyway. Also, wrap em up in clingfilm.

The problem with bricking up, sandbagging, etc. is that it doesn't usually work. The water manages to seep through the shoddy construction or just comes up the drains instead. Friends in ChiangMai won the battle against flooding ... or so they thought. Until it starting coming in through the middle of the building.

I have several production machines here on the ground floor. They are actually everything I have in matter of money.

If they mean that much, have you considered shutting up shop for the duration and bricking up doorways/entrances? If it floods there'll be no production anyway. Also, wrap em up in clingfilm.

The problem with bricking up, sandbagging, etc. is that it doesn't usually work. The water manages to seep through the shoddy construction or just comes up the drains instead. Friends in ChiangMai won the battle against flooding ... or so they thought. Until it starting coming in through the middle of the building.

Water pressure is a funny thing. As you say it just finds the smallest cracks and comes slowly in. We are in flooded Pichit and are using 4 aquarium pumps to pump seeping water out of the house. It even comes up through the floor tiles. Point of least resistance.

Well we made steel parts to lift the machines 30 cm and by tearing out the electronic they would be OK until we have 1-1.3 meter water in the office.

but now when thinking about it, I doubt the idea of my guys to lift will work.

I might be able to take it apart even more.

But my main problem is: I have no idea if we are in an area which is likely to get problems or if we are anyhow on a spot without danger.

I would expect a bit of information from government. We could just take the machines away with a truck (would cause a lot damage on the building but it is possible.

Get a thai speaker to ask all the locals what has happened in the last 20 years in your area?

Well we made steel parts to lift the machines 30 cm and by tearing out the electronic they would be OK until we have 1-1.3 meter water in the office.

but now when thinking about it, I doubt the idea of my guys to lift will work.

I might be able to take it apart even more.

But my main problem is: I have no idea if we are in an area which is likely to get problems or if we are anyhow on a spot without danger.

I would expect a bit of information from government. We could just take the machines away with a truck (would cause a lot damage on the building but it is possible.

Sorry to hear of your predicament.

You might consider renting a truck with liftgate and moving them to higher ground. It would seem the flooding is expected to last quite some time (30 days?)

Try to find an indoor place to put them for the duration.