Can Bangkok Make It?: Flood Crisis

[nausea]

Does anybody know if the road through Bang Yai, Bang Bua Thong (the one that goes by Big C and Big King)is likely to close tomorrow and when. Bang Yai itself is OK, but there are floods further on (going away from Bangkok). Today it was passable with difficulty. I go this route to work. I don't want to go in the early morning and find myself cut off in the late afternoon, I'd rather just stay home. Although I must admit, the idea of having an excuse to stay a night or two in Bangkok does have its attractions. Apologies if this is off topic, I just don't have time to trawl through the Internet looking for the right forum.

[londonthai]

if you mean route no 9 wong wien rob nok (outer western ring road) it started to be flooded from thursday evening, with a traffic jam stretching 40km and moving at a snail pace.

it's not closed, but avoid it - take an alternative route.

the best is to listen to the local radio or tv. On thursday evening it was on a national tv.

It's a major route out of bangkok to the north and affecting a lot a traffic.

nobody knows, how it would be tomorrow, situation can change dramatically within hours. All nonthaburi is a high risk of flooding, up to 2m.

it's really the best to sit home and move belongings up

Edited October 14, 2011 by londonthai

[maidu]

Well, go on then, tell us which cash crops are better than rice.....

berries, nuts, avos, brazil nuts, brazil noi, hemp, popcorn, aloe vera, agave,jatropha, grapes. That's not to say all those, and a slew of other crops should preclude rice, but Thai farmers should look at options for at least part of their farmlands. The current attitude, is the same as the pineapple vendors on the highway north of me: miles and miles of small salas - all selling the exact same product. Not one variation. Not one out of dozens of vendors selling any other type of fruit or product. Until you get to the miles of strawberry vendors - and again, all of them sell exactly the same items, no variations. What is it in the genetic code of Thais - where they can't think independently? ......unable to think outside the box?

Rice is a cultural story. Has and always will be. Not all rice is grown in water. What it seems your suggesting is that Thai people replace rice that has been their staple forever with Nut's and berries? Can you eat hemp? Popcorn is more nutritious than rice? Aloe vera? I am not sure you have considered the story of the rice culture in Thailand. Rice paddy's provide all sorts of edibles besides rice. Crabs, Tadpoles, frogs, snakes and even snails which are harvested and consumed.

I say grow more rice because there seems to be plenty of water. No?

Hmm, I just wonder how many of these crops that can survive to be under water for 6-10 weeks? Or do you think that there will be no more flooding if the Thais are changing from rice to another crop?

currently, everyone's focus is on floods. In 7 months, everyone will by crying out loud about droughts. It was only a year or two ago that 'Thailand's greatest drought ever' afflicted Issan and other areas - and there was lots of talk about the sanity of growing water-guzzling rice. Sure, rice is cultural tradition. I'm not advocating doing without rice (though I'd like to see more healthful strains grown, rather than the nutricient-deficient, all-starch 'kao sway' that's fills 98% of rice bowls in SE Asia). The other crops I mentioned (above) would enable farmers to diversify and make more money - as nearly all Thai farmers are poor and in debt. Plus, trees help the terrain more than annual crops - and lessen flood problems. And less need for water in Issan would preclude Thaksin's 800 billion baht proposal for pumping massive amounts of water to Issan (a project that will be rife for skimming, and won't work, btw)

and yes, you can eat hemp: its oil and nut berries are packed with omega-3 vitamins. google 'hemp breakfast cereal' made in Canada. Aloe has healthful properties as do all the other crops I mentioned. More so than 'kao sway' which is basically starch - suitable for making glue for kindergardeners to make paper mache.

Edited October 15, 2011 by maidu

[tweezer]

OK...

Last night at 09:08 PM, a major english language publication in Thailand reported on their website "Bang Pa-In Industrial estate submerged", and that the estate is underwater.

Then, at 12:00 today, they reported that "The Bang Pa-in Industrial Estate is surrounded by floodwater, but the water has not yet entered the estate's compound."

Don't they fact check their stories? Do they realize the level of GLOBAL panic they create with such irresponsible reporting?

It's no wonder there is so much confusion in this crisis... NO ONE has the story right!

This is truly the pinnacle of bad journalism.

[Bpuumike]

OK...

Last night at 09:08 PM, a major english language publication in Thailand reported on their website "Bang Pa-In Industrial estate submerged", and that the estate is underwater.

Then, at 12:00 today, they reported that "The Bang Pa-in Industrial Estate is surrounded by floodwater, but the water has not yet entered the estate's compound."

Don't they fact check their stories? Do they realize the level of GLOBAL panic they create with such irresponsible reporting?

It's no wonder there is so much confusion in this crisis... NO ONE has the story right!

This is truly the pinnacle of bad journalism.

Surely you mean the hub of bad journalism?

[anterian]

I feel there is too much emphasis on flood gates, holding dams, Flood barriers (permanent and temporary). More effort should be directed on getting the water moving, this after all is what it wants to do, don't fight nature work with it. Everywhere I go in Thailand I see stagnant canals, blocked with refuse, choked with water hyacinth and other plants, just an annual clearance of canals every year before the rainy season would help a lot.

[anterian]

Does anybody know if the road through Bang Yai, Bang Bua Thong (the one that goes by Big C and Big King)is likely to close tomorrow and when. Bang Yai itself is OK, but there are floods further on (going away from Bangkok). Today it was passable with difficulty. I go this route to work. I don't want to go in the early morning and find myself cut off in the late afternoon, I'd rather just stay home. Although I must admit, the idea of having an excuse to stay a night or two in Bangkok does have its attractions. Apologies if this is off topic, I just don't have time to trawl through the Internet looking for the right forum.

Big C is my local shopping area, the main road is fine but all the underpass U-turns are shut such as at Bang Kruey, so you have to use the overhead ones.

[robblok]

Does anybody know if the road through Bang Yai, Bang Bua Thong (the one that goes by Big C and Big King)is likely to close tomorrow and when. Bang Yai itself is OK, but there are floods further on (going away from Bangkok). Today it was passable with difficulty. I go this route to work. I don't want to go in the early morning and find myself cut off in the late afternoon, I'd rather just stay home. Although I must admit, the idea of having an excuse to stay a night or two in Bangkok does have its attractions. Apologies if this is off topic, I just don't have time to trawl through the Internet looking for the right forum.

I live near that road 4km down the road of big king. SO far its passable but the traffic is moving slowly Where i live there is water on 2 lanes (as been for most of the week)

[Mitker]

The endless focus on flooding of Bangkok is sickening. Bangkok has been flooded before, and the world didn't go under. Such a flooding has little impact compared to all the destroyed homes and industries further north. The flooded industrial estates in Ayutthaya may have long term economical consequences for the country that totally overshadows whatever happens in Bangkok, unless the city floats out into the ocean. Foreign investors will for sure think twice before building as much as a tool shed her in the future. It will be interesting to see how the local politicians responds to this issue.

To the economic impact due to industrial estate flooding, you can add the environmental damage.

Virtually any industrial plant stores an array of potentially hazardous products needed for production. One can imagine how many of these stocks have been flushed away with the water, contaminating land, rivers and ultimately, the Gulf of Thailand shores.

[rogerdee123]

I just drove to the airport and they have the heavy equipment working on adding height to that supposed 3 meter embankment surrounding suphanabumi as well as "dredging" the klongs inside the embankment walls .... but didn't look like they were in emergency mode or whatever ,,,,,,, didn't see what they were doing outside the walls.

[john1000]

Three weeks back to normal.....Problem should not be more than a couple of days to clear after the floods hit.

[ginjag]

Shunima #26..............Paultheseeker #28

Your comments are maybe well meant, but I do understand Bkk has some importance the commerce -the business- the other people affected there, But Bkk is not the b and end all of it, There is disaster areas to come, out of Bkk, in other parts of Thailand that also have to be protected, again you may be right that I have not done homework --but who has ???????????? do I suspect you live near or in Bkk??

It states 2.25 mil people are affected. YES I did read the opening article, Do you believe these figures. They are bulsh#t....there are 5 times more affected ---sorry no record -but if you read through all the flooded areas, in Thailand NOT just around Bkk.

Have you flown over Thailand to see the chaos??? 2.5 mill is a joke. Do you think they want Thai to know the real disaster, as always NO.

I mentioned Bkk because of these believed figures, Half the population is in Issan-and other areas affected out of Bkk and Ayuttaya. My stupid picture of having a low lying artery road running approx south through Bkk and use it to get shut of much of the water to the gulf. I don't think my suggestion is as stupid as having 1000 boats on the river, condoms and wellingtons sent out.

Carry on protecting the business hub of Bkk. Nissan-Honda and other companies have had to run the gauntlet.----it's my opinion so if you think your opinion is better-tough

Edited October 15, 2011 by ginjag

[thaibeachlovers]

Three weeks back to normal.....Problem should not be more than a couple of days to clear after the floods hit.

I presume that you are just referring to the water. Economically the problems will just be starting- less jobs, high unemployment, debt that can't be paid off, poor people that have lost EVERYTHING, including their homes, motorbikes, clothes. It's not going to be "back to normal" for months/ years to come.

[ginjag]

Three weeks back to normal.....Problem should not be more than a couple of days to clear after the floods hit.

I presume that you are just referring to the water. Economically the problems will just be starting- less jobs, high unemployment, debt that can't be paid off, poor people that have lost EVERYTHING, including their homes, motorbikes, clothes. It's not going to be "back to normal" for months/ years to come.

Agreed this is not just Bkk/Ayuthaya its a usual preventable tragedy, over years it's been neglected in favour of personal wealth. Now it will never be the same for most, as what they had they lost and will never have the means to replace. For the others they will be able to recover it will take years. Mopping up is not the end of it. and this is where we will see if we have a fair elected government to give directly to where it's needed, not through local VIPs or there would be little left to hand out.

[GoonDizzy]

It seems every area has taken on as much water as possible and then 'passed it on' to the next area. Last stop before BKK is Pathum Thani. This was given to me via translation so it may not be 100% accurate but it seems BKK are asking for no water to be passed on. i.e, let Pathum Thani drown along with a million or so folks. The water will then make its way south anyway. Again, this is through translation but I was told the governors of BKK and Pathum Thani are at loggerheads over this. I think the main dude in Pathum Thani will pull some weight as it is a fairly 'hi-so' area along with many industrial estates which form one of the major economic attributes the country has.

I'm no expert but the water wants to (and will) flow south. I believe the Pathum Thani area want to let the water out slowly (as everyone else has done).

Again, all this could be <deleted> as there is so much different info around it's confusing.

Best of luck all.

[plumeria]

Question to all. How long does before the flooding usually clears up? I have read that Bangkok floods every year but assume not as bad as this?

If a flooded area is within the flood-prevention scheme of Bangkok, such as our area, they have permanent pumping stations at strategic locations which are turned on the moment there is any flooding. When the canal into which the water is being pumped is lower, the streets are completely dry the following morning.

But if the canal is already gorged with water from elsewhere and it's water is as high as the flood water (or higher), nowhere for the pumps to send the water and the canal may send water into the flooded area instead.

Yes, I'm worried.

[whybother]

I feel there is too much emphasis on flood gates, holding dams, Flood barriers (permanent and temporary). More effort should be directed on getting the water moving, this after all is what it wants to do, don't fight nature work with it. Everywhere I go in Thailand I see stagnant canals, blocked with refuse, choked with water hyacinth and other plants, just an annual clearance of canals every year before the rainy season would help a lot.

They had 1000 boats out today "getting the water moving". Does that count?

[anterian]

I feel there is too much emphasis on flood gates, holding dams, Flood barriers (permanent and temporary). More effort should be directed on getting the water moving, this after all is what it wants to do, don't fight nature work with it. Everywhere I go in Thailand I see stagnant canals, blocked with refuse, choked with water hyacinth and other plants, just an annual clearance of canals every year before the rainy season would help a lot.

They had 1000 boats out today "getting the water moving". Does that count?

Well if their propellers chew up the floating islands of water weeds that will help.

[thaibeachlovers]

Question to all. How long does before the flooding usually clears up? I have read that Bangkok floods every year but assume not as bad as this?

If a flooded area is within the flood-prevention scheme of Bangkok, such as our area, they have permanent pumping stations at strategic locations which are turned on the moment there is any flooding. When the canal into which the water is being pumped is lower, the streets are completely dry the following morning.

But if the canal is already gorged with water from elsewhere and it's water is as high as the flood water (or higher), nowhere for the pumps to send the water and the canal may send water into the flooded area instead.

Yes, I'm worried.

I saw a clip on Thai tv today that showed water being pumped out, but it was flowing back in just as fast. If it wasn't so tragic it'd be funny.