Complacent Bangkokians Will Have To Suffer In Turn

[webfact]

OVERDRIVE

Complacent Bangkokians will have to suffer in turn

Thanong Khanthong

At this point it is not a question of if but when, and to what extent, inner Bangkok will be inundated by floods.

We are about to witness the beginning of an end. A massive volume of water from Chai Nat, Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani, Sing Buri, Angthong, Ayutthaya, Pathum Thani - accumulated over the past months and flowing to Rangsit in northern Bangkok - is creating tremendous pressure on the key barriers and water gates protecting the capital. The longer the barricades hold, the longer the suffering of the residents and businesses of northern Bangkok, Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi. They will also suffer from rising tides.

In densely populated Bangbua Thong, Nonthaburi, the situation is critical, with water rising to two metres. Thousands of people are stuck in their homes.

Industrial estates in Ayutthaya and Pathum Thani have been decimated by Thailand's worst floods in 50 years. The damage is enormous to the Thai production hub. About 1,000 manufacturing plants in the industrial estates of central Thailand have been completely inundated, creating immediate unemployment for more than 600,000 workers. Car parts and components production, precision machinery and electronics have been hardest hit by the shutdown.

Farmland has been destroyed. Housing estates and villages are under water. More than a million Thais are homeless as their houses are submerged. They have difficulties in access to healthcare and sanctuary centres. Food and water have become scarce.

Central Thailand, the rice bowl of Thailand, is devastated. On the western side of the capital, Nakhon Pathom and Samut Sakhon have also received flood warnings. Bangkok, now surrounded by water on all sides, can no longer be saved at all cost. Already, many parts of outer Bangkok have been sparsely flooded. It is a matter of time before the water finds its way into the capital.

The government is under pressure to let a tiny portion of the water flow into Bangkok in order to relieve the burden outside the capital. Somehow in this democratic society, the share of suffering from the floods is not equally distributed.

Somkiat Prajamwong, an official at the Irrigation Department, has recommended that the government cave in to the water pressure by letting the water pass through Bangkok and into the sea. That would be the quickest way to release it from the north. The situation will be manageable, Somkiat added, if some 23 million cubic metres of water a day is allowed to make its way through Bangkok. Don Muang would have to be sacrificed as another line of defence. The authorities then could concentrate on pumping water out of Don Muang and to slow down the water flow into Bangkok.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has not had enough sleep. At 4am yesterday, she rushed to inspect Bangkok's water works system, flooded by water from Nava Nakorn Industrial Estate, and Thammasat University Rangsit campus. The system, which runs from Pathum Thani to Samsen waterworks canal in Dusit district of Bangkok, is under threat from the floods, which carry toxic materials from factories and households. The authorities have come out to reassure people that tap water still meets health standards and can be consumed.

Yingluck admitted yesterday that Bangkok could not be saved, as water would have to be allowed to flow into the capital, through its canals, to reduce pressure on the north. The water from canals would overflow to flood parts of Bangkok.

On Wednesday, Yingluck appealed to the media to give her a break. The crisis was beyond anybody's anticipation, she said. Reporters, she added, could not keep asking her whether Bangkok could be saved. The honeymoon period for Yingluck, Thailand's first female prime minister, has been brief and tragic.

Meanwhile, the Flood Relief Operation Command (Froc), chaired by Police General Pracha Phromnok, has come under acute criticism over its erratic performance and failure to keep up with the crisis. Pracha and his team have consistently fallen behind the curve in flood prevention, warnings, rescue operations and remedies. The squabbling between Froc and Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhan Paribatra has added salt to the wounds as Thais suffer the most severe disaster in modern history. The crisis management is nothing but a mess.

Bangkokians are in panic mode. They are stocking up on food and drinks and moving valuables and property to higher ground. After witnessing the floods in the north over the past three months with a sense of complacency, Bangkokians now realise that it is their turn to face the music. For the massive volume of water, in spite of efforts to divert it to the eastern and western sides of Bangkok, has nowhere else to go but downward to the capital's heartland.

-- The Nation 2011-10-21

[robblok]

Let Bangkok flood, im here in water because they refuse to open the gates. I hope i get an other meter of water here (i wont like it) but that will assure that Bangkok's gates will crack. Letting the water in at high speed and washing it all away.

They seem to be unwilling to share the burden, if they had let it open earlier a lot less problems would arise. Yes some area's would have been flooded then but it wont compare with what is going to happen.

I am seeing the power of the water now, it cant be stopped it needs to flow. By not sacrificing a bit they are only making it worse.

[travelmann]

Let Bangkok flood, im here in water because they refuse to open the gates. I hope i get an other meter of water here (i wont like it) but that will assure that Bangkok's gates will crack. Letting the water in at high speed and washing it all away.

They seem to be unwilling to share the burden, if they had let it open earlier a lot less problems would arise. Yes some area's would have been flooded then but it wont compare with what is going to happen.

I am seeing the power of the water now, it cant be stopped it needs to flow. By not sacrificing a bit they are only making it worse.

I really dont think its a good idea for the last place in Thailand generating a lot of business to now be flooded, Any last chance for people to have jobs will be gone any chance to get an income will be gone, many of the people working here send money home. I have no idea what can be done but Id try to divert around Bangkok "if" possible.

[moe666]

unfortunately one can only hide the truth for a short time especially when it is a few billion cubic feet of water

[robblok]

Let Bangkok flood, im here in water because they refuse to open the gates. I hope i get an other meter of water here (i wont like it) but that will assure that Bangkok's gates will crack. Letting the water in at high speed and washing it all away.

They seem to be unwilling to share the burden, if they had let it open earlier a lot less problems would arise. Yes some area's would have been flooded then but it wont compare with what is going to happen.

I am seeing the power of the water now, it cant be stopped it needs to flow. By not sacrificing a bit they are only making it worse.

I really dont think its a good idea for the last place in Thailand generating a lot of business to now be flooded, Any last chance for people to have jobs will be gone any chance to get an income will be gone, many of the people working here send money home. I have no idea what can be done but Id try to divert around Bangkok "if" possible.

Its a great idea, we are not talking about meters of water, we are talking about a little bit of water and most of Bangkok wont be hit. The alternative is getting int uncontrolled into Bangkok. Either way you guys are getting it. If i were in BKK i choose for option nr 1 where its still controlled.

[Businessman]

Bangkokians are not the ones who decided what dams to fill and which flood gates to open. The anger is misplaced. It is your government who decided. What makes Bangkokians complacent? Most of the are hard working people from all over Thailand trying to make a living. Many are volunteering and donating to help their fellow Thais. Just because Bangkok is downstream and hit last does not make their residents evil or complacent. Bangkokians are/may be victims too.

Whether or not itrying to safeguard the economic sector after the severe hits to the agricultural and industrial sector is right or wrong is debatable, but this decision was not make by the residents, it was made by the government.

[robblok]

Bangkokians are not the ones who decided what dams to fill and which flood gates to open. The anger is misplaced. It is your government who decided. What makes Bangkokians complacent? Most of the are hard working people from all over Thailand trying to make a living. Many are volunteering and donating to help their fellow Thais. Just because Bangkok is downstream and hit last does not make their residents evil or complacent. Bangkokians are/may be victims too.

Whether or not itrying to safeguard the economic sector after the severe hits to the agricultural and industrial sector is right or wrong is debatable, but this decision was not make by the residents, it was made by the government.

Who elects a government ?

Anyway i am not angry at the people living in Bangkok. All i am saying its time to face up to the music. Either get hurt a little bit or get hurt big time. If it builds up and breaks through it will be much worse.

[zydeco]

All i am saying its time to face up to the music. Either get hurt a little bit or get hurt big time. If it builds up and breaks through it will be much worse.

Denial, the saying goes, is a river in Egypt. Now, we've got it here. Officials are acting like they're in a bunker, moving phantom pieces and making decisions that are past choices.

[Guest]

What do you guys suggest they do with 12 billion cubic meters of water? It won't go away. Bangkok has been spared at the cost of most of central Thailand's industrial centres. Its time the water was released so that those who've been up to their necks for as long as three months in some cases can get a part of their lives back. Talk of the economic damage if Bangkok is flooded in no longer relevant as most of the economic damage has already been done. Hundreds of thousands of people are affected - no homes, no jobs, no income, very little food and water. The residents of Bangkok are complacent and indifferent to the suffering on their door steps - there's been wingeing about Tesco and Big C running out of a few items - some people are barely getting enough food to survive in the flood zones. If a a few government ministers had their homes flooded in a meter or two of water, something would happen very quickly.

Edited October 21, 2011 by Guest

[robblok]

What do you guys suggest they do with 12 billion cubic meters of water? It won't go away. Bangkok has been spared at the cost of most of central Thailand's industrial centres. Its time the water was released so that those who've been up to their necks for as long as three months in some cases can get a part of their lives back. Talk of the economic damage if Bangkok is flooded in no longer relevant as most of the economic damage has already been done. Hundreds of thousands of people are affected - no homes, no jobs, no income, very little food and water. The residents of Bangkok are complacent and indifferent to the suffering on their door steps - there's been wingeing about Tesco and Big C running out of a few items - some people are barely getting enough food to survive in the flood zones. If a a few government ministers had their homes flooded in a meter or two of water, something would happen very quickly.

They don't seem to understand that the water wont go away and the canals cant process it fast enough. Its either taking a little hit now or a big one later. Its not that i want Bangkok to hurt, i just want them to be sensible. Take the water now or else end of the month with high tide you are all <snip>.

Edited October 21, 2011 by metisdead
Expletive removed.

[Crushdepth]

What do you guys suggest they do with 12 billion cubic meters of water? It won't go away. Bangkok has been spared at the cost of most of central Thailand's industrial centres. Its time the water was released so that those who've been up to their necks for as long as three months in some cases can get a part of their lives back. Talk of the economic damage if Bangkok is flooded in no longer relevant as most of the economic damage has already been done. Hundreds of thousands of people are affected - no homes, no jobs, no income, very little food and water. The residents of Bangkok are complacent and indifferent to the suffering on their door steps - there's been wingeing about Tesco and Big C running out of a few items - some people are barely getting enough food to survive in the flood zones. If a a few government ministers had their homes flooded in a meter or two of water, something would happen very quickly.

Would you like to see another 10 million people suffer as well? You're comments abount Bangkok residents being indifferent to the suffering of others are just stupid. Grow up.

[robblok]

What do you guys suggest they do with 12 billion cubic meters of water? It won't go away. Bangkok has been spared at the cost of most of central Thailand's industrial centres. Its time the water was released so that those who've been up to their necks for as long as three months in some cases can get a part of their lives back. Talk of the economic damage if Bangkok is flooded in no longer relevant as most of the economic damage has already been done. Hundreds of thousands of people are affected - no homes, no jobs, no income, very little food and water. The residents of Bangkok are complacent and indifferent to the suffering on their door steps - there's been wingeing about Tesco and Big C running out of a few items - some people are barely getting enough food to survive in the flood zones. If a a few government ministers had their homes flooded in a meter or two of water, something would happen very quickly.

Would you like to see another 10 million people suffer as well? You're comments abount Bangkok residents being indifferent to the suffering of others are just stupid. Grow up.

I doubt that the residents are indifferent, but if they suffer 2-3 days and then the whole mess is done. Is that such a bad thing ? I am talking controlled flooding here, not a flash flood.

What will happen if they dont release the pressure that is buildup that there will be dangerous flooding.

[MunterHunter]

What do you guys suggest they do with 12 billion cubic meters of water? It won't go away. Bangkok has been spared at the cost of most of central Thailand's industrial centres. Its time the water was released so that those who've been up to their necks for as long as three months in some cases can get a part of their lives back. Talk of the economic damage if Bangkok is flooded in no longer relevant as most of the economic damage has already been done. Hundreds of thousands of people are affected - no homes, no jobs, no income, very little food and water. The residents of Bangkok are complacent and indifferent to the suffering on their door steps - there's been wingeing about Tesco and Big C running out of a few items - some people are barely getting enough food to survive in the flood zones. If a a few government ministers had their homes flooded in a meter or two of water, something would happen very quickly.

They don't seem to understand that the water wont go away and the canals cant process it fast enough. Its either taking a little hit now or a big one later. Its not that i want Bangkok to hurt, i just want them to be sensible. Take the water now or else end of the month with high tide you are all <snip>.

Some of your posts this morning seem to indicate thats exactly what you want... wash it away i think was one of your quotes...

[robblok]

What do you guys suggest they do with 12 billion cubic meters of water? It won't go away. Bangkok has been spared at the cost of most of central Thailand's industrial centres. Its time the water was released so that those who've been up to their necks for as long as three months in some cases can get a part of their lives back. Talk of the economic damage if Bangkok is flooded in no longer relevant as most of the economic damage has already been done. Hundreds of thousands of people are affected - no homes, no jobs, no income, very little food and water. The residents of Bangkok are complacent and indifferent to the suffering on their door steps - there's been wingeing about Tesco and Big C running out of a few items - some people are barely getting enough food to survive in the flood zones. If a a few government ministers had their homes flooded in a meter or two of water, something would happen very quickly.

They don't seem to understand that the water wont go away and the canals cant process it fast enough. Its either taking a little hit now or a big one later. Its not that i want Bangkok to hurt, i just want them to be sensible. Take the water now or else end of the month with high tide you are all <snip>.

Some of your posts this morning seem to indicate thats exactly what you want... wash it away i think was one of your quotes...

Sure that was what i said my post was 2 fold take it now controlled or get washed away. I am indeed angry that they did not open the gates b4. So if they still keep this up i rather have them close the gates, let it come up here one more meter and then BKK will be washed away.

The water needs to be drained, quickly before the next high tide.

[soomak]

What do you guys suggest they do with 12 billion cubic meters of water? It won't go away. Bangkok has been spared at the cost of most of central Thailand's industrial centres. Its time the water was released so that those who've been up to their necks for as long as three months in some cases can get a part of their lives back. Talk of the economic damage if Bangkok is flooded in no longer relevant as most of the economic damage has already been done. Hundreds of thousands of people are affected - no homes, no jobs, no income, very little food and water. The residents of Bangkok are complacent and indifferent to the suffering on their door steps - there's been wingeing about Tesco and Big C running out of a few items - some people are barely getting enough food to survive in the flood zones. If a a few government ministers had their homes flooded in a meter or two of water, something would happen very quickly.

Bangkok is responsible for about half of the economic activity of Thailand. All multinational companies headquarters, bank headquarters, etc are located in Bangkok.

So the economic impact will be severe, and will effect all of Thailand, because millions of Bkk people send money to their families in other provinces.

"Let them suffer now" - although it's human, it's very stupid as well. IF Bangkok suffers - the whole country will suffer economically.

Regarding the 12 billion cubic meters (not sure where this number is from - but let's assume it's correct) :

Impossible to make any reasonable call without knowing the facts, and nobody here knows them with any accuracy.

[geriatrickid]

The decision to spare Bangkok for as long as possible was the right decision. Bangkok is the nerve center, the financial center, the city that represents Thailand. Keeping Bangkok functioning as long as possible, kept the country going. It's easy to say should've,, would've, could've, but the key government and key military command centers are in Bangkok.The location selection dates back decades. The military hadn't even considered relocating key command functions until recent days. The government will have a hard time functioning without Bangkok because this is where the key bureaucrats and scientists are located. The major medical centers are in Bangkok. There are literally tens of thousands of critically ill people in hospitals that are transported in from outside of Bangkok, that have nowhere to go. The medical care strategy ahs always used Bangkok as the core region for high risk medical care. I am sorry large portions of Thailand have suffered the brunt of the flooding, but having Bangkok up and working allowed for all of these people to be helped. As Bangkok floods, the ability to assist those in need will contract.

The next question will be whether or not the south will be able to step up and provide the relief needed.

Edited October 21, 2011 by geriatrickid

[robblok]

What do you guys suggest they do with 12 billion cubic meters of water? It won't go away. Bangkok has been spared at the cost of most of central Thailand's industrial centres. Its time the water was released so that those who've been up to their necks for as long as three months in some cases can get a part of their lives back. Talk of the economic damage if Bangkok is flooded in no longer relevant as most of the economic damage has already been done. Hundreds of thousands of people are affected - no homes, no jobs, no income, very little food and water. The residents of Bangkok are complacent and indifferent to the suffering on their door steps - there's been wingeing about Tesco and Big C running out of a few items - some people are barely getting enough food to survive in the flood zones. If a a few government ministers had their homes flooded in a meter or two of water, something would happen very quickly.

Bangkok is responsible for about half of the economic activity of Thailand. All multinational companies headquarters, bank headquarters, etc are located in Bangkok.

So the economic impact will be severe, and will effect all of Thailand, because millions of Bkk people send money to their families in other provinces.

"Let them suffer now" - although it's human, it's very stupid as well. IF Bangkok suffers - the whole country will suffer economically.

Regarding the 12 billion cubic meters (not sure where this number is from - but let's assume it's correct) :

Impossible to make any reasonable call without knowing the facts, and nobody here knows them with any accuracy.

Thing is many industrial estates are already flooded and would benefit if it was done with soon. A prong longed flooding is more damaging. So if BKK takes some of the water and because of it things end faster then it does not have to mean it will cost more.

[IMA_FARANG]

Why do you assume that your "average person" in Bangkok isn't doing what they can to help with the flood defences?

In my Thai family there are 3 male adults. All three of them spent last night out with the work crews filling and stacking sandbags to protect roads and local houses here on Ladrakhao Road. Joined the work crew about 8 p.m. and worked until 4 in the morning filling sandbags.

My wife made food (with other Thai women) for the work crews and had it delivered to feed the work crews.

Her daughter and grand daughter helped cook the food.

I gave money to buy water and food items which the youngest son delivered to Don Meuang where they are collecting aid supplies for distribution to those evacuated from flood areas.

So, with respect, why would anyone simply presume that the "average person" in Bangkok wasn't doing what they could to help?

Now, the politicians...those in power and those that merely want to be...that's another story.

But don't blame the "average person".

[Soi Sauce]

It's not the Bkk people who are complacent and uncaring; that is a bit too much of a red arguement.

The gov decided on the flood strategy, don't throw that in the face of the city's residents.

[robblok]

Why do you assume that your "average person" in Bangkok isn't doing what they can to help with the flood defences?

In my Thai family there are 3 male adults. All three of them spent last night out with the work crews filling and stacking sandbags to protect roads and local houses here on Ladrakhao Road. Joined the work crew about 8 p.m. and worked until 4 in the morning filling sandbags.

My wife made food (with other Thai women) for the work crews and had it delivered to feed the work crews.

Her daughter and grand daughter helped cook the food.

I gave money to buy water and food items which the youngest son delivered to Don Meuang where they are collecting aid supplies for distribution to those evacuated from flood areas.

So, with respect, why would anyone simply presume that the "average person" in Bangkok wasn't doing what they could to help?

Now, the politicians...those in power and those that merely want to be...that's another story.

But don't blame the "average person".

Just let in water then you will do a lot more it will speed up the process and relief the suffering of others. (not talking about flooding yourself) But god let them open the canals at full capacity and take some risks. Minor floodings should be accepted to help this whole mess pass faster.

[rixalex]

The decision to spare Bangkok for as long as possible was the right decision. Bangkok is the nerve center, the financial center, the city that represents Thailand. Keeping Bangkok functioning as long as possible, kept the country going. It's easy to say should've,, would've, could've, but the key government and key military command centers are in Bangkok.The location selection dates back decades. The military hadn't even considered relocating key command functions until recent days. The government will have a hard time functioning without Bangkok because this is where the key bureaucrats and scientists are located. The major medical centers are in Bangkok. There are literally tens of thousands of critically ill people in hospitals that are transported in from outside of Bangkok, that have nowhere to go. The medical care strategy ahs always used Bangkok as the core region for high risk medical care. I am sorry large portions of Thailand have suffered the brunt of the flooding, but having Bangkok up and working allowed for all of these people to be helped. As Bangkok floods, the ability to assist those in need will contract.

The next question will be whether or not the south will be able to step up and provide the relief needed.

Some well-reasoned sentiments in the above but one can't help thinking that were it the Dems in charge, all this talk of Bangkok needing to be prioritised and saved at the cost of the rural people, wouldn't be coming from your mouth - or the mouths of the red shirts and the PTP - but what would, a rant at how selfish and disgusting it was for the Bangkok "elite" to once again be putting themselves first.

[bkkjames]

Bangkokians are not the ones who decided what dams to fill and which flood gates to open. The anger is misplaced. It is your government who decided. What makes Bangkokians complacent? Most of the are hard working people from all over Thailand trying to make a living. Many are volunteering and donating to help their fellow Thais. Just because Bangkok is downstream and hit last does not make their residents evil or complacent. Bangkokians are/may be victims too.

Whether or not itrying to safeguard the economic sector after the severe hits to the agricultural and industrial sector is right or wrong is debatable, but this decision was not make by the residents, it was made by the government.

Who elects a government ?

Anyway i am not angry at the people living in Bangkok. All i am saying its time to face up to the music. Either get hurt a little bit or get hurt big time. If it builds up and breaks through it will be much worse.

Rob the last time I checked Bangkok voted Democrat for the most part in the election and they didn't win the election.

[Dag]

Are you English Robblok ??

I am high and dry where I live....I hope Bkk does not flood...except for the Command centre at Don Muang.....that would be sweet.

[GentlemanJim]

This is clearly an emotive topic and I sympathize with the plight of Robblok. I don't think what he is saying or suggesting is unreasonable at all. The title of the news article even seems designed to wind people up.

Yingluck faces a massive dichotomy and whatever she does it is a toughy. Having made the error of promising over and over again that Bangkok will be safe and that the Government will not allow it to flood, it seems the promise will now join the heap of electoral campaign promises that were all lies. Promises to be in control of the whim of Mother Nature were perhaps a little unwise. It seems inevitable that the water will gather to such an extent that there will be a catastrophic breach of the city defences and a torrent of water will enter the city causing massive structural damage with great risk to life. The alternative seems the only thing possible and that is to open the gates and try and drain as much water away as quickly as possible in a controlled fashion.

A tough call for any PM let alone for someone who is also in Politics for the first time ever. I imagine she rues the day she ever left her cushy multi-million role as head of her company to take hold of this crock of sh*t. I don't imagine big brother is on her Christmas card list right now.

Good luck Robblok and to all you folks in Bangkok.

[passon]

The decision to spare Bangkok for as long as possible was the right decision. Bangkok is the nerve center, the financial center, the city that represents Thailand. Keeping Bangkok functioning as long as possible, kept the country going. It's easy to say should've,, would've, could've, but the key government and key military command centers are in Bangkok.The location selection dates back decades. The military hadn't even considered relocating key command functions until recent days. The government will have a hard time functioning without Bangkok because this is where the key bureaucrats and scientists are located. The major medical centers are in Bangkok. There are literally tens of thousands of critically ill people in hospitals that are transported in from outside of Bangkok, that have nowhere to go. The medical care strategy ahs always used Bangkok as the core region for high risk medical care. I am sorry large portions of Thailand have suffered the brunt of the flooding, but having Bangkok up and working allowed for all of these people to be helped. As Bangkok floods, the ability to assist those in need will contract.

The next question will be whether or not the south will be able to step up and provide the relief needed.

As you stated, all the key controls (government, economic, scientific and military) have been centralized in Bangkok for decades, which means they have had decades to decentralize its operations. Any successful operation structure is built with contingency and redundancy. As a former crisis manager who developed contingency plans for a major high rise building in Los Angeles; I, in partnership with city and state government insured both a Plan A and Plan B in response to any potential disaster. We especially understood the potential for a catastrophic earthquake, and designed our best case scenarios form our worst case scenarios We recommended to our tenants that they utilize the use of alternate data storage in states that were not in proximity to California which might also suffer, by extension damage outside of an earthquakes epicenter. Government and the private sector worked together to implement the structures of crisis management and to be prepared for any inevitability. This had everything to do with sharing resources and insuring, if I may simply the process, that all of our eggs were not concentrated into one basket. As Bangkok floods, to use your analogy, the ability to assist those has already contracted simply due to the distractions of attempting to salvage its centralized operations and resources, and its inability to execute or communicate an effective disaster management plan. The government is already having a hard time functioning, and because it lacks the components of proper disaster mitigation, people are suffering; and, the major medical facilities you speak of are far beyond the reach of an ordinary Thai citizen, so it's a stretch to imply that any of them would suffer if in the event these hospitals were compromised if Bangkok were flooded. I too am sorry that large portions of Thais have suffered because of the worst flooding in at least 50 years, but it does not mean they should have to continue to suffer to insure the integrity of a system that set itself up for disaster. To ask people to suffer (more) because of the incompetence of others who want to avoid suffering is the height of arrogance, and it is obvious that those who have suffered are, for the most part unwilling to accept that they should continue to suffer anymore than they already have.

[jdfmail]

Bangkokians are not the ones who decided what dams to fill and which flood gates to open. The anger is misplaced. It is your government who decided. What makes Bangkokians complacent? Most of the are hard working people from all over Thailand trying to make a living. Many are volunteering and donating to help their fellow Thais. Just because Bangkok is downstream and hit last does not make their residents evil or complacent. Bangkokians are/may be victims too.

Whether or not itrying to safeguard the economic sector after the severe hits to the agricultural and industrial sector is right or wrong is debatable, but this decision was not make by the residents, it was made by the government.

Who elects a government ?

Anyway i am not angry at the people living in Bangkok. All i am saying its time to face up to the music. Either get hurt a little bit or get hurt big time. If it builds up and breaks through it will be much worse.

LOL The people that are under water elected this government...not Bangkokians. That's for sure! Ironic isn't it?

[robblok]

Are you English Robblok ??

I am high and dry where I live....I hope Bkk does not flood...except for the Command centre at Don Muang.....that would be sweet.

No i am Dutch.. at times like this they should have more dutch here

[robblok]

Bangkokians are not the ones who decided what dams to fill and which flood gates to open. The anger is misplaced. It is your government who decided. What makes Bangkokians complacent? Most of the are hard working people from all over Thailand trying to make a living. Many are volunteering and donating to help their fellow Thais. Just because Bangkok is downstream and hit last does not make their residents evil or complacent. Bangkokians are/may be victims too.

Whether or not itrying to safeguard the economic sector after the severe hits to the agricultural and industrial sector is right or wrong is debatable, but this decision was not make by the residents, it was made by the government.

Who elects a government ?

Anyway i am not angry at the people living in Bangkok. All i am saying its time to face up to the music. Either get hurt a little bit or get hurt big time. If it builds up and breaks through it will be much worse.

Rob the last time I checked Bangkok voted Democrat for the most part in the election and they didn't win the election.

True anyway Bangkok should just take as much water as possible and take some risks. I am 100% against this government. If they don't they get flooded anyway. You cant stop this water.

[GarryP]

Information I have received is that the authorities admit they cannot hold the water back and that it will be released into BKK. However, to prevent panic it will be done district by district rather than just opening the gates and letting the water find its own course. The people who admitted this are the same ones appearing on TV denying that BKK will be inundated (FROC) and BMA, insisting that water is being directed to the Bangpakong river, etc. Water levels are expected to vary between 50cm and 2 metres depending on the topography of the area.

[leo12345]

Let Bangkok flood, im here in water because they refuse to open the gates. I hope i get an other meter of water here (i wont like it) but that will assure that Bangkok's gates will crack. Letting the water in at high speed and washing it all away.

They seem to be unwilling to share the burden, if they had let it open earlier a lot less problems would arise. Yes some area's would have been flooded then but it wont compare with what is going to happen.

I am seeing the power of the water now, it cant be stopped it needs to flow. By not sacrificing a bit they are only making it worse.

I really dont think its a good idea for the last place in Thailand generating a lot of business to now be flooded, Any last chance for people to have jobs will be gone any chance to get an income will be gone, many of the people working here send money home. I have no idea what can be done but Id try to divert around Bangkok "if" possible.

You obviously don't live in a flooded area. I have now moved to Bangkok to stay at my work (hotel) with my wife and 2 young boys because my housing estate is 1 metre deep.

I saw yesterday Bang yai where people are walking the streets with plastic bags in their hands which is all their belongings and with nowhere to go. All this for a stupid mistake by the government. Let Bangkok feel something so that the water can go through quicker.

All the canals i past in BKK yesterday looked empty, while we in the subburbs suffer.