Thai Floodwaters Spill Into Northern Bangkok

[webfact]

Thai floodwaters spill into northern Bangkok

by Boonradom Chitradon

BANGKOK, October 21, 2011 (AFP) - Millions of nervous Bangkok residents were warned Friday to move their belongings to safety as the kingdom's worst floods in decades began pouring into the outskirts of the sprawling city.

In a desperate attempt to drain the mass of muddy water, the authorities have opened all of Bangkok's sluice gates to allow the floods to flow through canals and rivers in the low-lying capital and into the Gulf of Thailand.

The move should ease pressure on vulnerable flood barriers on the northern edge of the city of 12 million people, but it increases the threat to Bangkok itself, where some outlying residential areas were inundated on Friday.

People were advised to move their possessions to higher floors or safe areas after the government admitted the sea of water bearing down on the capital from the central plains was unstoppable.

"I ask all Bangkok residents to move your belongings to higher ground as a precaution, but they should not panic. It's preparation," said Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who has described the crisis as "overwhelming."

Three months of heavy monsoon rains have killed at least 342 people in Thailand and damaged the homes and livelihoods of millions of others, mostly in the north and centre.

Tens of thousands of people have been forced to seek refuge in shelters, including 33-year-old Nonglak Yodnankham who fled the approaching water in Pathumthani province just north of Bangkok.

"The flood was following behind us when we ran away. Within five minutes, it was already up to my waist," she told AFP at an emergency shelter at Bangkok's number two airport, Don Mueang.

The waters were already seeping into the capital too, leaving little doubt that large areas of the metropolis would be inundated. The only uncertainty was how deep the floods would be and whether the city centre would be hit.

Water up to 70 centimetres (28 inches) deep submerged roads and houses elsewhere in Don Mueang district while more than 2,000 homes were flooded in neighbouring Lak Si, about 15 kilometres (nine miles) from the city centre.

"The water level keeps rising," Don Mueang district chief Phumpat Damrongkiatisak said, adding that the floods already covered several square kilometres (miles) in his area alone.

The authorities reassured residents that they had evacuation plans ready if necessary.

Yingluck said the authorities would organise additional evacuation centres, make more parking spaces available and assign security officials to oversee significant locations such as the palace and Bangkok's main airport.

Bangkok residents have rushed to stock up on food and bottled water, while motorists have parked hundreds of cars on bridges or elevated roads.

Tens of thousands of soldiers and police have been mobilised to maintain order.

The opposition is calling on the government to declare a state of emergency to make it easier to control people and prevent them damaging dykes to ease the flooding in their own areas -- but Yingluck ruled out such a move.

Amid signs of tensions between the government and the Bangkok governor, the 44-year-old former businesswoman said she would invoke a section of the disaster law to increase her authority in dealing with crisis.

Yingluck, who is the sister of fugitive former leader Thaksin Shinawatra and was a political novice before taking office, is facing the first major crisis of her two-month-old leadership and has shown signs of strain.

The authorities have failed to protect a number of major industrial parks from the gushing brown water, which has inundated hundreds of factories outside Bangkok, disrupting production of cars, electronics and other goods.

The government says more than half a million people have seen their jobs disappear for now.

Leading Japanese automaker Toyota said Friday its three factories in Thailand would stay closed for another week due to a shortage of parts.

Most of Thailand's main tourist attractions -- including the southern islands of Samui, Phuket and Phi Phi -- have been unaffected although some foreign governments have warned against non-essential travel to Bangkok.

Bangkok's main airport, built on a drained marsh, is still operating as normal and its flood defences have been reinforced.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2011-10-21

[marinediscoking]

they should not panic. It's preparation,

What could have she done differently to prevent this?

[ratcatcher]

they should not panic. It's preparation,

What could have she done differently to prevent this?

Agreed!

She only really has a limited amount of power as the backroom boys have kept her on a short leash to a certain degree, after all,the real power lies several thousand miles and a couple time zones away in luxurious Dubai the seaside.

The ministers are perhaps more to blame than her. Just look at her Science Minister.

Anyway the day of reckoning will soon come.

[robblok]

they should not panic. It's preparation,

What could have she done differently to prevent this?

Be honest about what was coming, not trying to keep up appearances and face. I would have prepared myself 10 times better then this then.

[michaeljordan]

they should not panic. It's preparation,

What could have she done differently to prevent this?

Who should the responsibility fall on? If not the country's leader, then who? She wanted the power and responsibility (and I'm sure if we read the pre-election rhetoric we'll find some promise or another to cover this) so she should take responsibility. That is what winning a country's "ultimate job" should be about.

There are rivers everywhere on earth. Those who live in low areas near a river of course know there is risk.

Yet, we need to do all we can to help those who have been harmed by this natural disaster.

It might make one feel better to blame the current government for a flood but since it takes years and years to build flood protection in an area, and then addig the fact that this current Thai government has been in power only months now, it is quite ignorant to blame it.

If it makes some feel better, go for it.

But I am quite sure that after a short time, people will understand that there was nothing that could be done in just months that would have prevented flooding. Modern nations cannot avoid such floods either. When the Mississipi River in the USA went up, it flooded huge areas and there was nothing that could be done to stop it. When the rivers in Europe went up, they of course flooded huge areas.

Why is it that we think Thailand should be some supre flood preventor?

When you live on low ground, nature can flood you and it will sometimes.

[metisdead]

An overly derogatory post has been removed.

[h90]

they should not panic. It's preparation,

What could have she done differently to prevent this?

Call to Dubai and bring this problem to her Masters attention.

[bdenner]

Webfact: <deleted> can't you keep ALL your flood NEWS in one thread rather than confuse the site with multiple listings?

[alexakap]

they should not panic. It's preparation,

What could have she done differently to prevent this?

Manage the whole thing, not TRYING to manage that,

[kartman]

You want priority over the rest of the nation then.

[BusyBee123]

they should not panic. It's preparation,

What could have she done differently to prevent this?

Who should the responsibility fall on? If not the country's leader, then who? She wanted the power and responsibility (and I'm sure if we read the pre-election rhetoric we'll find some promise or another to cover this) so she should take responsibility. That is what winning a country's "ultimate job" should be about.

There are rivers everywhere on earth. Those who live in low areas near a river of course know there is risk.

Yet, we need to do all we can to help those who have been harmed by this natural disaster.

It might make one feel better to blame the current government for a flood but since it takes years and years to build flood protection in an area, and then addig the fact that this current Thai government has been in power only months now, it is quite ignorant to blame it.

If it makes some feel better, go for it.

But I am quite sure that after a short time, people will understand that there was nothing that could be done in just months that would have prevented flooding. Modern nations cannot avoid such floods either. When the Mississipi River in the USA went up, it flooded huge areas and there was nothing that could be done to stop it. When the rivers in Europe went up, they of course flooded huge areas.

Why is it that we think Thailand should be some supre flood preventor?

When you live on low ground, nature can flood you and it will sometimes.

Holland seems to cope very well.

[marinediscoking]

Holland are the masters at flood prevention and have been working on their system for over 2 century's. However they still could not stop the Rhine floods in 1995.

Ok, carry on Yingluck bashers and those that think they can control mother nature.

If she made mistakes be specific, not "she could have maniged it better" reply's.

Edited October 21, 2011 by marinediscoking

[janverbeem]

they should not panic. It's preparation,

What could have she done differently to prevent this?

Agreed!

She only really has a limited amount of power as the backroom boys have kept her on a short leash to a certain degree, after all,the real power lies several thousand miles and a couple time zones away in luxurious Dubai the seaside.

The ministers are perhaps more to blame than her. Just look at her Science Minister.

Anyway the day of reckoning will soon come.

You must be confused as I heard Yingluck saying several times already that the guy in Dubai has nothing to do with the government and she is in full control of everything.

I guess if you want the top job you will have to take responsibility and not blame others when everything goes wrong.

[scorecard]

Holland are the masters at flood prevention and have been working on their system for over 2 century's. However they still could not stop the Rhine floods in 1995.

Ok, carry on Yingluck bashers and those that think they can control mother nature.

If she made mistakes be specific, not "she could have maniged it better" reply's.

It's been said a hundred times on these threads; nobody, yingluck, pt or anybody else caused the massive rains, and caused the floods.

Yes it is severe, more than most previous years.

The criticism is about the capability of her ministers etc., to mitigate the water as best as is possible in the circumstances. They have failed miserably.

Thailand has one man in particular to be angry with, the man who surrounded his dear little sister with people who are totally incapable, and totally insincere.

[koosdeboer]

Holland are the masters at flood prevention and have been working on this system for 2 century's. However they still could not stop the rhine floods in 1995.

Ok, carry on Yingluck bashers and those that think they can control mother nature.

Yes there always will be flooding but I can tell you that Holland is better prepared than Thailand when it happens.

Thais know that the Dutch have the knowledge. That's why there is a Dutch adviser in Don Muang crisis centre. This evening at six on thai tv, PBS they showed a film about flood management and prevention in Holland.

Yingluck asked for it. She didn't have experience an still took the job. So now she has to take the heat.

[animatic]

"She is showing signs of strain."

Is being kind, sad to say, recent pictures she appears to have aged 10 years from this pictures of her 3 months ago. I am sure she never dreamed of how bad this job would be, not even close in her worst nightmares. But she chose to accept and must pay the price, as anyone taking a national leadership visibly ages in the 1st year no matter their intestinal fortitude going in.

Opening up the sluices to their maximum safe allowable flow rates for each canal is the only prudent choice.

a ) Block the deluge and it breaks through several places with horrific force and sweeps all in it's path living or inanimate aside.

b ) Let the maximum of controlled water flow at reasonable rates over greater areas, in an understandable method. This means more areas get hit, but none of them as bad, decreased loss of life in fast moving torrents and less physical damage overall, coupled with faster ending of the crisis.

Half a meter of water over 100 square kilos moving at 5km an hour, is better than flash floods at 35 kph, 2 meters deep, over 35 square kilometers, sweeping away people, animals and objects. And leaving many more dead creatures rotting to cause disease and pestilence when the water passes.

Bowing to the inevitable.

Edited October 21, 2011 by animatic

[dutch54]

Holland seems to cope very well.

As I said before: if we would have had so much rain everything would be flooded too.

[marquess]

I am in Don Muaeng and my soi seems pretty quiet raining lightly but no flood so far, but I sure it is coming if what the Governor said is true. Anyone else in Don Muaeng?

[rishi]

Holland seems to cope very well.

As I said before: if we would have had so much rain everything would be flooded too.

Yes, hard to see any reason for being proud of being able to build dikes all along ones coastline when all there was to take into consideration was wether or not sea water should be kept off the premises. On the other hand, not particularly clever to think there are any similarity between the the two countries' situations

[qualtrough]

Second the motion for a unified flood thread.Actually, maybe two threads would be a good idea.

1. One for information updates about the flooding--no politics, and;

2. A second thread for people to moan about how the new government should have been totally prepared and done everything just right for the worst flooding in more than 50 years and how they would have done a much better job, etc. & etc. The could also use this thread to discuss their favorite talking points from those totally unbiased newspapers the Post and the Nation. Oh, and of course get in their gibes about the super evil master mind responsible for all the bad in Thailand.

How about it moderators?

[philw]

"She is showing signs of strain."

Is being kind, sad to say, recent pictures she appears to have aged 10 years from this pictures of her 3 months ago. I am sure she never dreamed of how bad this job would be, not even close in her worst nightmares. But she chose to accept and must pay the price, as anyone taking a national leadership visibly ages in the 1st year no matter their intestinal fortitude going in.

Opening up the sluices to their maximum safe allowable flow rates for each canal is the only prudent choice.

a ) Block the deluge and it breaks through several places with horrific force and sweeps all in it's path living or inanimate aside.

b ) Let the maximum of controlled water flow at reasonable rates over greater areas, in an understandable method. This means more areas get hit, but none of them as bad, decreased loss of life in fast moving torrents and less physical damage overall, coupled with faster ending of the crisis.

Half a meter of water over 100 square kilos moving at 5km an hour, is better than flash floods at 35 kph, 2 meters deep, over 35 square kilometers, sweeping away people, animals and objects. And leaving many more dead creatures rotting to cause disease and pestilence when the water passes.

Bowing to the inevitable.

Give you credit for a fair minded post and think you make sense.

The real problems that now need to be addressed go way beyond the political problems and events of the last few years.

Now we have a real problem that is demanding sensible long term planning and a real solution.

I believe the Thai people will rise to the challenge and perhaps there will be some cathartic benefit.

If we don't all help now, the country is screwed.

[metisdead]

Everyday there is a thread like this running: Thailand Live Friday 21 Oct 2011 LATEST FLOOD UPDATES, News, Bits and Tweets . There is no political squabbling on that thread as it is locked to replies. Look for that similar topic running daily, updated all day long.

[ThaiOats]

Holland are the masters at flood prevention and have been working on their system for over 2 century's. However they still could not stop the Rhine floods in 1995.

Ok, carry on Yingluck bashers and those that think they can control mother nature.

If she made mistakes be specific, not "she could have maniged it better" reply's.

Ok let's get into some specifics.

- Before the flooding, she knew that it's the monsoon season and there will be flooding as it happened throughout Thai history, where were her priorities? Pushing for amnesty and populist policies.

- As it started to flood, what was she and her government doing? She flew to different countries (as her people were drowning) and her MPs went to play football.

- As the situation got worse, she was still complacent and didn't even take it seriously until it was too late.

One of their campaign promise was to be "No More Flooding", well if they were serious about that, that should've been the first thing on their list. Sure it couldn't have been fixed in a few months but did she even go out there to look at the dams? Did she lay out different plans and consult experts on measures to take? Then take a look at the people she surrounds herself with. Imbeciles, all of them.. go build some 10,000 bamboo rafts as the Science and Technology minister says.

She should've done her homework before she took the seat. She underestimated the flood.

[marquess]

Everyday there is a thread like this running: Thailand Live Friday 21 Oct 2011 LATEST FLOOD UPDATES, News, Bits and Tweets . There is no political squabbling on that thread as it is locked to replies. Look for that similar topic running daily, updated all day long.

In a way I wish people would just post updates I am not interested in what they do in Holland as I am not there, but here in Bangkok and wish to hear about other people's current flooding experiences! Is anyone else in Don Muaeng and what are they experiencing?

[whatawonderfulday]

I am in Don Muaeng and my soi seems pretty quiet raining lightly but no flood so far, but I sure it is coming if what the Governor said is true. Anyone else in Don Muaeng?

I am in Dechatungha, top end of Don Muang. Early this afternoon army built a ramp at their end near Neo City to stop water flowing into Dechatungha. So far looking out of window it appears to have worked. We are dry but if water rises Neo city side 'cos of Klong Prapha being overloaded who knows. SongPraPha is closed due to floodingat expressway junction area. Had about 20 cm earlier but does anyone know how much now ?

[dutch54]

Holland seems to cope very well.

As I said before: if we would have had so much rain everything would be flooded too.

Yes, hard to see any reason for being proud of being able to build dikes all along ones coastline when all there was to take into consideration was wether or not sea water should be kept off the premises. On the other hand, not particularly clever to think there are any similarity between the the two countries' situations

We not only have to protect ourselves against the sea but also have similar problems as in Thailand at the moment if there is a lot of water coming in from Germany/Switzerland via the river Rhine, only this is on a much smaller scale.

[passon]

Today I traveled on Bus 6 from Khlong Ton Sai, Klongsan (near the Hilton Hotel) which is alongside the Chao Praya River. I got off at Sanam Luang and took bus 203 over the Chao Praya River, past Pinklao to Bang Kruai, back over the Chao Praya and ended up in Wong Sawat. From there I took Bus 97 to Bang Sue, Saphan Khwai and onto Thanon Phahon Yothin to Arai and then took the BTS back to the BTS Taksin station after making a few stops. Every place I went was dry. I saw three different areas of the Chao Praya and noticed that the waters were high, but not spilling over. I saw a few military trucks, here and there, but no major movements. I did not observe a lot of sandbags, but I did see a major fortress of sandbags at Central Silom. I stopped at several stores, The Villa in Arai; Tops in Silom and Tops in Sapan Taksin. There of course were a lot of goods being purchased, but only Tops in Silom had a lot of empty shelves. Robinsons at Taksin had a lot of flashlights for sale on the top floor and no one had any Sterno, which was something I was personally hoping to find. I did notice a few restaurants that could not operate because they did not receive their food deliveries. When I took the boat ferry across the Chao Praya from Taksin, I did notice that the water had risen to the top and was just slightly overflowing into the immediate area, but that was the worst thing I saw all day. Well, that was my little trip around the city and I thought it might be nice to share!

[rogerdee123]

they should not panic. It's preparation,

What could have she done differently to prevent this?

Who should the responsibility fall on? If not the country's leader, then who? She wanted the power and responsibility (and I'm sure if we read the pre-election rhetoric we'll find some promise or another to cover this) so she should take responsibility. That is what winning a country's "ultimate job" should be about.

There are rivers everywhere on earth. Those who live in low areas near a river of course know there is risk.

Yet, we need to do all we can to help those who have been harmed by this natural disaster.

It might make one feel better to blame the current government for a flood but since it takes years and years to build flood protection in an area, and then addig the fact that this current Thai government has been in power only months now, it is quite ignorant to blame it.

If it makes some feel better, go for it.

But I am quite sure that after a short time, people will understand that there was nothing that could be done in just months that would have prevented flooding. Modern nations cannot avoid such floods either. When the Mississipi River in the USA went up, it flooded huge areas and there was nothing that could be done to stop it. When the rivers in Europe went up, they of course flooded huge areas.

Why is it that we think Thailand should be some supre flood preventor?

When you live on low ground, nature can flood you and it will sometimes.

Nothing can be done to stop the floods ..... but a hell of a lot could have been done to prepare for the floods, and I don't mean sandbags. I mean telling people the truth and preparing them. .... evacuating people in the risk areas in well prepared evacuation centers located in SAFE places, preparing food, water, medical etc.

This Govt is only reacting. It is not anticipating and preparing.

What has happened in many communities, Nonthaburi for instance, is almost criminal negligence on the part of the Govt. And this may be repeated in more and more places before this disaster is over.

The Govt has professional staff who are competent and these are the people who should be managing things. Not these egotistical politicians who have no knowledge and cannot comprehend hydrology etc but who want to manage things themselves.

The leadership of this Govt cannot manage and cannot coordinate the competent and professional resources they have at their disposal. They are not leaders. They are posers. They seem to have no idea about how to help the population that is at risk.

No one is blaming the current Govt for the floods. They are (correctly) being blamed for the incompetent way they are managing the disaster.

Khun Yingluck is Thaksin's puppet or clone. She is not qualified to be PM. Of course Thaksin is interfering and appointing his political cronies and all his relatives to positions they are not qualified for. But this includes Yingluck who is grossly unqualified to be the PM.

[marquess]

I am in Don Muaeng and my soi seems pretty quiet raining lightly but no flood so far, but I sure it is coming if what the Governor said is true. Anyone else in Don Muaeng?

I am in Dechatungha, top end of Don Muang. Early this afternoon army built a ramp at their end near Neo City to stop water flowing into Dechatungha. So far looking out of window it appears to have worked. We are dry but if water rises Neo city side 'cos of Klong Prapha being overloaded who knows. SongPraPha is closed due to floodingat expressway junction area. Had about 20 cm earlier but does anyone know how much now ?

I am at the Don Muaeng District office end and the Klong which runs through there to IT Square and beyond was looking unusually high at 15.00. With the National Memorial under nearly two feet of water according to a report then I think that it must be a matter of time before we get it here.

[rubl]

Everyday there is a thread like this running: Thailand Live Friday 21 Oct 2011 LATEST FLOOD UPDATES, News, Bits and Tweets . There is no political squabbling on that thread as it is locked to replies. Look for that similar topic running daily, updated all day long.

In a way I wish people would just post updates I am not interested in what they do in Holland as I am not there, but here in Bangkok and wish to hear about other people's current flooding experiences! Is anyone else in Don Muaeng and what are they experiencing?

Khet Dusit, dry as a bone at 20:49