Thailand Live Saturday 22 Oct 2011

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Thailand Live Saturday 22 October 2011

News, Bits and Tweets

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Keep up to date with live updates from the news, hour by hour.

For breaking news,national, regional and international news updates on a daily basis only, this thread is closed to commentary so that those who wish to follow the news can find it here...

Commentary is still open for Thailand news in the relevant thread posted in News Clippings.

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Related topic: Thailand Live Friday 21 Oct 2011

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Today's Thailand weather and forecasts:

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Phuket tourist stabbed at Phi Phi beach party

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Phuket Policeman Spared Senate Corruption Probe – For Now

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Samut Prakan ready to take Bangkok overflow: experts

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Thai PM steps up control: Flood crisis

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Bangkokians must do their part, now

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Market cleared, estate evacuated, trains disrupted

The Nation

Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi are heavily submerged after flood water rages through Prapa canal and continues to rise. After days of struggling with flood prevention supported by 4.5metre flood barriers, Bang Kadee industrial estate in Pathum Thani has been submerged, with damage to all 47 factories estimated at Bt30 billion.

Panic reigned at Rangsit market which is under 1metre of flood water and evacuation is underway by most vendors and residents who did not expect it. Flood water is spilling over the Chulalongkorn floodgate in addition to a huge influx travelling southward through Prapa canal.

With help from the military, the Bang Kadee estate was completely evacuated from dawn to noon yesterday, but many workers were stranded by a shortage of shelters for them.

A deputy mayor of Rangsit municipality, Decha Klinkusum, described the situation as most critical, and blamed the collapse of a sandbag wall section as the main reason. A number of local residents also sabotaged sandbag walls around the market and a key road.

Two major malls Future Park Rangsit and Major Cineplex have been closed for three days while Chulalongkorn watergate police station is also flooded.

A key junction a Phaholyothin Road section south of Rangsit canal has been blocked for small vehicles following flooding, prompting heavy congestion, while tollway entrances have been closed because many cars have been parked on the elevated road.

Rangsit-Chiang Rak trains have been suspended due to flooding and an extra shorterdistance service is available. All 18 northbound longdistance trains are suspended while all 12 northeastbound trains can travel using bypass routes to Chachoengsao, said the government Flood Relief Operations Centre citing a State Railways of Thailand statement. All commuters must board the trains at Hua Lamphong terminal in Bangkok.

Wat Suan Kaew in Nonthaburi said it could accommodate another 500 flood evacuees on top of the 500 now residing there. Abbot Phra Phayom said there were enough flood and relief supplies for all 1,000 evacuees. He called on the government to cope better with the flood situation next year.

Pathum Thani hospital remains open despite 90cm flood water surrounding it, servicing both inpatients and providing seven mobile medical teams to treat residents and patients at nearby shelters. The provincial public health office said there were 293,378 residents in 382 villages in seven districts affected by flooding.

There are nearly 12,000 evacuees living in 49 shelters set up in the province including largescale sites which can house more than 200 evacuees. Calls for emergency medical help can be made at 1669 or 025988745, said Dr Theerachai Khongiamtrakool, the office’s head

-- The Nation 2011-10-22

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Swift comeback seen for plants: Thailand flood

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ANALYSIS

Learn from past mistakes and protect the rest

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Government will have to rethink overall strategy: Thai opinion

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Schools can open two weeks later

The Nation

Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra said yesterday that the 116 schools in the capital's nine districts at the risk of flooding could reopen for the new term midnext month instead of November 1.

He added that weekend classes would be provided to make up for the missed lessons.

So far, the areas of concern include the section of Phaholyothin Road that is crossed by the Rangsit Canal in the north of Bangkok and a 6kilometre stretch of the Hok Wa Canal.

There are 320 evacuees being accommodated in BMArun shelters in 10 districts, he added.

-- The Nation 2011-10-22

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Japan provides more aid

The Nation

Japan has donated a large amount of relief supplies including 240 mobile toilet units. Speaking at the handover ceremony, Japanese Ambassador Seiji Kojima also reiterated that Honda was not planning to move out of Thailand, even though its plant in Ayutthaya had been flooded.

In addition to the Bt12 million in cash given to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, the ambassador handed over 200 boat engines and 450 life vests yesterday.

-- The Nation 2011-10-22

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Seek company for good of your mental health: Thai Mental Health Dept

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Motorists urged to use alternative routes

The Nation

People heading out of Bangkok for the long weekend should consider alternative routes, Highways Police commander Norrabun Naenna suggested yesterday.

Motorists heading to the North could opt for roads passing through Nakhon Pathom, Angthong and Suphan Buri or choose Route 11 through Prachin Buri. Motorists bound for the Northeast could head for Rangsit, then turn right into Nakhon Nayok's Ban Na district and head for Saraburi. Alternatively, they could drive through Chachoengsao to Prachin Buri, and then Pak Thong Chai district in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Key roads heading to the East and the South are not flooded. Call the Highway Police hotline at 1193 for more details.

-- The Nation 2011-10-22

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Boundary guarded as canal secured further

The Nation

Police yesterday secured the Bangkok-Nonthaburi boundary at the Sri Saman intersection to facilitate the construction of dykes for protecting the area from water gushing from Waterworks Canal (Klong Prapa.)

About 200 villagers watched while backhoes from the Royal Irrigation Department and Pak Kret municipality were deployed to create the dykes along the road parallel to the canal.

The current at the Sri Saman intersection was strong and only large or military vehicles could get in to help evacuate people.

The dykes were built along both sides of the road after a group of people from Don Muang destroyed a part of the dyke late on Thursday or early yesterday, resulting in water flooding into Nonthaburi's Pak Kret area and consequent quarrelling.

On one side, the canal road leads to Chaeng Wattana Road leading to Pak Kret, and on the other side is a residential community in Bangkok's Don Muang district.

Water swamped footpaths on Song Prapha Road in front of Si Kan Temple and the Army's communications division. The dykes along Waterworks Canal leading to Tiwanon Road could prevent water from running to the other side of the road.

The water level at the Government Office Complex on Chaeng Wattana road, which had been swelling since Thursday night, reached footpath level yesterday.

Pheu Thai MP Keng Karun was responsible for demolition of a 1kilometre section of clay wall near an intersection where Prapa Canal meets Chaeng Wattana Road, letting in flood water, Pak Kret district chief Wisit Phuangphet alleged yesterday.

Wisit said he would report the incident to the Nonthaburi provincial authorities and to the government Flood Relief Operations Centre.

Karun allegedly deployed five backhoes to destroy the wall at around 2am yesterday, claiming that it caused a number of villagers' home to be flooded. He initially threatened to destroy the section a few hours earlier but gave up after Deputy Prime Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit and Pheu Thai MP Natthawut Saikua talked him out of it.

Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra yesterday voiced concern that the water from Waterworks Canal could flood the prominent VibhavadeeRangsit Road.

"The water from Waterworks Canal gushed into Klong Prem, increasing its water level from 50 centimetres above sea level to 1 metre over sea level. Chaeng Wattana and adjacent roads were affected," he said. "But once the water level in Waterworks Canal reaches 1.31.5 metres above sea level, Vibhawadee Road will be affected."

However, Information and Communications Minister Anudith Nakornthap, who is also Bangkok's Sai Mai MP, said the swelling of Waterworks Canal was not from the massive runoff from Rapeepat Canal. It was because of the damage to Bang Luang Canal's dyke, which had to receive much more water than usual.

Anudith said the Metropolitan Waterworks Authority and the military had been fixing the damaged dykes and controlling the water level by draining water from Waterworks Canal to Bang Khen, Bang Sue and Samsen canals. The water level is expected to drop within the next few days.Army chief Prayuth Chanocha said the military was trying its best to protect the Chitralada Palace area.

"We are not protecting only the Chitralada area. We have to protect all. Bangkok is Bangkok. We can't give some places special protection, as when we protect one place, there will be a flood in others and then all over the place. We have to protect all areas," he said.

He also said flood barriers could not keep waters from entering the capital. They could only delay the incoming waters so that the authorities would have enough time to evacuate people from the areas expected to be flooded.

He said waters that came overland from north of the city were powerful and would eventually penetrate the barriers to inundate Bangkok.

Prayuth said the military had prepared Plan B in case of failure.

Residents in Don Muang's Si Kan subdistrict yesterday began to evacuate to shelters or leave Bangkok.

The owner of a convenience store had to sell products himself as employees could not come to work. A roastchicken vendor said she would sell off the food unless the water level reached the electricity socket.

Fruit vendor Suchon Kamchanteuk said he would sell his last 100 kilograms of guava and then move back to his home town in Nakhon Ratchasima province.

-- The Nation 2011-10-22

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Bangkok governor urges FROC to take charge

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Temple seeks aid

The Nation

The assistant abbot of the capital's Wat Sa Ket, Phra Wiji Thammaphorn, is calling on Bangkokians not affected by flooding to donate relief supplies to the temple.

The items most needed are rice, dry and canned goods, and drinking water. Monks from the centre will start visiting different shelters to provide counselling and sermons from Monday. Call (02) 621 2280 for details.

-- The Nation 2011-10-22

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Researchers agree flood crisis to hit Thai economy hard

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Future Park closed indefinitely

The Nation

Future Park Rangsit will close its doors until the floods subside, according to ING Fund (Thailand) which operates a fund that owns the shopping complex.

Future Park has been closed since October 19.

ING said that the complex is spared by the floods that severely hurt Rangsit. However, transportation is difficult due to deluge into the area. It is now protected behind a 2-metre sandbag wall.

-- The Nation 2011-10-22

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British court jails pervert for Thailand trip

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Overflow of Prapa Canal being drained via Ta-oot Canal in Laksi to Premprachakorn Canal, increasing canal's water level

Terdrachan Rd and Songprapa Rd from Pracha-uthit to Srisamarn junctions see 30-40cm of flooding

BMA says level of water in Hok Wa Canal passing through Saimai District increased 9cm in 24hr

Chiang Mai postpones Royal Flora Ratchapruek Expo indefinitely

/TAN_Network

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BMA: canal floodgates being raised to speed up water drainage so canal's water level will go up /

Saen Saeb Canal boat service available today from Sribunrueng Temple only to Chidlom pier /

Thammasat Univ's Rangsit campus struggle to keep out floodwater; volunteers and equipment still needed to reinforce flood barriers /

/via@TAN_Network

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Designated evacuation centre Tipakorn Vitiakarn school, Rangsit has no food. 200 people there, no response from gvt helplines /via@hwc001

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said in a TV address that some provinces see water levels receding. /via@Saksith

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Thammasat Univ's Rangsit Campus Battling Flood Water

Thammasat University's Rangsit Campus, the site of an evacuation center holding thousands of flood victims, has been battling flood waters since last night. The flood water is surging from the next door Asian Institute of Technology after flood barriers there collapsed upon the onslaught of the floodwater.

The university is now requesting volunteeers and heavy machinery to help reinforce flood barriers but there have been reports of flooding hitting some dormitories already. Students there have been working round the clock to fight the floodwater while the rest have moved to the evacuation center at the gymnasium. Electricity has been cut in some areas.

The university's executives confirm the evacuation center should remain safe from flooding and say they have an evacuation plan ready should they be unable to fight the flood water anymore.

-- Tan Network 2011-10-22

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Chiang Mai: Royal flora fair rescheduled to December

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Thammasat Rangsit starts evacuation and cuts electricity in some parts after flooding hits but assures evacuation center is still safe /TAN_Network

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PM Defends Necessity For Flood Water To Be Drained Through Bangkok

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Matthieu Ricard in Phuket for Buddhist talk tomorrow

Venerable Matthieu Ricard will deliver a talk entitled “Towards an education

based on co-operation and the cultivation of fundamental human values”

at the Thanyapura Mind Centre in Phuket tomorrow.

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Hok Wa Canal's water level lower than flood barriers by 50cm;water level declines following opening of BKK canals' floodgates /

Bangbuathong, Nonthaburi submerged with only army's trucks able to bring out stranded people; 20-50cm of water seen in Bangyai /

Thammasat Rangsit sees flooding to waist level in 1/4 of its area but assures 4.2m flood barrier can still hold out most of the water /

/TAN_Network