Bangkok In 'Crisis Mode' As Floods Advance

[joe beets]

I remember my students in my social studies class here in Ratchaburi last year laughing when we were discussing the Haiti earthquake. I wonder what they're thinking now.

Gloating over the prospect that your former students are now getting their "comeuppance" with this flood demonstrates why you do not belong in the teaching profession. I hope you're no longer in that school. Being vengeful and wishing harm on schoolchildren? Yours takes the prize for the most wicked post I've yet seen on this board.

You must not be looking too hard. Honi soit qui mal y pense.

[robbo1]

Amazing watching that video of the floods in Don Muang area the ammount of the locals still managing to raise a smile.

I do admire their vigilance.

[witsawakorn]

I remember my students in my social studies class here in Ratchaburi last year laughing when we were discussing the Haiti earthquake. I wonder what they're thinking now.

Gloating over the prospect that your former students are now getting their "comeuppance" with this flood demonstrates why you do not belong in the teaching profession. I hope you're no longer in that school. Being vengeful and wishing harm on schoolchildren? Yours takes the prize for the most wicked post I've yet seen on this board.

Hold on a bit, I dont read goldcountry's post like that. It seems to me he is simply pointing out that kids that were laughing over someone else's plight may just start to understand that it can happen to anyone, it might make them a bit more sympathetic. I don't see anywhere that he is being vengeful and wishing harm on schoolchildren, quite the contrary.

Did they laugh when the Tsunami hit Thailand? Or were they too young to understand? Its hard to understand how someone could find an earthquake funny. Perhaps it was the way the teacher presented it.Even harder to understand how a teacher could derive what appears to be smug satisfaction that the laughers are now facing their own disaster

[HaraldVesterheim]

I've never had to delete all responses to a topic and suspend 2/3 of it's participants before but I guess there's always a first time.

I don't care what country you're from but childish insults against other people's home countries are not welcome here, and everyone being part of it will find themselves removed from the conversation.

Now will some sensible grown ups kindly restart the topic discussion?

Thank You!

[SantiSuk]

"General Yutthasak Sasiprapa, indicated that authorities felt they were able to handle the situation themselves.

"We have not denied their assistance, but we have our own aircraft so we would rather use ours," he told reporters, adding however that he was unclear over the details of the US offer and needed to check with the air force chief.

So in other words a senior military guy from only one of the armed forces took it on himself:

No - bu$$er off falang; we can take care of ourselves. Pause. Perhaps i'd better check.

Later. Yes - ok help us please. Pause. Oh where did they go? Mai pen lai.

[SantiSuk]

I remember my students in my social studies class here in Ratchaburi last year laughing when we were discussing the Haiti earthquake. I wonder what they're thinking now.

Gloating over the prospect that your former students are now getting their "comeuppance" with this flood demonstrates why you do not belong in the teaching profession. I hope you're no longer in that school. Being vengeful and wishing harm on schoolchildren? Yours takes the prize for the most wicked post I've yet seen on this board.

Hold on a bit, I dont read goldcountry's post like that. It seems to me he is simply pointing out that kids that were laughing over someone else's plight may just start to understand that it can happen to anyone, it might make them a bit more sympathetic. I don't see anywhere that he is being vengeful and wishing harm on schoolchildren, quite the contrary.

+1.

What is it with quite a number of TV members and teachers? Teachers seem to touch some kind of raw nerve here that I don't understand. [i'm not one myself but hold no vengeful feelings towards them].

Edited October 26, 2011 by SantiSuk

[RaiBerg]

I am an exporter - I have to send ocean freight from Chiang Mai to Bangkok harbor... does anyone know if the harbors still operate... and if it is safe to send a truck directly to the port?

Thanks in advance....

[Arkady]

I hope the MRT is properly protected against floods. The Prague metro was supposedly protected against a 100 flood but in 2002 they got a 500 year flood and it ended up sucking down over a million cubic metres of water and Prague is not built on mud like Bangkok. Here is a partially submerged train in a flooded station during that flood.

[Arkady]

"General Yutthasak Sasiprapa, indicated that authorities felt they were able to handle the situation themselves.

"We have not denied their assistance, but we have our own aircraft so we would rather use ours," he told reporters, adding however that he was unclear over the details of the US offer and needed to check with the air force chief.

So in other words a senior military guy from only one of the armed forces took it on himself:

No - bu$$er off falang; we can take care of ourselves. Pause. Perhaps i'd better check.

Later. Yes - ok help us please. Pause. Oh where did they go? Mai pen lai.

The US offer is on its way back to Tokyo now. He himself recently declined to fly in the army's poorly maintained helicopters after several crashed in quick succession but they are good enough for others. The maintenance budget was routed via Geneva.

[Arkady]

As I don't have a Twitter (no interest, but an excellent tool in this situation) it would be great to have replies from long term residents of Bangkok as to what they anticipate will eventuate over the coming weeks based on their knowledge of previous flood events.

I'm due to fly in to Bangkok in a weeks time. For me … not a problem, I have friends to stay with outside of Bangkok.

But I am bringing my Sister, first time traveller to Thailand.

Essentially a holiday under the guise of getting some dental work done and I'd dearly love her to have a warm appreciation of the Thai Culture that I have formed over the many years and many visits.

In a nut shell, we are in Bangkok for a week then up to Chiang Mai for Loy Krathong then back to Bangkok.

Currently considering delaying the flight for a week and arriving the day before Loy Krathong if this might help the situation to be faced in Bangkok. Assuming that the water level may have dropped and Supermarket shelves partially replenished and closer to what is called 'normal' in Bangkok

Thoughts on where Bangkok will be as an assessable City for Tourists.

Oh … my sister's not a newbie to travel. She replied my email that in Thailand she will be able to skite that she cared and washed an elephant, walked with the Tigers and swam with the crocodiles!

She may be able to walk with tigers in Bangkok. Three tigers that had been kept illegally as household pets were "arrested" in the Bangkok suburb of Bang Bua Thong which under a metre plus of water. As well as swimming with the crocs in Bangkok, she may also get the opportunity to swim with a variety of poisonous snakes and pythons that, like the human population, are heading for drier ground and now is their mating season which tends to make them more aggressive.

Even our fashion conscious first female PM has virtually admitted she has no idea what Bangkok will look like on Monday but she estimated it will be under between 10 and 150 cm of water. So take your pick depending on whether you see the city as half full or half empty but bring your life vests.

Thanks Arkady, I hadn't heard the '3 Tiger' story.

Maybe not life vests, but what about this idea?

http://www.abc.net.a...4x3-940x705.jpg

And is we get hungry there is all that dynamtic spirit of the street food seller!

http://www.abc.net.a...4x3-940x705.jpg

I just hope that when this is over the spirit of the people that cleaned up Bangkok (Reds and Yellows ... but mostly the 'no shirt' colours) after the protests were disbanded last year prevails.

Keep those travel advices coming please :jap:

(Acknowledge for photos to http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-10-05/floods-in-thailand/3299638 )

The flooding has also exposed another problem wildlife has appeared unexpectedly. News of crocodiles that have escaped from their farms in Ayutthaya has been prominent, but, according to Nantarika Chansue, president of the Zoo and Wildlife Veterinarian Society, in the floods in Pakkred, illegally kept wild animals have also appeared. Although at the time of writing, precise numbers could not be confirmed, she mentioned that so far, three tigers, between 20 and 30 monkeys and gibbons as well as 300 tortoises of several endangered species have been rescued.

Edited October 26, 2011 by Arkady

[avalonmick]

I've never had to delete all responses to a topic and suspend 2/3 of it's participants before but I guess there's always a first time.

I don't care what country you're from but childish insults against other people's home countries are not welcome here, and everyone being part of it will find themselves removed from the conversation.

Now will some sensible grown ups kindly restart the topic discussion?

Would this help? http://www.emergency20wiki.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

[thaimat]

Time to change the Thai capital again maybe to higher ground

Who gains by the flooding, and lack of effort to control it's damage? The current Prime Minister's business experience is real estate development. My guess is that the value of riverfront property in Bangkok is in the Billions? As happened in New Orleans USA following Hurricane Katrina, if the authorities do little to control the flooding and it's damage, it's an easy/cheap/free way to pick up vast amounts of very expensive, prime riverfront real estate, ridding said property of it's poor inhabitants. This is the only answer that makes any sense, as to the questions of why SOE has not been declared, and why the US Navy's massive logistics and manpower help were turned down, in my opinion, A Huge land grab. Money talks, the poor walk.

[RaiBerg]

I am an exporter - I have to send ocean freight from Chiang Mai to Bangkok harbor... does anyone know if the harbors still operate... and if it is safe to send a truck directly to the port?

Thanks in advance....

Just learned: "The port is closed" - some government crisis forecasts would be helpful...

[RaiBerg]

Time to change the Thai capital again maybe to higher ground

Who gains by the flooding, and lack of effort to control it's damage? The current Prime Minister's business experience is real estate development. My guess is that the value of riverfront property in Bangkok is in the Billions? As happened in New Orleans USA following Hurricane Katrina, if the authorities do little to control the flooding and it's damage, it's an easy/cheap/free way to pick up vast amounts of very expensive, prime riverfront real estate, ridding said property of it's poor inhabitants. This is the only answer that makes any sense, as to the questions of why SOE has not been declared, and why the US Navy's massive logistics and manpower help were turned down, in my opinion, A Huge land grab. Money talks, the poor walk.

Interesting thought .... I heard it before.... how about rice fields??

[sausageandmash]

Do you have a link to back that up please?

"A spokesman from the US embassy in Bangkok said one ship from the US group had docked in Thailand on October 20 and its helicopters had since been on missions coordinated with the Thai army and other US agencies"

that's the news, different as reported yesterday http://www.thaivisa....f-help-us-navy/

[Bpuumike]

The other side of the coin...

Ironic, but TV3 were just interviewing rice farmers around Suvarnabhumi whose crops are dying due to lack of water.

[Arkady]

Time to change the Thai capital again maybe to higher ground

Who gains by the flooding, and lack of effort to control it's damage? The current Prime Minister's business experience is real estate development. My guess is that the value of riverfront property in Bangkok is in the Billions? As happened in New Orleans USA following Hurricane Katrina, if the authorities do little to control the flooding and it's damage, it's an easy/cheap/free way to pick up vast amounts of very expensive, prime riverfront real estate, ridding said property of it's poor inhabitants. This is the only answer that makes any sense, as to the questions of why SOE has not been declared, and why the US Navy's massive logistics and manpower help were turned down, in my opinion, A Huge land grab. Money talks, the poor walk.

No need to grab existing land. Her brother has a project to create new land by reclaiming it from the Gulf of Thailand with a giant sea wall to be paid for with taxpayer funds and flog it off to the Arabs.

I think business experience is rather generous in respect of Yingluck's brief stint in the real estate business or her longer stint in mobile telephony. In both cases the companies were owned by her brother and managed by industry professionals. Her role was more to represent her brother on the board. At AIS they didn't bother to replace her after she left as the position of president had been created specially for her.

Edited October 26, 2011 by Arkady

[BarryM]

I remember my students in my social studies class here in Ratchaburi last year laughing when we were discussing the Haiti earthquake. I wonder what they're thinking now.

Gloating over the prospect that your former students are now getting their "comeuppance" with this flood demonstrates why you do not belong in the teaching profession. I hope you're no longer in that school. Being vengeful and wishing harm on schoolchildren? Yours takes the prize for the most wicked post I've yet seen on this board.

Hold on a bit, I dont read goldcountry's post like that. It seems to me he is simply pointing out that kids that were laughing over someone else's plight may just start to understand that it can happen to anyone, it might make them a bit more sympathetic. I don't see anywhere that he is being vengeful and wishing harm on schoolchildren, quite the contrary.

+1.

What is it with quite a number of TV members and teachers? Teachers seem to touch some kind of raw nerve here that I don't understand. [i'm not one myself but hold no vengeful feelings towards them].

Perhaps it's beacuse their interactions with the local population extend beyond paying them (usually a premium) for goods and services and receiving a smile in return, reinforcing the image of "a lovely, gentle and charming people" - thereby giving them an realistic insight into the Thai's true value system and culture.

[rmacdon61]

I am not an alarmist nor have any "confirmed information". I flew out of Swampy this morning (to Chiang Rai), all was normal, other then parking doesn't exist. Haven't seen BKK from the air during this flooding until today, so can't offer any update as to how bad compared to yesterday, last week or month. I did notice a rather curious thing with Thai Air, which I flew with today. While waiting to leave, 8 Thai aircraft took off, 2 - 747's the rest airbus A300 and up. Other Thai Air at least 5 I saw were gearing up for flight. Now that seems like a lot of fuel burning so my thots were, a lot of people leaving or Thai Air is making room for the domestic carriers? If it is normal flight ops, I got to get shares in that carrier. Some might say they are using caution and moving equipment to be safe, they do cost a fair coin. The water channels in the airport appeared about 1/2 meter from the top, as I said, I have no previous knowledge of what is normal for these channels.

I can offer my take on flood control. Water will go where it pleases and neither man nor beast can stop it. Maybe delay it, but not stop it.

[nis999]

I am due to arrive BKK 02 Nov to meet my step-daughter, to bring her to UK for first time. She will be driven to the airport from NakhonRatchasima - can anyone advise the state of the roads as I am really worriedfor her, and we're on tickets that are expensive to change, but obviously I don’twant the family to take unnecessary risks.

Supposed to flighting to HK on Monday, wonder if the airport will still be going :/

I too wonder not just about the airport but the surrounding area, especially since I live in this area. The airport was apparently built to withstand flooding but I don't think anyone was prepared for the kind of flooding we're getting now (worst in over 50 yrs.) It looks like we'll have to wait and see on the high water mark. Good luck to all in the area. Hopefully our homes are somewhat above the high water mark...obviously this is a last warning to be prepared in case that isn't true.

[paulrobertlane]

One thing people are omitting, including the various "spokespersons", is the serious logistics issues involved. We live in a totally dry area, no flooding at all, not even when it rains. However our shops are running low, cannot find bottled water anywhere.

I am not suggesting we have it "hard", we are very lucky, but this (food??) issue is going to become serious soon and will probably affect the entire country in some shape or form to a far higher level.

[tombkk]

One thing people are omitting, including the various "spokespersons", is the serious logistics issues involved. We live in a totally dry area, no flooding at all, not even when it rains. However our shops are running low, cannot find bottled water anywhere.

I am not suggesting we have it "hard", we are very lucky, but this (food??) issue is going to become serious soon and will probably affect the entire country in some shape or form to a far higher level.

This is well known and being worked on. It may not be known to the spokespersons, but both the super- and hypermarket chains as well as the government are working on it. The former has the problem of their distri centers being under water, the latter is contemplating importing drinking water.

Private companies are on it as well, I received phone calls about customs regulations for importing driniking water today.

[tombkk]

I am an exporter - I have to send ocean freight from Chiang Mai to Bangkok harbor... does anyone know if the harbors still operate... and if it is safe to send a truck directly to the port?

Thanks in advance....

Just learned: "The port is closed" - some government crisis forecasts would be helpful...

Which port? My guy is in Bangkok port (PAT) right now, supervising some complicated loading for export.

If Bangkok PAT gets closed (likely), there is always Laem Chabang, as already been pointed out by all shipping lines. Who do you work with for your exports? Why don't they know?

[SantiSuk]

I am due to arrive BKK 02 Nov to meet my step-daughter, to bring her to UK for first time. She will be driven to the airport from NakhonRatchasima - can anyone advise the state of the roads as I am really worriedfor her, and we're on tickets that are expensive to change, but obviously I don'twant the family to take unnecessary risks.

Impossible to predict I'm afraid. The routes to Isaan from Prachinburi and Sa Keao provinces (due east of Bangkok) are all high level dry routes but will they be reachable by Nov 2? That's the $64,000 question. The issue is the flat flood plain to the East of Bangkok, where both the highways out to those Issaan-bound roads and the airport are located. Whether the dykes that protect the airport and highways will hold is anyone's guess.

If the airport floods then it's possible that some international flights will be diverted to U-Tapao (South of Pattaya) or Chiang Mai in the North [or some other military or civilian airport(s) that have not had the same level of speculation about potential use]. I would guess that the Thais would be keen not to cut the legs off its tourist business for a month or more. In that event I would be pretty safe in predicting that the alternative airports will provide routes that are accessible to Korat (Nakon Ratchasima). U-Tapao will never be cut off from Korat in my opinion (having driven a roughly similar route twice in the last week) and Chiang Mai, though slightly more dodgy, will probably also be connectable with Korat. Both could be very long drives - could be double normal drive times.

I doubt you are going to lose money - your airline will get you to Thailand or cancel and refund. If they get you to Thailand they are likely to deliver you to an airport that your Korat relatives will somehow be able to drive to.

Keep monitoring the Suvarnabpum Airport thread for the best local information that's likely to be available

[cdnvic]

Several off-topic posts removed

[mgjackson69]

I am due to arrive BKK 02 Nov to meet my step-daughter, to bring her to UK for first time. She will be driven to the airport from NakhonRatchasima - can anyone advise the state of the roads as I am really worriedfor her, and we're on tickets that are expensive to change, but obviously I don'twant the family to take unnecessary risks.

Impossible to predict I'm afraid. The routes to Isaan from Prachinburi and Sa Keao provinces (due east of Bangkok) are all high level dry routes but will they be reachable by Nov 2? That's the $64,000 question. The issue is the flat flood plain to the East of Bangkok, where both the highways out to those Issaan-bound roads and the airport are located. Whether the dykes that protect the airport and highways will hold is anyone's guess.

If the airport floods then it's possible that some international flights will be diverted to U-Tapao (South of Pattaya) or Chiang Mai in the North [or some other military or civilian airport(s) that have not had the same level of speculation about potential use]. I would guess that the Thais would be keen not to cut the legs off its tourist business for a month or more. In that event I would be pretty safe in predicting that the alternative airports will provide routes that are accessible to Korat (Nakon Ratchasima). U-Tapao will never be cut off from Korat in my opinion (having driven a roughly similar route twice in the last week) and Chiang Mai, though slightly more dodgy, will probably also be connectable with Korat. Both could be very long drives - could be double normal drive times.

I doubt you are going to lose money - your airline will get you to Thailand or cancel and refund. If they get you to Thailand they are likely to deliver you to an airport that your Korat relatives will somehow be able to drive to.

Keep monitoring the Suvarnabpum Airport thread for the best local information that's likely to be available

I drove from Korat to Suvarnabhumi early Monday morning. The normal route via Saraburi is not usable; I went Pak Thong Chai -> Chachoengsao -> Suvarnabhumi. The only place I drove in any water was as I neared the outskirts of Bangkok.

[sydneyjed]

It's going from bad to worse and probably much worse. Plus the closing of don mueang is likely to be reported world wide as Bangkok airport awash and shut. Tourist numbers are about to take a big hit

Many cancellations in the last 24 hours have meant travellers either using their ticket waiver offered by their airlines..(but not all)or cancelling their hotel reservations and flying in and out of Bangkok bypassing their stopovers or travelling to locations not affected by the floods

such as Samui...Another issue...a byproduct of the floods is now supplies of basic drinking water are drying up on supermarket shelves along with other items...this is due to transport infrastructure not being able to function at 100% capacity along with panic buying now having an impact..If /when the high tidal flood does come through and hangs around for any great length of time the issue of airbourne/waterbourne deseases cannot be ignored...Why would a tourist want to be here then?

s

[EarthAlien]

["We have not denied their assistance, but we have our own aircraft so we would rather use ours," he told reporters]

.... and what a stellar flying record they have for keeping choppers in the air when undertaking rescue missions!

[djlest]

i have always wanted to visit Venice! now i don't need too...

Business opportunity note to oneself: Start Import of Gondolas

[scorecard]

I am due to arrive BKK 02 Nov to meet my step-daughter, to bring her to UK for first time. She will be driven to the airport from NakhonRatchasima - can anyone advise the state of the roads as I am really worriedfor her, and we're on tickets that are expensive to change, but obviously I don'twant the family to take unnecessary risks.

Impossible to predict I'm afraid. The routes to Isaan from Prachinburi and Sa Keao provinces (due east of Bangkok) are all high level dry routes but will they be reachable by Nov 2? That's the $64,000 question. The issue is the flat flood plain to the East of Bangkok, where both the highways out to those Issaan-bound roads and the airport are located. Whether the dykes that protect the airport and highways will hold is anyone's guess.

If the airport floods then it's possible that some international flights will be diverted to U-Tapao (South of Pattaya) or Chiang Mai in the North [or some other military or civilian airport(s) that have not had the same level of speculation about potential use]. I would guess that the Thais would be keen not to cut the legs off its tourist business for a month or more. In that event I would be pretty safe in predicting that the alternative airports will provide routes that are accessible to Korat (Nakon Ratchasima). U-Tapao will never be cut off from Korat in my opinion (having driven a roughly similar route twice in the last week) and Chiang Mai, though slightly more dodgy, will probably also be connectable with Korat. Both could be very long drives - could be double normal drive times.

I doubt you are going to lose money - your airline will get you to Thailand or cancel and refund. If they get you to Thailand they are likely to deliver you to an airport that your Korat relatives will somehow be able to drive to.

Keep monitoring the Suvarnabpum Airport thread for the best local information that's likely to be available

I drove from Korat to Suvarnabhumi early Monday morning. The normal route via Saraburi is not usable; I went Pak Thong Chai -> Chachoengsao -> Suvarnabhumi. The only place I drove in any water was as I neared the outskirts of Bangkok.

A long shot, and possibly expensive, can you meet in Chiang Mai / fly out of Chiang Mai.

Good luck.