Bangkok In 'Crisis Mode' As Floods Advance

[rubl]

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

Business opportunity note to oneself: Start Import of Gondolas

Too late, dear chap and not because I had the same idea, but because the paperwork involved will bring you your gondolas by the time we are in the dry season

[englishmel]

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!

[englishmel]

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!

[englishmel]

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!

I personally think you are dreaming. The supply situation is worsening in other flooded regions with many items not available. As for the flood it can't get any better we have been floode for3 weeks now in the Chai Nat region, so all the water from here, North and South of us has to go through Bangkok. My wife's brother lives in Ayuttia and the water is up to the roof at his house. Wait and see what the true situation will be. My friend is taking the gamble and arriving next Thursday. But it is a gamble at present. Good Luck.

[smedly]

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].

Why is it that people here find it so difficult to stay on topic and avoid taking every thread on this forum down an unconstructive rat hole, lets try and talk about floods in BKK and keep oppinions about people etc to yourselves, we don't want to know what school children said about an unrelated disaster or what you think about the poster - keep it to yourselves thx

[maxman71]

It's Amateur Hour with Kid Sister Yingluck. This buffoon couldn't find her tight little behind with both hands. The US Navy performed admirably during the 2004 tsunami and she (they) couldn't get their story straight to clarify assistance. Absolute buffoons.

[IMA_FARANG]

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

You'll know on Monday. Most news articles say that Sunday will give us the highest tide.

--------------------

Once again...I've posted something similar to this every day for the last week...the airport at Suvarnabhumi is fully operational and flights are arriving and departing normally.

It is expected to be that way. That airport is surrounded by a 3.5 meter (11 feet, if you're not "metric-ly inclined") flood barrier...and it's holding well.

There is not even that nuch flood water outside that barrier...some but not dramatic.

The highways and tollway are elevated and so getting from the airport into Bangkok is entirely possible.

The biggest problem a tourist arriving in Bangkok right now will find in getting from the airport is the traffic jams and heavy traffic caused by secondary roads being flooded.

Locals who would normally travel on of those secondary roads and streets are being forced to use the elevated highways...so the traffic can be very heavy and slow moving at times.

There are certain areas and intersections in Bangkok that are under water...but it is still possible to travel about easily (well as easily as usual with the daily morning rush-hour traffic...nothing to do with the flooding in that, however) Public transportation is still working normally.

Now IF, and I stress the IF, one or more of the flood barriers holding back the Chaopaya river and diverting the high water around the main part of Bangkok...where most tourists are likely to be... that will be a much different matter. There are litterly millions of gallons of water running by Bangkok in that river...and if it breaches one of the flood barriers there is simply no way for a human being or a large group of human beings to stop the river from going through Bangkok to the ocean.

There are a lot of people doing the best they can to make sure that scenario doesn't happen.

The next three days (roughly) will tell the story.

Nobody can really tell now what that story will be.

But IF a flood barrier does break, and Bangkok floods, the least important worry of most people living here in Bangkok right now will be whether flights to Suvarnabhumi arive and depart on time or not.

Edited October 27, 2011 by IMA_FARANG

[IMA_FARANG]

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?

-------------

As far as I know...I heard the announcement in English myself yesterday (Wednesday)... what the annoucement said was that was that the "port" was being tempoararily closed to traffic due to the need for emergency vehicles involved with the flood and relief efforts not to be obstructed (they didn't use those exact words, but that was the intent). It was called a temporay measure.

Whether it is still in effect, or if it will be imposed again...I just don't know.

[mijan24]

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!

At this time you should wait until mid November and reassess the situation. This is not something anyone on this forum has any experience with. This flooding is more than any in at least 50 years, and I am quite sure none of us have lived here that long. It seems to me you are approaching this situation with a bit of a flippant attitude. This is no joke, the entire city is likely to flood, people will be without food, water, electricity and so on. Very likely the situation will be grave for many.

A very timely and appropriate post - do not panic but be aware and prepared. Better to be safe than sorry.

[sydneyjed]

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

You'll know on Monday. Most news articles say that Sunday will give us the highest tide.

--------------------

Once again...I've posted something similar to this every day for the last week...the airport at Suvarnabhumi is fully operational and flights are arriving and departing normally.

It is expected to be that way. That airport is surrounded by a 3.5 meter (11 feet, if you're not "metric-ly inclined") flood barrier...and it's holding well.

There is not even that nuch flood water outside that barrier...some but not dramatic.

The highways and tollway are elevated and so getting from the airport into Bangkok is entirely possible.

The biggest problem a tourist arriving in Bangkok right now will find in getting from the airport is the traffic jams and heavy traffic caused by secondary roads being flooded.

Locals who would normally travel on of those secondary roads and streets are being forced to use the elevated highways...so the traffic can be very heavy and slow moving at times.

There are certain areas and intersections in Bangkok that are under water...but it is still possible to travel about easily (well as easily as usual with the daily morning rush-hour traffic...nothing to do with the flooding in that, however) Public transportation is still working normally.

Now IF, and I stress the IF, one or more of the flood barriers holding back the Chaopaya river and diverting the high water around the main part of Bangkok...where most tourists are likely to be... that will be a much different matter. There are litterly millions of gallons of water running by Bangkok in that river...and if it breaches one of the flood barriers there is simply no way for a human being or a large group of human beings to stop the river from going through Bangkok to the ocean.

There are a lot of people doing the best they can to make sure that scenario doesn't happen.

The next three days (roughly) will tell the story.

Nobody can really tell now what that story will be.

But IF a flood barrier does break, and Bangkok floods, the least important worry of most people living here in Bangkok right now will be whether flights to Suvarnabhumi arive and depart on time or not.

As others around the country are unfortunately finding out!

http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2011/10/bangkok-underwater/100178/

[techboy]

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?

I can only begin to imagine the crud that precipitated your actions. Right on! You be da man!

[sausageandmash]

For goodness sake, talk about over-reacting. Those kids need to learn not to laugh at other people's misfortunes. A clip round the ear and a severe reprimand would have done the job. I still find it amazing that expats live here for years, yet still maintain the same liberal, wishy-washy beliefs.

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.