Thailand Live Wednesday 26 Oct 2011

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RT @tulsathit: TR @jin_nation: Korkaew Pikulthong has donated entire one-month MP salary, Bt113,560, for flood victims./via@veen_nt

13.54 Inside Charansanitwong Soi 34 already flooded over the waist

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13.48 Bangkok governor Sukhumphan announced Bang Plad district as a critical area & the residents should prepare to evacuate

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Flooded entrance to Grand Canal housing estate making it live up to its name yfrog.com/18tn5pfj

Donmuang Airport's evacuation center being shut down as flood water rises yfrog.com/kli5uetj

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Two electrocuted in Khon Kaen

The Nation

A grandmother and her young neighbour were found electrocuted inside a flooded home in Muang district, police said yesterday.

The bodies of Somsri Khongnawang, 72, and Patipan Boonsang, 15, were discovered at noon in the back of Somsri's home in the 300-unit Thung Setthee housing estate, which has been under up to 100 centimetres of flood water for nearly a month now.

Police believe they had been dead for about 24 hours.

Somsri was holding an electric wire from a pump. Police suspect she pulled the plug and was electrocuted, while Patipan had tried to help her.

Somsri's daughter Warawan, 40, said her mother lived alone and Patipan often visited her. On Monday, they used a boat to distribute lunchboxes they had prepared for fellow victims in the estate.

Neighbours later noticed the house seemed to have an electric discharge and the boat was left floating in front, so they alerted police.

-- The Nation 2011-10-16

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Dr.Seri: LadPrao have to watch out. Klong2 sluice gate is almost overflow. If not pump out on time, will flood.~@ittipat_Rw #thaifloodeng/@Tulip_Oum

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Briefs

The Nation October 26,

MCOT chairman insists, he will see out his term The head of MCOT yesterday said he would not resign from the post despite a request from the finance minister to do so.

MCOT chairman Surapon Nitikraipot said he had received a letter from Thirachai Phuvanatnaranubala last month urging him to stand down. The letter said that if he did not comply, he would face pressure to resign at the next shareholders' meeting.

However, Suraporn insisted that he and three other board members would remain in office until their term ends next April.

Thai floods contribute to lower Canon forecast

Canon has lowered its annual forecast as it grapples with a historically high yen, a slowing global economy and the impact of heavy flooding in Thailand.

-- The Nation 2011-10-26

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14.10 Water in front of Don Muang airport is now over 1m. and already reached Lak Si

JP embassy: Japan has sent water management & underground train experts to Thailand,landed at Suwannabhumi at 3:35pm.~@sresuda/via@Tulip_Oum

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Central Plaza Pinklao closes its door today, due to severe flooding in the area/via@Biz_TheNation

14.17 Don Muang airport flooded. Air Force are transfering 3 royal planes to Chiang Mai base

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Bumrungrat hosp has to reserve med supplies for emergency & severely ill patient.No out-patient service from Oct28.~@DrPoonsakvia@Tulp_Oum

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Rojana Industrial Estate may resume operations Dec.16, Flood Relief Operation Ctr said/via@Biz_TheNation

Incoming floods could submerge Bangkok for about 4 weeks,PM Yingluck said/via@Biz_TheNation

Siam Cement's Q3 profit up 12%, less than most analysts estimated, due to increased in costs and expenses/via@Biz_TheNation

Toyota cuts production this week at assembly plants in Japan due to shortage of parts from suppliers in flooded Thailand/via@Biz_TheNation

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26/10 2:30pm Urgent!!! Donations needed for sandbags at Rachamankala Shelter. Contact 0-2318-0943 via @SRMflood /via@ThaiFloodEng

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Roads closed due to flood

The Nation

Traffic Police on Wednesday released a list of closed roads in Bangkok due to flood.

Motorists were advised to avoid:

Phaholyothin Road from National Memorial Monument to the Air Force's Quartermaster Directorate,

Vibhavadi-Rangsit Highway - outbound from Lak Si U-turn bridge to Don Mueang Airport, inbound from Futre Park shopping mall to Don Mueang Airport,

Kamphaeng Phet 6 Road (local road) from Muang Ake Housing Estate to Don Mueang's Talad Mai, wet market,

Song Prapha Road from Wat Phutha Sathan to Pracha Uthis junction,

Wat Weluwanaram Road linking Chaeng Wattana 14 Road,

Charan Saniwong Road - inbound from Charan Sanitwong 72 to 84, outbound from Charan Sanitwong 75/1 to 89,

Sirindhorn Road - inbound from elevated Sirindhorn to Sirindhorn 2 and outbound from Sirindhorn 7 to elevated Sirindhorn.

Before taking a trip, motorists are advised to check traffic conditions at the 1197 hotline.

-- The Nation 2011-10-26

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No special flood control for palaces: Army chief

The Nation

His Majesty the King voiced concern from the plight of flood victims and instructed for no special flood control for royal palaces, Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha said on Wednesday.

"His Majesty wants no special attention given to guard palaces, saying things should unfold naturally," he said.

Prayuth said the Army was in charge of flood control for the Grand Palace. The Royal Household Bureau had not made any special request to safeguard against flooding although the Army mapped out a plan, he said.

-- The Nation 2011-10-26

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Floods Hit Bangkok's Thonburi Side

The section of Charansanitwong Road in Bang Plat District in Thonburi area is now submerged under one meter of floodwater while Pinklao Road suffers knee-deep floods.

The flood situation in Thonburi area of the capital is deteriorating as both sides of the road from Pinklao Bridge heading towards Arun Amarin Intersection are now flooded.

The floodwater level in front of Pata shopping mall was measured at higher than 50 centimeters and the area is now deemed inaccessible to small vehicles.

Meanwhile, the section of Charansanitwong Road in Bang Plat District from Tesco-Lotus to Charansanitwong Soi 99 is now under one to 1.5 meter of floodwater which has risen by one meter since yesterday.

Locals said that the water reached their homes around 3 A.M. this morning and has since been rising gradually.

The area is now can only be reached by military trucks.

Some of the residents have already evacuated from the area and pleaded for the government's aid.

One of the residents recalled that the water has been rising very quickly and there was not enough time to move his belongings from the house, including three cars trapped inside.

He added that his neighbor put up a flood wall so the water has been diverted to his home.

However, only a small number of people have left their homes. Most have opted to stay in because they are concerned about their properties.

Also many people have no idea where should they move.

The Bang Plat District Office has expressed confidence in its flood plan and claimed that it is ready to provide assistance in case of evacuation.

However, authorities are hoping that the situation will not be severe.

-- Tan Network 2011-10-26

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Lot's of flooding already along the Chao Phraya even before the high tide reaches the city. Not good /RT @RichardBarrow:

Chutachak weekend market will be closed from Fri Oct 28 to Sun Oct 30: BMA /via @Sithidej RT @veen_NT:

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Interactive Bkk flood map (in Thai) with inputs from residents http://bit.ly/mOJbfX

/RT @tulsathit: RT @Mr_Pradit:

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WARNING: Bangplad, once the water rises, it's unlikely to go down. So, evacuate when u still can. It'll get worse everyday.

/RT @Kalyakornn:

[george]

Bangkok Governor: Bulk of water from north arriving Bangkok tonight, all 50 districts must brace for flooding #thaifloodEng

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Pheu Thai MP Natthawut denies allegations over red-shirt flood relief control

Follow this link:

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Nok Air's CEO says via his Twitter account that Nok Air will be starting some flights out of Suvarnabhumi Airport tomorrow (Oct 27)

Hong Kong steps up travel advisory to second strongest level until Nov 1; cancels 52 tour groups to Thailand

/TAN_Network

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Bangkok Governor Fears Large Volume of Water Could Reach Bangkok Tonight

Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paripatra is concerned about the possibility that a large volume if water should reach inner areas if Bangkok as soon as tonight. 50 district chiefs have been told to be on standby.

-- Tan Network 2011-10-26

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Makro Keeps All Branches Open Including Those In Flooded Areas

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[george]

16.10 Trains to the South will start from Nakornpathom Station instead of Hua Lam Pong from today evening on /ThaiPBS #thaifloodeng

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Bkk governor has added Lard Prao & Wangthongland to high-risk areas. /via@tulsathit

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Bang Pakong river too high to be used for run-off

The Nation

The Royal Irrigation Department's Hydrology and Water Management Office on Wednesday outlined the difficulty in draining run-off via eastern Bangkok.

Even though the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has the drainage capacity for 10 million cubic metres per day, it is operating under the capacity due to the closure of two watergates at Nong Chok Canal and Prawet Burirom Canal.

The two watergates are under the jurisdiction of the RID. The two canals are Bangkok’s eastern floodways to reroute run-off from the North to drain into the sea via Bang Pakong River.

In its rebuttal, the RID said the two watergates could not be opened because the water level in Bang Pakong River is presently higher than the two canals.

If the watergates are lifted, water would flow back into the capital, exacerbating the inundation. What the RID can do under the circumstances is to pump the water from the Bangkok side across the two watergates and into Bang Pakong River.

In northern Bangkok, the RID has mobilised 12 pumps to divert water from Bang Kanak Canal and Nakhon Nuang Khet Canal to Bang Pakong River.

On Wednesday, the Nong Chok pumping station had to suspend work and shut down Khlong Luang Pheng watergate in order to prevent the overflow of water from Chachoengsao from spilling into Prawet Burirom Canal, which would lead to the inundation of Lat Krabang Industrial Estate and Suvarnabhumi Airport.

-- The Nation 2011-10-26

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AFP: Thais face drowning, disease in disastrous floods

Follow this link:

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SET index closed at 938.68, down 3.87; Bt/USD30.65; GBP49.00; AUD31.68; EUR42.56; CAD30.12; HKD3.94; SGD24.07; JPY40.14

[george]

BMA warns public to prepare for flooding tonight in 50 districts of Bangkok. (That would be all of them.) #ThaiFloodENG

16.48 Now high flooded inside Phahonyothin Soi 49/1 #thaifloodeng

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More Areas Expected to Be Added to Flood Watchlist

Lad Prao and Wang Thonglang are expected to be added to the flood watchlist. The Bangkok governor is expected to hold another press conference at 6PM tonight with information indicating that a large volume of water could reach various areas of Bangkok as soon as tonight.

-- Tan Network 2011-10-26

[george]

17.03 URGENT! Chao Phraya riverside and Mahasawas canal residents announced to evacuate today! bit.ly/vt5X6Q @thaiflood #thaifloodeng

17.01 Water overflows Na Phrathat Rd. due to breached dykes at Tha Phrachan. Vehicles should avoid #thaifloodeng