Anger Rises In Flooded Bangkok As Centre Stays Dry

[BigBikeBKK]

Maybe it s also time for investors in thailand to invest in other places than bkk. Yes bkk is 40% of the national growth...and this is a problem too. I went to the BOI lot of time and there are plenty of opportunity in terms of taxes and helps if you choose to invest or create your factory outside bangkok.

So maybe it s time to think about the next flood and how to handle this but also how to distribute the investments in Thailand... And it s not a problem of infrastructures or labour but a problem that for most of the investors Bkk = Thailand...

So yes flooding bkk may be devastating for the economy...for a while....widen the gap between rural and bankokians will not improve the unity of the thai people IMO

Like Ayuttaya? Or Pathum Thani?

Like all the east of thailand and Isaan

Y'ever been to Korat? Or Khon Kaen? Etc? Thailand's got manufacturing hubs all over the NE...

[aaacorp]

Maybe it s also time for investors in thailand to invest in other places than bkk. Yes bkk is 40% of the national growth...and this is a problem too. I went to the BOI lot of time and there are plenty of opportunity in terms of taxes and helps if you choose to invest or create your factory outside bangkok.

So maybe it s time to think about the next flood and how to handle this but also how to distribute the investments in Thailand... And it s not a problem of infrastructures or labour but a problem that for most of the investors Bkk = Thailand...

So yes flooding bkk may be devastating for the economy...for a while....widen the gap between rural and bankokians will not improve the unity of the thai people IMO

Like Ayuttaya? Or Pathum Thani?

Like all the east of thailand and Isaan

Y'ever been to Korat? Or Khon Kaen? Etc? Thailand's got manufacturing hubs all over the NE...

Ve been in Roi Et, Nan,...many parts of thailand...not saw a lot of "foreign investments" there....except Honda resellers

[whybother]

Maybe it s also time for investors in thailand to invest in other places than bkk. Yes bkk is 40% of the national growth...and this is a problem too. I went to the BOI lot of time and there are plenty of opportunity in terms of taxes and helps if you choose to invest or create your factory outside bangkok.

So maybe it s time to think about the next flood and how to handle this but also how to distribute the investments in Thailand... And it s not a problem of infrastructures or labour but a problem that for most of the investors Bkk = Thailand...

So yes flooding bkk may be devastating for the economy...for a while....widen the gap between rural and bankokians will not improve the unity of the thai people IMO

Like Ayuttaya? Or Pathum Thani?

Like all the east of thailand and Isaan

Companies don't invest too far from Bangkok because of logistical issues and costs. The ones that do, do so because of cheaper labour in the outer provinces. That will probably change if the government bring in their minimum wage off 300 baht for ALL of Thailand. The cheaper labour is no longer cheaper, so there will be less investment there.

[aaacorp]

Maybe it s also time for investors in thailand to invest in other places than bkk. Yes bkk is 40% of the national growth...and this is a problem too. I went to the BOI lot of time and there are plenty of opportunity in terms of taxes and helps if you choose to invest or create your factory outside bangkok.

So maybe it s time to think about the next flood and how to handle this but also how to distribute the investments in Thailand... And it s not a problem of infrastructures or labour but a problem that for most of the investors Bkk = Thailand...

So yes flooding bkk may be devastating for the economy...for a while....widen the gap between rural and bankokians will not improve the unity of the thai people IMO

Like Ayuttaya? Or Pathum Thani?

Like all the east of thailand and Isaan

Companies don't invest too far from Bangkok because of logistical issues and costs. The ones that do, do so because of cheaper labour in the outer provinces. That will probably change if the government bring in their minimum wage off 300 baht for ALL of Thailand. The cheaper labour is no longer cheaper, so there will be less investment there.

I agree but the logistic issues are only part true...Even if the roads are not the best in the world the highways are quite present in thailand and would not take too long for export to bring them to bkk. More than that with a development outside bkk the logistic would improve but it s a bit like a sneak eating is own tail..as long as one side does not improve the other one complain...As i said with bkk making nearly half of the national growth it can only be a bad thing

[whybother]

I agree but the logistic issues are only part true...Even if the roads are not the best in the world the highways are quite present in thailand and would not take too long for export to bring them to bkk. More than that with a development outside bkk the logistic would improve but it s a bit like a sneak eating is own tail..as long as one side does not improve the other one complain...As i said with bkk making nearly half of the national growth it can only be a bad thing

For businesses to invest in the outer provinces, the government (any government) need to invest in the infrastructure. The business won't invest hoping that the infrastructure gets improved.

It's a bit of a catch-22, but if the government wants to get they business investment out there, they need to invest the money first.

[Jerrytheyoung]

Maybe it s also time for investors in thailand to invest in other places than bkk. Yes bkk is 40% of the national growth...and this is a problem too. I went to the BOI lot of time and there are plenty of opportunity in terms of taxes and helps if you choose to invest or create your factory outside bangkok.

So maybe it s time to think about the next flood and how to handle this but also how to distribute the investments in Thailand... And it s not a problem of infrastructures or labour but a problem that for most of the investors Bkk = Thailand...

So yes flooding bkk may be devastating for the economy...for a while....widen the gap between rural and bankokians will not improve the unity of the thai people IMO

Like Ayuttaya? Or Pathum Thani?

Like all the east of thailand and Isaan

Companies don't invest too far from Bangkok because of logistical issues and costs. The ones that do, do so because of cheaper labour in the outer provinces. That will probably change if the government bring in their minimum wage off 300 baht for ALL of Thailand. The cheaper labour is no longer cheaper, so there will be less investment there.

This is what I suggest since years, and I agree with Animatic. What needs to be done and announced immediately is the creation of a government Agency for re-thinking the whole development of Thailand with Decentralisation of activities in order to fix the population on all the territory, taking advantages of local assets. At the root, you must have an infrastructure policy, highways, and mainly a solid TRAIN NETWORK. No need a high technology, but a modern railways infrastructure putting cargo and passengers at 3 or 4 hours maximum from Bangkok.

This is what have been done in some Countries, France for example (overpassing the political divisions). PARIS development has been slowed down, and activities, administrations, Universities, "Grandes Ecoles" forced to move in the up or down Country. I know that some Thai Academics are very envious about this "Politique d'amenagement du Territoire").

The advantage is not only economical but also social; less troubles in smaller cities than in a big megapole, less police required, people happier because their personal development can be seen nearby their hometown....Finally, the overall cost is certainly very positive with all the avoided social crisis.

Cost of 1km of railway in Bangkok (MRT)is probably equivalent to 60 or 80 km in rural area.

[Crushdepth]

Many of you who advocate flooding of Bangkok's "elite" to offer some kind of perceived "relief" to the flooded suburbs don't seem to understand the fact that there are millions of poor in Bangkok, most are not included in official population figures and they are for the most part living in low-lying "slum" areas and they are the ones who will suffer the most if Bangkok floods.

Also, a very large number of the displaced have sought shelter in the dry areas of Bangkok.

[ginjag]

Please do not TWIST things around to suit yourself, INDIRECT was a word used--- 50 million are affected in a big way--yes---THE WHOLE picture,,, getting brownie points from others posts are not clever--and also not wanting to understand my points are not worth conversation. I have NOT changed my figures from 20-50 mil as most posters can see.... you are being picky for the sake of it. Broader picture was the main point, stop manipulating and putting together what you want--doesn't help your argumentative image.

So what is your point?

50 million is indirectly affected, so open the flood-gates, get another 4-8 million directly affected, and everything will be good?

O.K. lets get some numbers right, I doubt your figures are correct -the dry areas have 4-8 million----??? what is the population of BKK ???and surrounding areas flooded ??? if Bkk population is 12 million--that leaves 4 million people only under water--I smell something wrong with the population figures here.

BBC was interesting today re Correspondent R. Harvey --Listen to international comments --in the background they are saying- if you cannot channel some water through Bkk there will be anarchy here-big time.

Only protect the essentials, relieve the devastated areas to give people out of the dry areas some breathing space. Look at the aircraft at Don Mueng disgusting--The only happy scene was the Hi So golf course submerged.

[thaicbr]

" Look at the aircraft at Don Mueng disgusting" what's disgusting is that they were left behind..

[TAWP]

Please do not TWIST things around to suit yourself, INDIRECT was a word used--- 50 million are affected in a big way--yes---THE WHOLE picture,,, getting brownie points from others posts are not clever--and also not wanting to understand my points are not worth conversation. I have NOT changed my figures from 20-50 mil as most posters can see.... you are being picky for the sake of it. Broader picture was the main point, stop manipulating and putting together what you want--doesn't help your argumentative image.

So what is your point?

50 million is indirectly affected, so open the flood-gates, get another 4-8 million directly affected, and everything will be good?

O.K. lets get some numbers right, I doubt your figures are correct -the dry areas have 4-8 million----??? what is the population of BKK ???and surrounding areas flooded ??? if Bkk population is 12 million--that leaves 4 million people only under water--I smell something wrong with the population figures here.

BBC was interesting today re Correspondent R. Harvey --Listen to international comments --in the background they are saying- if you cannot channel some water through Bkk there will be anarchy here-big time.

Only protect the essentials, relieve the devastated areas to give people out of the dry areas some breathing space. Look at the aircraft at Don Mueng disgusting--The only happy scene was the Hi So golf course submerged.

You infer what was not written or meant.

The example number of 4-8 million was to highlight that I wasn't assuming that 100% of the regions population would get flooded if the opened all the gates nor that I am missing that many of those flooded already count as being part of the estimated 12 million residing in whole of Bangkok.

[whybother]

" Look at the aircraft at Don Mueng disgusting" what's disgusting is that they were left behind..

They were decommissioned. They weren't going to fly out of there.

[thaicbr]

" Look at the aircraft at Don Mueng disgusting" what's disgusting is that they were left behind..

They were decommissioned. They weren't going to fly out of there.

umm not all there where some in the latest pictures that looked like they belonged to air asia... but not sure.

[YellowFeverCAD]

I'm not saying anything about what you guys have experienced with your flooded homes.

But Bangkok is not being protected "to protect people's right to live it up at the malls on Sukhumvit".

And if Lotus in On Nut is fully stocked, it is probably the only supermarket that is fully stocked within 100km of Bangkok.

Make that 700 kilometers----even no burgers in 7-11 Udon.

Actually that is not true, the Villa Market in the Pure Place Mall on Ramkhamhaeng is actually stocked very well. We even picked up some water there today but I will admit it was the Evian etc, that the Thai's generally will not buy, but it was there. The only things I saw that looked low but not out where noodles and rice.. the rest of the store looked like any other day we shop there.

[whybother]

umm not all there where some in the latest pictures that looked like they belonged to air asia... but not sure.

It was mentioned in a news article (UK Times?) in another thread. And someone else mentioned that they saw planes from no-longer-functioning airlines and a plane without engines.

I seriously doubt that airlines would leave their planes at a soon to be flooded airport.

But happy to see evidence of anything else. Which latest pictures are you referring to?

[saintofsilence]

umm not all there where some in the latest pictures that looked like they belonged to air asia... but not sure.

It was mentioned in a news article (UK Times?) in another thread. And someone else mentioned that they saw planes from no-longer-functioning airlines and a plane without engines.

I seriously doubt that airlines would leave their planes at a soon to be flooded airport.

But happy to see evidence of anything else. Which latest pictures are you referring to?

http://www.pattayadailynews.com/en/2011/11/01/don-muang-airport-pictures-show-extent-of-thai-crisis/

[whybother]

Actually that is not true, the Villa Market in the Pure Place Mall on Ramkhamhaeng is actually stocked very well. We even picked up some water there today but I will admit it was the Evian etc, that the Thai's generally will not buy, but it was there. The only things I saw that looked low but not out where noodles and rice.. the rest of the store looked like any other day we shop there.

The 3 supermarkets (2 tops and a Big C) within walking distance from me have fresh food and frozen food, but no dry (cereals, biscuits, snacks, rice, noodles) or canned food to speak of. In Tops, there is basically no beer (a couple of odd bottles of premium beers) and very little soft drink (only cheap brand). Big C was basically the same, but had some cheap Thai beer. Milk was hard to come by, but they seem to be getting some deliveries now. There has generally been no toilet paper either. None of them have had any water for a while.

There have probably been deliveries of some stuff, but it is usually gone by lunch time.

[whybother]

umm not all there where some in the latest pictures that looked like they belonged to air asia... but not sure.

It was mentioned in a news article (UK Times?) in another thread. And someone else mentioned that they saw planes from no-longer-functioning airlines and a plane without engines.

I seriously doubt that airlines would leave their planes at a soon to be flooded airport.

But happy to see evidence of anything else. Which latest pictures are you referring to?

http://www.pattayada...of-thai-crisis/

Yep ... that one.

Advancing floodwater in Bangkok saw commercial flights at Don Mueang Airport shut down, as the wheels of decommissioned jetliners on the flood-hit runways were left completely submerged.

[nocturn]

funny, there are 2 families living in their pickup outside my home on soi 11 sukhumvit. their homes are flooded, but their khao man gai and noodle and coffee stalls are doing fine.

the hysteria on thai visa, twitter, the media etc and on the street in general are why i am high and not at all dry at the beach right now. glad i left when i did.

[joe beets]

Maybe it s also time for investors in thailand to invest in other places than bkk. Yes bkk is 40% of the national growth...and this is a problem too. I went to the BOI lot of time and there are plenty of opportunity in terms of taxes and helps if you choose to invest or create your factory outside bangkok.

So maybe it s time to think about the next flood and how to handle this but also how to distribute the investments in Thailand... And it s not a problem of infrastructures or labour but a problem that for most of the investors Bkk = Thailand...

So yes flooding bkk may be devastating for the economy...for a while....widen the gap between rural and bankokians will not improve the unity of the thai people IMO

Like Ayuttaya? Or Pathum Thani?

Like all the east of thailand and Isaan

Companies don't invest too far from Bangkok because of logistical issues and costs. The ones that do, do so because of cheaper labour in the outer provinces. That will probably change if the government bring in their minimum wage off 300 baht for ALL of Thailand. The cheaper labour is no longer cheaper, so there will be less investment there.

From my experience (ok, my wife's), pulling up stakes in Bkk and relocating to Chiang Mai has only improved things from a logistical POV.

Certain other benefits were hoped for and realized, but this one came as a very pleasant surprise.

Win-win.

And even though CM traffic is growing exponentially worse, it can't hold a candle to the nightmare of the Krung Thep krawl.

Otherwise fully agree, Thailand desperately needs to decentralize.

If it has taken France fifty years to realize whatever success her program has experienced, then we'd best get started now.

[bonobo]

This thread is about the floods and anger of the Thai people with regards to it and how the floods are being handled, not about France, trains buses, or future generations.

Please stay on-topic.

Thanks.

[scorecard]

Many of you who advocate flooding of Bangkok's "elite" to offer some kind of perceived "relief" to the flooded suburbs don't seem to understand the fact that there are millions of poor in Bangkok, most are not included in official population figures and they are for the most part living in low-lying "slum" areas and they are the ones who will suffer the most if Bangkok floods.

Agree, the most relevant point is that there are many low lying slums scattered all over Bangkok housing hundreds of thousands of Thais (and immigrants), 99% of whom have no resources whatever to fall back on, also true is that Bangkok doesn't really have 'dedicated' hi-so / elite suburbs.

[BinDhumm]

Many of you who advocate flooding of Bangkok's "elite" to offer some kind of perceived "relief" to the flooded suburbs don't seem to understand the fact that there are millions of poor in Bangkok, most are not included in official population figures and they are for the most part living in low-lying "slum" areas and they are the ones who will suffer the most if Bangkok floods.

Agree, the most relevant point is that there are many low lying slums scattered all over Bangkok housing hundreds of thousands of Thais (and immigrants), 99% of whom have no resources whatever to fall back on, also true is that Bangkok doesn't really have 'dedicated' hi-so / elite suburbs.

Thaivisa is only for the elites so far. Ever seen internet n a metal covered hut? Everyone here is crying one a VERY HIGH level. Uuups your favorit beer is out and you toilet paper. Oh...vely solly. Boring. Thake a plane to Hong Kong or elswere, but stop beeing.........

[Heng]

You can play geographic affirmative action all you want but don't expect any of the export oriented manufacturers to play along. In the end the firms with lower logistics costs (closer to the ports and airports) will put most (sure, not all) of the rest out of business.

[zydeco]

Many of you who advocate flooding of Bangkok's "elite" to offer some kind of perceived "relief" to the flooded suburbs don't seem to understand the fact that there are millions of poor in Bangkok, most are not included in official population figures and they are for the most part living in low-lying "slum" areas and they are the ones who will suffer the most if Bangkok floods.

Agree, the most relevant point is that there are many low lying slums scattered all over Bangkok housing hundreds of thousands of Thais (and immigrants), 99% of whom have no resources whatever to fall back on, also true is that Bangkok doesn't really have 'dedicated' hi-so / elite suburbs.

I am not going to hide behind "the poor" to make my case, which is that society becomes a tenuous concept when the basic bond between those who govern and those who are governed is broken. And that is what has happened with these catrastrophic flood waters being flushed away from central Bangkok and into the western part of the city. Who decided this would be the policy? A politician? A bureaucrat? Some media "expert" standing before a map of locamotives bearing down on the west of Bangkok? The answer is: who knows. And that's the problem, too. A decision affecting the lives of millions was made on what seems to be whim of just who, the BMA governor, FROC, the PM, the fugitive in exile, corporate interests both domestic and international? Who? That means you can never plan for anything in Thailand out of fear that some remote official will some day nonchalantly look at his map and decide to destroy your future. And we know it was a whim, because that has been the nature of their response to this flood since telling everyone the danger would pass on October 18, only to come out the day after and warn of a massive second wave, and, then, just yesterday to warn of yet one more "second wave". Yes, they have now promised us two second waves. They can't even count their waves correctly. I guess that is why so many Thai people simply live for the day and, in fact, don't plan beyond tomorrow. It all makes a certain sort of sense to me now. Because when you get right down to it, this type of "governance" creates a psychology in the victim not too different from Stalin's Russia (remember, I said a "psychology", not a comparison to actual mass murder) in which insecurity is always at the forefront of people's minds. If Thai authorities ever wanted to create the conditions in which their "unique caring society", to quote from another TV thread's heading, might succomb to rebellion, they couldn't do better than the arrogant, dismissive attitude they've applied to their flood "management" response.

Edited November 2, 2011 by zydeco

[AleG]

I'd like to know how the "Flood Bangkok inner city" crowd expect the water to move along. The inner city is pretty much wrapped by the Chao Phraya and since the river is already draining us much water as it possibly can take, the water flooding the CBD would just stay there. In fact the river has a food wall along the city shores, so to even start flowing the water would have to first flood above the level of the walls (about two meters, no?) and then what is left would need to be pumped out. So I don't see how flooding the inner city would contribute to a higher drainage rate unless its flooded to a level higher than the flood barriers on the river.

Of course the water could flow from the CBD East, make a 90 degree turn at Bang Na and then down South Bang Muang and onwards to the Gulf, but then what would be the point of having the inner city flooded if the water could just as well move down that eastern route bypassing the inner city altogether?

I'm sure the people calling for flooding the inner city have a clear idea of how it would contribute to alleviate the situation in flooded areas and how it would the benefits would outweigh the damage done, so perhaps they could enlighten the rest of the people in the forum.

[RickBradford]

Many of you who advocate flooding of Bangkok's "elite" to offer some kind of perceived "relief" to the flooded suburbs don't seem to understand the fact that there are millions of poor in Bangkok, most are not included in official population figures and they are for the most part living in low-lying "slum" areas and they are the ones who will suffer the most if Bangkok floods.

Agree, the most relevant point is that there are many low lying slums scattered all over Bangkok housing hundreds of thousands of Thais (and immigrants), 99% of whom have no resources whatever to fall back on, also true is that Bangkok doesn't really have 'dedicated' hi-so / elite suburbs.

Also, don't forget that most of those people were attracted to Bangkok by the economic opportunities that this metropolitan business center provides.

I can understand their frustration and anger at being flooded with no end in sight, but it would be ironic if their actions (at Klong Saam Wa, for example) end up damaging the economic engine which brought them in from the provinces in the first place.

[erobando]

I am not going to hide behind "the poor" to make my case, which is that society becomes a tenuous concept when the basic bond between those who govern and those who are governed is broken. And that is what has happened with these catrastrophic flood waters being flushed away from central Bangkok and into the western part of the city. Who decided this would be the policy? A politician? A bureaucrat? Some media "expert" standing before a map of locamotives bearing down on the west of Bangkok? The answer is: who knows. And that's the problem, too. A decision affecting the lives of millions was made on what seems to be whim of just who, the BMA governor, FROC, the PM, the fugitive in exile, corporate interests both domestic and international? Who? That means you can never plan for anything in Thailand out of fear that some remote official will some day nonchalantly look at his map and decide to destroy your future. And we know it was a whim, because that has been the nature of their response to this flood since telling everyone the danger would pass on October 18, only to come out the day after and warn of a massive second wave, and, then, just yesterday to warn of yet one more "second wave". Yes, they have now promised us two second waves. They can't even count their waves correctly. I guess that is why so many Thai people simply live for the day and, in fact, don't plan beyond tomorrow. It all makes a certain sort of sense to me now. Because when you get right down to it, this type of "governance" creates a psychology in the victim not too different from Stalin's Russia (remember, I said a "psychology", not a comparison to actual mass murder) in which insecurity is always at the forefront of people's minds. If Thai authorities ever wanted to create the conditions in which their "unique caring society", to quote from another TV thread's heading, might succomb to rebellion, they couldn't do better than the arrogant, dismissive attitude they've applied to their flood "management" response.

It's difficult to fully follow the point of this rant but nobody is deciding to destroy certain areas.

You really think that western Bangkok is flooded because water is being flushed from the central areas?

Look at a map. There's a ton of water in Pathum Thani, Nakhom Pathom and Nonthaburi and it's gradually moving south. The water in Nonthaburi would flow into Thonburi no matter water happens in central Bangkok.

The problem is that there is poor drainage throughout central Thailand and the water can't be controlled!

This might be due to poor long-term planning, but neither the central government or BMA have much control over where water is flowing.

Edited November 2, 2011 by erobando

[zydeco]

I am not going to hide behind "the poor" to make my case, which is that society becomes a tenuous concept when the basic bond between those who govern and those who are governed is broken. And that is what has happened with these catrastrophic flood waters being flushed away from central Bangkok and into the western part of the city. Who decided this would be the policy? A politician? A bureaucrat? Some media "expert" standing before a map of locamotives bearing down on the west of Bangkok? The answer is: who knows. And that's the problem, too. A decision affecting the lives of millions was made on what seems to be whim of just who, the BMA governor, FROC, the PM, the fugitive in exile, corporate interests both domestic and international? Who? That means you can never plan for anything in Thailand out of fear that some remote official will some day nonchalantly look at his map and decide to destroy your future. And we know it was a whim, because that has been the nature of their response to this flood since telling everyone the danger would pass on October 18, only to come out the day after and warn of a massive second wave, and, then, just yesterday to warn of yet one more "second wave". Yes, they have now promised us two second waves. They can't even count their waves correctly. I guess that is why so many Thai people simply live for the day and, in fact, don't plan beyond tomorrow. It all makes a certain sort of sense to me now. Because when you get right down to it, this type of "governance" creates a psychology in the victim not too different from Stalin's Russia (remember, I said a "psychology", not a comparison to actual mass murder) in which insecurity is always at the forefront of people's minds. If Thai authorities ever wanted to create the conditions in which their "unique caring society", to quote from another TV thread's heading, might succomb to rebellion, they couldn't do better than the arrogant, dismissive attitude they've applied to their flood "management" response.

It's difficult to fully follow the point of this rant but nobody is deciding to destroy certain areas.

You really think that western Bangkok is flooded because water is being flushed from the central areas?

Look at a map. There's a ton of water in Pathum Thani, Nakhom Pathom and Nonthaburi and it's gradually moving south. The water in Nonthaburi would flow into Thonburi no matter water happens in central Bangkok.

The problem is that there is poor drainage throughout central Thailand and the water can't be controlled!

This might be due to poor long-term planning, but neither the central government or BMA have much control over where water is flowing.

Actually, they have a great deal of control over water flow, such as deciding when and how much to release from dams and when and how much to open sluice gates. If they have no control, then why don't they just open all the gates? According to you, they don't make any difference any way. BTW "rant" = talking in a violent way. It's really a rather easy word to understand. Probably fourth or fifth grade vocabulary, which probably explains why certain members of this forum fall back on its use so often instead of expressing themselves coherently and precisely.

[Heng]

If you own a better built house and better protected house in a neighborhood where many homes are flooded, it's a good bet that you'll start to get similar 'looks' from some neighbors (these are the folks who likely also drive in the emergency lane on a regular basis) who are standing knee deep in water. After a few weeks, your dry home starts to look like the 'reason' why they aren't 'only' calf deep in water.

[JetsetBkk]

If you own a better built house and better protected house in a neighborhood where many homes are flooded, it's a good bet that you'll start to get similar 'looks' from some neighbors (these are the folks who likely also drive in the emergency lane on a regular basis) who are standing knee deep in water. After a few weeks, your dry home starts to look like the 'reason' why they aren't 'only' calf deep in water.

Glad to hear you have some spare dry space.

Prepare to be billeted.