Whole Bangkok At Risk Of Flooding After Opening Of Key Sluice Gate

[wackysleet]

Thank you for this informations, I agree 100%, they do same than all the time, block water and flooding all around BKK.

I think it's political fight between yellow BKK and Rest-Thailand, the old rabbit hit the young chicken...

Sukumbhand have the most responsibillity for the disaster we have.

Spirit47 - Clearly you are frustrated but you frustration is clouding your judgement. If Bangkok goes under YOUR COUNTRY is broken and your house and community will still be flooded. I think you need to look at the Japanese and their fortitude in dealing with the tsunami or even the Brits during the Blitz. Unless you pull together as a people and stop looking with jealous eyes at your brothers and sisters your suffering will continue.

In other words if your house was dry and your fellow Thais were trying to flood it by tearing down barriers to flood your house, how would you feel towards your Thai brothers and sisters who were tearing down the barriers? Would you offer them help or would you fight them?

And you are wrong with your assertion of the Governor - The buck stops at Yinglucks door. She is the PM it is her responsibility to lead, co-ordinate and work with the relevant agencies to produce a clear plan of action in which all parties understand their roles. If these things do not happen it is her fault. And remember this ultimately boils down to the people who made the judgement and voted her in as the person in the whole country with the qualities best suited to lead Thailand. Remember that next time you put your cross in the box when you vote. Does this person have the qualities and experiences required to led my great country? As opposed to what will we be given for free.

P.S. i live in Minburi

Sorry but what a crock of the brown stuff when you cite experience in dealing with this flood which is the worst for fifty years and that you should have voted those people in, there is no politician in power that experienced the floods fifty yrs ago and last year when there was a drought, how was that handled, yes I know, just wonderful by the then incumbent, for christs sake stop putting politics into this and encourage the people to try and pull together for the good of the country.

According to TV lastest message, inner bkk will be flooded in 1/2 days unless the klong at Sam Wa is not lowered, report from tv via the Nation.

If it does happen people then bang goes your help.

[wackysleet]

Until someone actually provides the data showing what extra volume of water flows as a result of raising the gate 30cm all the chat in this thread is just breeze.

Data cannot be kept accurate when sandbag banks are being destroyed and gates being forced open by public opinion. the old saying springs to mind if it keeps happening, something along the lines of, He who soweth so he shall reap, my sympathies with all victims as I lived in the area past the zoo near the river in the 1990s and we got flooded EVERY YEAR,locals just seemed to accept it and nothing was done.

[MunterHunter]

Until someone actually provides the data showing what extra volume of water flows as a result of raising the gate 30cm all the chat in this thread is just breeze.

Agreed, also some data/analysis of the affect of the extra flow of water, which areas are expected to be affected and by how much water (projections/estimates as nobody really knows 'for sure')

[webfact]

RT @seacorro: Repairs underway #samwa #ThaiFloodEng http://twitter.com/seacorro/status/131566519107850240/photo/1

RT @seacorro: Lots of police and reporters, no angry mob whatsoever #samwa #ThaiFloodEng

[BlackJack]

cant help thinking that all this water making the ground soggy and this supports all those mega buildings in BKK

its a fact that BKK is sinking and maybe this might speed things up

people will be shocked when they find out their insurance probably wont cover anything

good luck all

[2unique]

d Thai's pay tax, maybe the people in Bangkok DO pay a special tax for this privilege.

Have to agree with why bother and ask what the heck sparebox2 is smokin.

You protect the capital and its infrastructure as priority.

Many good reasons for this

1) without infrastructure in place in capital effective and speedy recovery will not be possible

2) For a country where international opinion and confidence is al7ready threatened to allow capital to flood furthering devastation and hampering recovery will be disasterous. If Im the Vietnamese and singaporean better business council trying to attract business to my shores I would just love to see bangkok flooded and deliberately so by Thai officials. Cancel my advertising.. the companies will come as Thailand is a basket case

3) You need a solid capital city base to drive growth back in the provinces. Evacuate the city in total or at least to a high majority and demand for goods and services drops and fragments delaying effective recovery

and yes far higher proportion of people in Bangkok pay tax than in regional areas so surely those whose monies will be applied to the poor in terms of recovery efforts should see some consideration.

Unfortunately as often in Thailand keeping regional interests propped up comes at the expense of allot of other things.

1) without infrastructure in place in capital effective and speedy recovery will not be possible - hilarious I invite you to view all the contradictions, infighting, self centered and self righteous bullshit coming from your precious infrastructure.

Not aimed at OP:

I've paid my dues for 12 years for your infrastructure to tell me the city is not equipped to deal with some of the run off and its much better for other tax payers to be evacuated with a single bag and leave their pets behind because they chose to live in a family house with a garden rather than a bachelor pad type condo! And that's not even taking into consideration those that have been flonotod victims for months already.

FYI those people aren't flocking to Bangkok - Bangkok is flocking off to resorts in case they get a bit wet. We spent 12 hours in our car, hitching on various pickups and then paddling a boat just so my Bangkok born and tax paying of 25 years, wife could go to work and not feel bad about taking advantage while the office is open.

Have any of you posters telling those to stop whining even helped personally? I have a spare paddle, you can help me row the 4km to my house so I can have the luxury of changing my underwear - thanks in advance. In the meantime carry on patronizing those that are generally suffering with selfish, spoilt, pampered and precious arguments based upon regurgitated spoon fed opinions.

Edited November 2, 2011 by 2unique

[outre99]

A win for the poor.

This should be the way to fight double standard.

Why should bangkok be kept dry? Do bangkok people pay special tax for this privilege?

This is the kind of stupidity that permeates the masses in this country. Bangkok is the economic heart of the country. That's where companies make money and pay millions of employees who can then afford to pay rent, buy food and other goods, which in turn keeps the small local shops and landlords in business. Thai economy was already hit very hard by the flooding of the many industrial estates. Hundreds of thousands of people are already out of work. So flooding central Bangkok just because you want everybody to share in your misery is a stupid and shortsighted thing to do. It's like saying that just because your finger has an infection you'll let it spread to your heart to make things even. For once look at the big picture.

[Zolt]

A win for the poor.

This should be the way to fight double standard.

Why should bangkok be kept dry? Do bangkok people pay special tax for this privilege?

Don't any poor people live in Bangkok?

Some of the people in flooded areas still have jobs in Bangkok. Do you want them to lose their jobs too?

Also, given that very few Thai's pay tax, maybe the people in Bangkok DO pay a special tax for this privilege.

A common misconception. All Thais pay VAT on consumer goods, and their employers pay corporate tax, these two account for the majority of tax revenues. The amount collected from income tax is comparatively small.

http://asiancorrespondent.com/64442/will-the-thai-middle-class-rebel-against-populist-policies/

You've got a detailed breakdown in the link above.

BMA and other local authorities do not have the power to collect taxes, they are financed by the central government. Exactly who gets how much money is the result of intense political wrangling every year.

Mostly you've got two sets of priorities at work.

- BMA is trying to protect the inner city, possibly at the expense of the surrounding areas.

- The government is trying to protect high revenue areas (Industrial parks, Suvarnabhumi airport, commercial districts), as well as expensive / critical infrastructure such as power, water treatment plants.

Neither of these have protecting people's homes as their top priority. The people at first have been taking it well, but after weeks of flooding the water still isn't going anywhere, and they see the authorities put up more barriers to prevent it from flowing south. Conflict is inevitable.

[whybother]

1) without infrastructure in place in capital effective and speedy recovery will not be possible - hilarious I invite you to view all the contradictions, infighting, self centered and self righteous bullshit coming from your precious infrastructure.

Not aimed at OP:

I've paid my dues for 12 years for your infrastructure to tell me the city is not equipped to deal with some of the run off and its much better for other tax payers to be evacuated with a single bag and leave their pets behind because they chose to live in a family house with a garden rather than a bachelor pad type condo! And that's not even taking into consideration those that have been flonotod victims for months already.

FYI those people aren't flocking to Bangkok - Bangkok is flocking off to resorts in case they get a bit wet. We spent 12 hours in our car, hitching on various pickups and then paddling a boat just so my Bangkok born and tax paying of 25 years, wife could go to work and not feel bad about taking advantage while the office is open.

Have any of you posters telling those to stop whining even helped personally? I have a spare paddle, you can help me row the 4km to my house so I can have the luxury of changing my underwear - thanks in advance. In the meantime carry on patronizing those that are generally suffering with selfish, spoilt, pampered and precious arguments based upon regurgitated spoon fed opinions.

I suppose, on a positive note, if Bangkok floods, your wife won't need to go to work for a while.

[MikeyIdea]

A win for the poor.

This should be the way to fight double standard.

Why should bangkok be kept dry? Do bangkok people pay special tax for this privilege?

Education needed sparebox2

Bangkok flooded is a loss for the poor - a loss for everybody but more loss for the poor than the middle class and the rich (who can afford to lose a bit)

Bangkok and the areas around Bangkok that is going to be flooded by opening that sluice gate will destroy assets worth billions and inundate factories making more poor people than rich people unemployed... GDP will take a hit, that affects the poor as well as everybody else

[Insight]

It's been proven time and time again that this government is utterly incompetent - but they'll probably keep winning elections so whatever...

But bowing to the mob? Seriously? Sod where most of the revenue for the entire country is generated, let's wreck it all because a few people are angry.

Utterly pathetic. What a sham. Raise your kids here at your peril.

[otherstuff1957]

No, that was a break in the barriers topping the Phra Khanong. I'm talking about the smaller drainage canals that interlace this area. I'm still not that familiar with the area but I did notice travellling around that many of them were either virtually empty or only a fraction full. I don't know their function, frankly. For all I know that could be rainwater catchments. I would just like to know why they're empty. And nobody around here seems to have an answer. The best reply I've received is that nobody knows how they work, nobody is in charge, and most of the pumps aren't working anyway.

Most of the small klongs in Bangkok are for storm water drainage.

Any water that goes into the klongs has to be pumped out at the other end. Most of the pumps are working. But they pump the water into other klongs or back into the river.

The klongs aren't designed to handle the amount of water that is coming from the north. Look at Don Mueang for example. It is inside the flood protection zone, and it is under 1-2 metres of water, and it's been like that for a week. You don't think they would pump that out through the klong system if they could?

Actually, most of the klongs were designed for transportation or irrigation. Many of them were later filled in & turned into roads (like Klong Silom, which is now Thanon Silom). Now, many of them lead nowhere and serve no purpose whatsoever. Some are still used for drainage, but as they have pretty close to zero gradient, they rely on pumps and watergates to do that and are not particularly effective.

[Ned]

If my house was being flooded due to a barrier designed to protect the rich end of town then by hell I'd be down there with the boys tearing it down. Good luck to them I say. Open the Chao Phraya River and start seriously draining the provinces!!

[robblok]

If my house was being flooded due to a barrier designed to protect the rich end of town then by hell I'd be down there with the boys tearing it down. Good luck to them I say. Open the Chao Phraya River and start seriously draining the provinces!!

Eh.. i hope your sarcastic. Im flooded but even i know the river is not blocked.

[whybother]

If my house was being flooded due to a barrier designed to protect the rich end of town then by hell I'd be down there with the boys tearing it down. Good luck to them I say. Open the Chao Phraya River and start seriously draining the provinces!!

The Chao Phraya is closed????

[SICHONSTEVE]

If I was rural people, I'am boring to carry the idiots head too. Why people outside Bangkok should pay for all the blemish they make since months?

There is a lot of water in the north, waiting for flow. It's not only a few thousend in eastern Bkk, It's the whole Land, and some of them standing since 6 weeks in the water.

And when you hear, how Sukumbhand speak about flood victims, then its really time to see clear.

So instead of having 2.5 - 3 million people suffering for weeks with floods, you would prefer 6 - 9 million people suffering for weeks?

Well, this IS Thai logic I suppose!!!!.

It is understandable to see why those that are suffering from flooding are rather agrieved that they must suffer even more to keep the feet of those in Central Bangkok dry. What they fail to see is the big picture!!!

If you are stung by 10 bees then being stung by 15 will not be much different if you can stop other members of the family from being stung by receiving the 5 extra bee stings!!!:jap:. Of course, all they will notice is that yesterday the water was just below their knees whereas today it has risen above them ie: put in another context, If something (property) is ruined by 0.8 metre of water then it is still ruined by 1.0 metre of water.

[Xonax]

A win for the poor.

This should be the way to fight double standard.

Why should bangkok be kept dry? Do bangkok people pay special tax for this privilege?

What a stupid comment. Most people in Bangkok pay tax - most people in the flooded areas don´t, so don´t bite the hand that is feeding you!

I was actually planning to donate a considerable amount of money to the flood victims, so that they could return to normal life as soon as possible after the flood. But after learning that many of these people are morons who´s biggest wish is to flood Bangkok, I will certainly keep my money in my pocket, untill I find other people in need.

[MikeyIdea]

If my house was being flooded due to a barrier designed to protect the rich end of town then by hell I'd be down there with the boys tearing it down. Good luck to them I say. Open the Chao Phraya River and start seriously draining the provinces!!

Jesus Christ and God All Mighty - The worst idiot can't be born yet if there's someone writing such utter stupidity is still alive

How did they do to close Chao Phraya river?

[jonclark]

Thank you for this informations, I agree 100%, they do same than all the time, block water and flooding all around BKK.

I think it's political fight between yellow BKK and Rest-Thailand, the old rabbit hit the young chicken...

Sukumbhand have the most responsibillity for the disaster we have.

Spirit47 - Clearly you are frustrated but you frustration is clouding your judgement. If Bangkok goes under YOUR COUNTRY is broken and your house and community will still be flooded. I think you need to look at the Japanese and their fortitude in dealing with the tsunami or even the Brits during the Blitz. Unless you pull together as a people and stop looking with jealous eyes at your brothers and sisters your suffering will continue.

In other words if your house was dry and your fellow Thais were trying to flood it by tearing down barriers to flood your house, how would you feel towards your Thai brothers and sisters who were tearing down the barriers? Would you offer them help or would you fight them?

And you are wrong with your assertion of the Governor - The buck stops at Yinglucks door. She is the PM it is her responsibility to lead, co-ordinate and work with the relevant agencies to produce a clear plan of action in which all parties understand their roles. If these things do not happen it is her fault. And remember this ultimately boils down to the people who made the judgement and voted her in as the person in the whole country with the qualities best suited to lead Thailand. Remember that next time you put your cross in the box when you vote. Does this person have the qualities and experiences required to led my great country? As opposed to what will we be given for free.

P.S. i live in Minburi

..... and encourage the people to try and pull together for the good of the country.

Firstly I was pointing out that everyone needs to pull together.

Secondly, the politics bit - I was replying to the statement that the governor was responsible for this disaster (or management of) and the Bkk - yellow / rest of the country red by Spirit47.

Thirdly the co-ordination has been shit - my house has been under by about 30 - 80 cm over the last 4-5 days and we have received very little information regarding a) how long this will continue for (even an approximation would be useful) what help we can expect and c) how we can help. So excuse my annoyance at the current government. They are not to blame but they are responsible for the response to it, ignoring or not talking about their failings absolves them of their responsibilities of office, which is, judging by the shit throwing, finger pointing contest you can see each night on Thai TV news, exactly what they want.

Seeing statements about how Bangkok should be flooded makes my blood boil as I wouldn't wish my families current flooded experience on anyone (rich or poor).

[serenitynow]

Yeah, okay...bring it on! Flood the heart of the economy, bring Bangkok (and along with it : THE REST OF THAILAND) to a hold. Flood the airport, the last remaining industrial parks , the shops, the businesses and the shopping and entertainment areas. Just stop live in Bangkok for 1 or 2 weeks. I guess the food- vendors will levitate above the water with their jet-packs and the girls on Patpong will send all the millions to Isan, they hoard on their several offshore bank accounts.

But <deleted>: your houses will dry up in two hours and the water will be gone miraculously. And the pumps in Bangkok (which now can hardly cope with 3 days of torrential downpour without flooding streets en masse) will easily pump millions of cubicmeters of water out of the city in no time.

....and when you wake up, please get a reality check!

Funny how people once inundated turn on each other. Usually other victims. That plays right into the government's hands who are the direct cause of both the rural and urban areas being flooded. Odd that you never seem to hold them accountable. Not because they choose to flood you out versus someone else, but because none of you, urban or rural should have had to experience this, this year. It's a man made flood.

[inquisitive]

A win for the poor.

This should be the way to fight double standard.

Why should bangkok be kept dry? Do bangkok people pay special tax for this privilege?

That was a totally worthless post containing a totally misdirected and worthless question. The equally worthless answer is: "Yes."

If one can believe what has been posted on TV regarding the fact that 40% of the income of Thailand is generated in the Greater Bangkok area, then it would probably be safe to assume that far more taxes are paid in Bangkok than in the poor villages (and certainly by the "poor" themselves as you have labelled them. Just how much income tax do you figure the "poor" pay each year?)

--- Hopefully by now you've realized that the answer is as stupid as the question.

[Morgo]

I just noticed that my wife is outside watering the garden, as it is very dry.

We live in Korat. If industry want to relocate to a stable region with good education facilities and a willing workforce I'm sure our community would be very welcoming.

[Ned]

Floodwater is being diverted away from the Chao Phraya River to the east and west. That is what I meant by saying that the river is "closed". Of course the river is not closed. Stop diverting most of the water to the east and west. From Nakorn Sawan on down open all the the barriers all the way to the sea!!!!

[eslbill]

Well said friend, I am with you on this. Myself and family evacuated to the NE, I can't swim!!

Yeah, okay...bring it on! Flood the heart of the economy, bring Bangkok (and along with it : THE REST OF THAILAND) to a hold. Flood the airport, the last remaining industrial parks , the shops, the businesses and the shopping and entertainment areas. Just stop live in Bangkok for 1 or 2 weeks. I guess the food- vendors will levitate above the water with their jet-packs and the girls on Patpong will send all the millions to Isan, they hoard on their several offshore bank accounts.

But <deleted>: your houses will dry up in two hours and the water will be gone miraculously. And the pumps in Bangkok (which now can hardly cope with 3 days of torrential downpour without flooding streets en masse) will easily pump millions of cubicmeters of water out of the city in no time.

....and when you wake up, please get a reality check!

[BinDhumm]

If I was rural people, I'am boring to carry the idiots head too. Why people outside Bangkok should pay for all the blemish they make since months?

There is a lot of water in the north, waiting for flow. It's not only a few thousend in eastern Bkk, It's the whole Land, and some of them standing since 6 weeks in the water.

And when you hear, how Sukumbhand speak about flood victims, then its really time to see clear.

So instead of having 2.5 - 3 million people suffering for weeks with floods, you would prefer 6 - 9 million people suffering for weeks?

I think it's hightime to let the water flow. The rural people not fish, people going sick and die. So Bkk have resposibility to help now, that is what I think.

Where do you stay?

You ever where in floodet areas?

Shut up.

Fully agree. Better 9 Million wet feet for 10 Days, than rotten water for3 Million Million for Months. Makes a huge difference for house struktures and health. But there is still a big chance for the flood to creap into inner Bangkokwhatever is done. Who knows wether them dikes are holding on. It is by far not over.

[whybother]

Floodwater is being diverted away from the Chao Phraya River to the east and west. That is what I meant by saying that the river is "closed". Of course the river is not closed. Stop diverting most of the water to the east and west. From Nakorn Sawan on down open all the the barriers all the way to the sea!!!!

It is being diverted away because the river can't handle it all. The river is already at full capacity.

[Insight]

If I was rural people, I'am boring to carry the idiots head too. Why people outside Bangkok should pay for all the blemish they make since months?

There is a lot of water in the north, waiting for flow. It's not only a few thousend in eastern Bkk, It's the whole Land, and some of them standing since 6 weeks in the water.

And when you hear, how Sukumbhand speak about flood victims, then its really time to see clear.

So instead of having 2.5 - 3 million people suffering for weeks with floods, you would prefer 6 - 9 million people suffering for weeks?

I think it's hightime to let the water flow. The rural people not fish, people going sick and die. So Bkk have resposibility to help now, that is what I think.

Where do you stay?

You ever where in floodet areas?

Shut up.

Fully agree. Better 9 Million wet feet for 10 Days, than rotten water for3 Million Million for Months. Makes a huge difference for house struktures and health. But there is still a big chance for the flood to creap into inner Bangkokwhatever is done. Who knows wether them dikes are holding on. It is by far not over.

Yeah so throw the switch and pay for the consequences later - no matter how bad they may be.

There's a reason people of a similar mindset don't run the country.

No, wait - they do.

Arse.

[webfact]

200 policemen deployed to keep security at Klong Sam Wa sluice gate

Over 200 crowd-control policemen were deployed to keep security at the Klong Sam Wa sluice gate while Bangkok administration workers were repairing the gate Wednesday morning.

Angry residents of the Klong Sam Wa district has dug up a waterway beside the gate to try to reduce floodwater from their area.

The side waterway was about 50 centimetres-wide and Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra said the waterway had to be fixed or else the water could overflow the Saen Saeb Canal to flood inner Bangkok.

In the morning, the water level north of the sluice gate was about 1.9 metres high and the level at the south of the gate was about 1.2 metres high.

-- The Nation 2011-11-02

[whybother]

Fully agree. Better 9 Million wet feet for 10 Days, than rotten water for3 Million Million for Months. Makes a huge difference for house struktures and health. But there is still a big chance for the flood to creap into inner Bangkokwhatever is done. Who knows wether them dikes are holding on. It is by far not over.

What makes you think that they will only be wet for 10 days if Bangkok is flooded? Either the ones in Bangkok or the ones up river?

When Yingluck said a week or two ago that Bangkok was going to be under a metre of water, she said that it would be like that for 4-6 weeks.

[2unique]

1) without infrastructure in place in capital effective and speedy recovery will not be possible - hilarious I invite you to view all the contradictions, infighting, self centered and self righteous bullshit coming from your precious infrastructure.

Not aimed at OP:

I've paid my dues for 12 years for your infrastructure to tell me the city is not equipped to deal with some of the run off and its much better for other tax payers to be evacuated with a single bag and leave their pets behind because they chose to live in a family house with a garden rather than a bachelor pad type condo! And that's not even taking into consideration those that have been flonotod victims for months already.

FYI those people aren't flocking to Bangkok - Bangkok is flocking off to resorts in case they get a bit wet. We spent 12 hours in our car, hitching on various pickups and then paddling a boat just so my Bangkok born and tax paying of 25 years, wife could go to work and not feel bad about taking advantage while the office is open.

Have any of you posters telling those to stop whining even helped personally? I have a spare paddle, you can help me row the 4km to my house so I can have the luxury of changing my underwear - thanks in advance. In the meantime carry on patronizing those that are generally suffering with selfish, spoilt, pampered and precious arguments based upon regurgitated spoon fed opinions.

I suppose, on a positive note, if Bangkok floods, your wife won't need to go to work for a while.

She works as a manager for an insurance brokerage... that intranet won't wait for floods to recede