Thailand Live Thursday 3 Nov 2011

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Thailand Live Thursday 3 November 2011

News, Bits and Tweets

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Keep up to date with live updates from the news, hour by hour.

For breaking news,national, regional and international news updates on a daily basis only, this thread is closed to commentary so that those who wish to follow the news can find it here...

Commentary is still open for Thailand news in the relevant thread posted in News Clippings.

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Related topic: Thailand Live Wednesday 2 Nov 2011

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Today's Thailand weather and forecasts:

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Thai govt dismisses health fears: Flood

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AFP: Bomb, gun attacks kill six in Thai south: police

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More closures, evacuation in Bangkok as waters enter

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Bt5 billion for industrial parks to build flood barriers: Thailand

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Animals in danger as Safari World submerged

KWANCHAI RUNGFAPAISARN

THE NATION

Flood water inundated half of the 500-rai Safari World on Tuesday evening after the upstream Klong Sam Wa sluice gate was raised to 1 metre from the normal 0.8 metre after a road was blocked by angry residents.

The water level in the wildlife park, which was 50 centimetres deep on average and up to a metre in some areas yesterday, put tens of thousands of animals at the open zoo - many of them valuable rare species - in danger.

Litti Kewkacha, executive vice president of Safari World, which is listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand, said the flood water had engulfed the entire Safari Park zone, which accounts for 50 per cent of the zoo's area, while Marine Park, which occupies the remainder, had yet to find itself under water.

With both zones closed yesterday, Safari Park's opening will be decided on a daily basis. The owner plans to reopen the unaffected Marine Park today.

The wildlife park's three parking zones were flooded overnight on Tuesday. "Our priority is to control the flood water in our complex and protect more than 1,000 wild animals, including deer, antelopes, zebras and caged buffaloes, as well as 60,000 fish and more than 10,000 birds, living at our Safari World complex from the floods.

"Most of the animals in the Safari Park zone have been moved into the dry area, where they can stay and adjust to the water very well. However, our key focus has been to save high-value and rare animals, such as 120 giraffes and more than 20 belugas and dolphins," Litti said.

He added that Safari World had one of the largest herds of giraffes in captivity in the world.

"We cannot estimate the cost of the damage at the moment. We need to monitor the flood situation very carefully day by day," he said.

The executive said Safari World estimated its revenue loss to date at between Bt100 million and Bt150 million because of the flooding, which had caused the number of visitors to drop by almost 80 per cent.

It normally attracts between 3,000 and 4,000 visitors per day, of whom 80 per cent are foreign tourists, mainly from Europe, Russia, the Middle East and India.

"Since the flooding crisis, all our Thai visitors have disappeared, as they are in no mood to entertain themselves. All function activities, such as family days and staff parties, have been cancelled," Litti said.

He said that if the flooding lasted a long time, foreign visitors would also be seriously affected, as they would cancel their trips to Bangkok, especially during the high season.

The government should try to raise the confidence of foreign tourists, telling them that Bangkok will return to normal as soon as possible when the flood waters recede, he added.

-- The Nation 2011-11-03

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Danger from the flood emerges as deadly green mambas escape

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FROC: How not to run a crisis operations centre: Thai talk

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GUEST COLUMNIST

Thai economy under water: A serious supply chain shock

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Media spin is not working; public still in the dark: Thai opinion

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North, Northeast buses to be re-routed

The Nation

Buses bound for the North and Northeast will be re-routed because of floods, the Transport Co announced yesterday.

Northbound buses will depart from the Mor Chit 2 terminal, take the Srirach Expressway for Samut Sakhon's Mahachai and Ban Phaeo districts, go through Nakhon Pathom's Kamphaeng Saen district, Suphan Buri's Si Prachan and Sam Chuk districts, then Sing Buri's Bang Rachan and Muang districts and Nakhon Sawan's Takhli, Tak Fas and Phaisali districts, before joining the usual route.

Northeast-bound buses will also use the Srirach Expressway, go past Suvarnabhumi Airport, then go to Chachoengsao's Bang Nam Prieo and Phanom Sarakham districts, Prachin Buri, Nakhon Nayok's Pak Phli and Ban Na districts, and Saraburi's Wihan Daeng and Muang districts before continuing on the usual route.

In separate news, cars parked to flee flooding were towed away because they were causing traffic jams, were double-parked or blocked the Pracha Chuen tollgate.

-- The Nation 2011-11-03

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China sends 500 boats

The Nation

Foreign Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul said yesterday that 500 motorised rubber dinghies were being flown in from China and that Japan had informed him that it had earmarked Bt380 million in aid money.

He added that General Pracha Promnok, director of the Flood Relief Operations Centre, was to prepare a list of items that the money would be spent on.

In addition, he said, the government had ordered six diesel-powered pumps worth Bt10 million from India for the Royal Irrigation Department.

-- The Nation 2011-11-03

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Agency to distribute drinking water

The Nation

The Groundwater Resources Department will distribute at least 100,000 bottles of drinking water every day free of charge in 11 Bangkok districts, department chief Praneet Roibang said yesterday, adding that all of these districts should have drinking water by Friday tomorrow.

The distribution points are: Chatuchak Groundwater Resource Department; Chatuchak Park; Wat Sammakkheetham; Klong Chan housing estate in Bang Kapi; Prapaswittaya School in Bueng Kum; Planetarium in Klong Toei; Wat Lat Bua Khao in Saphan Sung; Ratchasit Technical College in Bang Bon; Phra Khanong's Wat Washirathamsathit; Phulcharoen Wittayakhom School in Bang Phli; and Wat Tamrhu at Samut Prakan's Muang district.

-- The Nation 2011-11-03

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Min Buri factories prepare for deluge

The Nation

Though floods have not reached Bang Chan Industrial Estate, many factories in Min Buri have been temporarily closed, while those that are still open only operate during the day, the estate's office director Prapas Khlaisri said yesterday.

At present, troops are guarding and reinforcing flood barriers around the estate, which has 93 factories, employing 13,800 workers, with a total investment of Bt19.844 billion, he said.

-- The Nation 2011-11-03

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TOURISM

Low-cost tours to flood-ravaged Thai provinces

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TESCO

Tesco sets up shipping centre at Bitec

Watchiranont Thongtep

The Nation

Tesco Lotus has opened a temporary warehouse at Bitec Bang Na to supply essential consumer goods to more than 900 stores throughout the country amid the food shortage following the flood.

"During this crisis, the company will use this temporary centre to process up to 500,000 cases of products a day next week, up from the current daily capacity of about 300,000 cases," operations director James Scott said yesterday.

The 20,000-square-metre exhibition hall at Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre was modified last week to become a storage facility for daily necessities including water, instant noodles and canned fish. It will be in service for 20 days while the company restores its two key distribution centres in Ayutthaya's Wang Noi district and Nonthaburi's Bang Bua Thong district by next month. They were both severely hit by the run-off.

The company has also set up emergency hubs in Chiang Mai, Lamphun, Khon Kaen and Surat Thani while using diverse transport modes such as trains, trucks and planes.

Distribution director Dusit Panmanee said trains carrying products from many manufacturers such as Unilever, P&G and Unicharm would depart from Phaholyothin Railway Station. They will transport 800 pallets a day to Surat Thani and 400 each to Khon Kaen and Chiang Mai. It is also considering opening a route to Ubon Ratchathani.

The company also partnered with Thai Airways to fly 500 tonnes of products from Suvarnabhumi Airport every day since October 19. There are seven flights daily to Chiang Mai and one or two daily to Phuket and to Hat Yai.

UK-based Tesco has sent Alan Wrigley, an international development manager, to assist local management along with 250 staff at Bitec and the other employees at the four upcountry hubs.

Tesco in Malaysia is providing 3 million litres of water and 8 million packs of noodles, which have already started to arrive in stores across the country.

Tesco will use its global sourcing team based in Hong Kong to bring in water, noodles, canned fish, eggs and UHT (ultra-high-temperature-treated) milk from Malaysia, mainland China and Vietnam.

"Although the company imports essential products from overseas and transport costs might soar, we will not raise prices during this crisis," Scott said.

The company has donated more than Bt23 million worth of staples to the flood-relief effort that is helping communities in 40 provinces and made available Bt25 million to support its staff who were affected by the flood.

Despite the crisis, the company hopes that business will return to normal. It is also continuing its expansion plan including opening stores, converting more hypermarkets to the "Extra" format and launching Asia's first "zero carbon" store in Chon Buri's Bangpra, Sri Racha, later this year.

-- The Nation 2011-11-03

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Thai officials hope to sell water-management plan to foreign insurers

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No radiation contamination, chemical leak from flooded installations: Thailand

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Tide Prediction Bangkok, 3 Nov

Source: http://easytide.ukho.gov.uk/EASYTIDE/EasyTide/ShowPrediction.aspx?PortID=6883&PredictionLength=7

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RT @RichardBarrow: Wall Street Journal apologizes for mislabeling pics of flooded airplanes. Suvarnabhumi is NOT flooded

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AFP:US jury finds Russian 'merchant of death' guilty

VIKTOR BOUT

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BMA repairs watergate amid strong police presence

THANATPONG KHONGSAI,

ATAPOOM ONGKULNA,

PRAVIT ROJANAPHRUK

THE NATION

Bangkok Metropolitan Administration workers successfully repaired the Klong Sam Wa sluice gate yesterday afternoon, amid tight security provided by 400 police officers.

After the government order to raise the gate to 1 metre in the wake of a road blockage by angry residents, some of whom damaged the earth levee at the gate to release flood water from their communities, BMA workers repaired the damaged part, using wooden pillars, sandbags and 10 sheet plies.

BMA Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra said it had to be fixed quickly or the Ram Inthra and Ramkhamhaeng areas of the capital would be affected.

Saying the decision to raise the gate had been made by a committee of the national Flood Relief Operations Centre (FROC), he said the BMA would act accordingly and, if it had to be raised, then the Klong 8 and Klong 10 sluice gates should be slightly lowered.

He insisted the BMA had no dispute with the FROC. Sukhumbhand also visited Sammakorn Housing Estate, which found itself under metre-deep water after the Klong Sam Wa gate was raised.

The water level outside the sluice gate was at 1.89 metres above mean sea level, while the level inside was 1.25 metres, a source said.

First Army Region commander Lt-General Udomdetch Sitabutr in the late afternoon visited the Klong Sam Wa gate and, although expressing satisfaction about the progress made and management, said he was concerned about downstream Bang Chan Industrial Estate. It had no earth floodwall and was only protected by the sandbag barriers built by soldiers in the past two weeks.

He readied manpower to move important machinery from the estate should flood water reach factories and rise to 80 centimetres, and prepared for an evacuation if the water rose to 1 metre.

Meanwhile, about 300 police officers will continue guarding the Klong Sam Wa watergate around the clock to prevent any further destruction of the levee, or people clashing or blocking the road, said spokesman Pol Maj-General Piya Uthayo.

Police have also opened hotline 1599 for people to seek help and complain about theft or traffic being blocked, he said, adding that they would tow away any vehicles parked on expressways and overpasses and blocking traffic.

National police chief Pol General Priewpan Damapong yesterday received Bt1 million in flood aid from the Taiwan Association of Thailand. Khon Kaen Provincial Police gave 25 fibreglass boats, 200 sets of goods and 200 blankets to flood-hit areas, and Chor Heng Noodle factory donated two boats for police use in helping victims.

Interior Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit said the Klong Sam Wa sluice-gate dispute would not spiral out of control, because people did not intend to harm one another and were merely concerned about the flooding.

He said it was necessary for them to talk to one another, and added that the prime minister had assigned him to meet with Klong Sam Wa residents.

Min Buri MP Wicharn Minchainan urged the BMA governor to talk with Klong Sam Wa residents, as no agency had explained the problems concerning the water level and direction to them.

The sluice gate's opening to 1 metre should not greatly affect those behind the gate, especially those in Bang Chan Industrial Estate, he said.

Wicharn urged the BMA to investigate the communities' alleged encroachment on canal banks, which affected water flow, especially along the Phra-ongchao, Chaiyanuchit and Premprachakorn canals.

Klong Sam Wa resident-cum-protester Sombat Samanna yesterday accused the government of trying to make residents living near the watergate scapegoats for the flood water that was spreading deeper into Bangkok.

Local residents had demanded that the height of the gate at Klong Sam Wa in the northeastern edge of the capital be opened, and the prime minister yielded on Monday afternoon after some skirmishes.

Despite this, protesters dug up a metre-wide channel next to the gate to allow more flood water to be released towards inner Bangkok's Saen Saeb Canal.

By yesterday afternoon, the police and BMA officials decided to move in to fix the gate and fill in the dug-up channel after the BMA warned that leaving Klong Sam Wa sluice gate open could eventually lead to flooding all over the rest of Bangkok.

Sombat said local residents were not convinced that the spread of flood water in eastern Bangkok was the result of their gate being raised, and claimed that water was seeping into nearby areas, including Bang Chan Industrial Estate, from elsewhere.

-- The Nation 2011-11-03

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RT @AsifAAhmad: I am briefing in person and telephone conference with UK business & community organisations this morning on flood situation.

RT @RungthipThaiPBS: From Lak Si intersection to @ThaiPBS near Viphavadee 62 สภาพน้ำท่วมใกล้สถานีค่ะ http://yfrog.us/b68fghz

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Tourist Confusion Rampant, Say Thai Hoteliers

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Briton found guilty of murdering Thai wife for smashing his Star Wars Toys

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Dep Metropolitan Waterworks Authority says damage done to 17 spots of Prapa Canal flood barrier have been repaired. /TANN

Flood barrier along Prapa Canal will be raised by 80cm, request submitted for police & military's help to protect the barrier /TANN

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RT @tukky_nt: 8am: MRT (subway) operate as normal but some entrances-exits are closed. More info call 02624-5200 via @Thairath_News

RT @RichardBarrow: All main tourist attractions in Samut Prakan are open as normal. The floods haven't reached our area yet

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Singaporean news agency reported that Singaporean citizens advised to review plans to visit Bkk/relocate to flood safe areas. /TANN

RT @tukky_nt: 9.16am: PM inspects flooded area in DonMueang;distributing survival bags,dropping EM ball. TR @nnanews: http://yfrog.com/khj50gzj

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Satellite image of flooded areas around Bangkok

(click thumbnail to enlarge)

Source: http://www.gistda.or.th/gistda_n/