Thailand Live Saturday 5 Nov 2011

[webfact]

RT @RichardBarrow: Looking down on Khlong Prem Prison you can see how much it is flooded. Inside is dry http://bit.ly/tGfpVc

[webfact]

RT @tukky_nt: 1.40pm: Flood in Nakhon Sawan gradually recedes; rds resumes to normal; 8 districts still inundated TR @GCC_1111

[webfact]

All about water @Porpich

Naam Khaang = dew, Naam Khaang Khaeng = frost, Naam Jim = dipping sauce, Naam Tok = waterfall ☺ #AllAboutWater

Naam Ga-thi = coconut cream, Naam Ma-phrao = coconut milk, Naam Taa = tear (from eyes), Naam Khaeng = ice ☺ #AllAboutWater

Naam Ta-lay = sea water, Naam Noon = sea tide, Mae Naam = river, Hong Naam = bathroom/toilet room ☺ #AllAboutWater

Naam = water, Naam Tuam = flood, Ra-baai Naam = to drainage, Naam Khuen = high tide, Naam Long = low tide ☺ #AllAboutWater

Aab Naam = to take a bath/shower, Duem Naam = to drink water, Roong Gin Naam = rainbow, Naam Jai = kindness ☺ #AllAboutWater

Naam Tarn = sugar/brown color, Naam Tarn Gorn = sugar cube, Naam Tarn Saai = granulated sugar ☺ #AllAboutWater

Naam Tarn Sod = palm juice, Naam Taa Thian = candle dripping, Naam Ning Lai Luek = still water runs deep ☺ #AllAboutWater

Naam Man Phued = vegetable oil, Naam Man Moo = lard, Naam Moog = nasal mucus, Naam Won = whirlpool ☺ #AllAboutWater

Naam Som = orange juice, Naam Som Saai Choo = vinegar, Naam Nak = weight, Naam Horm = perfume ☺ #AllAboutWater

Naam Waan = sweet drink, Naam Ad Lom = carbonated drink, Naam Gluar = seline solution, Naam Ngern = navy blue ☺ #AllAboutWater

Naam Chuam = syrup, Naam Tao Hoo = soy milk, Naam Nao = polluted water, Naam Rae = mineral water ☺ #AllAboutWater

[webfact]

Flood Death Toll Rises to 446

As of today, the flooding crisis has claimed 446 lives with two still missing. Over 3.1 million residents in 25 provinces have been affected.

-- Tan Network 2011-11-05

[webfact]

'Big Bag' barrier to stem northern overflow to capital completed

Follow this link:

[webfact]

PM vows not be disheartened while fighting floods

NAKHON SAWAN, Nov 5 -- A teary-eyed Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Saturday told flood victims in Nakhon Sawan that she would not be disheartened in fighting against the flood because she received moral support from the public.

Nakhon Sawan province was announced it would be used as model for rehabilitation.

Ms Yingluck visited Nakhon Sawan, which earlier suffered deep flooding and where the water level had gradually receded.

She told the residents of Nakhon Sawan that the flood crisis during the past two months has made people stronger and the province has showed a united community in fighting the flood.

She said rehabilitation of the province would be finished within 45 days after the people had been suffering from the flood for a long period.

Nakhon Sawan Governor Chairoj Meedaeng told the premier that 34,125 households were given Bt5,000 as compensation.

He said that under the rehabilitation plan, the province would clean up the city and repair damaged homes within 30 days, the agriculture sector would begin new plantings this month while other sectors including industrial and tourism could operate normally within 45 days.

He said that infrastructure reconstruction - including roads, bridges, schools, temples and government offices - would take 15 days to complete.

The premier has visited areas severely affected by the flood since Oct 13, with some areas under 3-4 metres of water.

She also cooked lunch for a number of flood victims. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-11-05

[webfact]

RT @RichardBarrow: 3:32pm Tracks south of Bang Khen Station seem dry but roads either side flooded http://bit.ly/uq8vkr

Those who park on the ground Fl of Fashion Island (laan din) - move your cars immediately as water keeps rising. via @rawangpai

[webfact]

Lad Prao Road closed to traffic from Soi 1 to the Chokchai 4 intersection /TANN

[webfact]

RT @RichardBarrow: 4:05pm No sign of any flooding around Mo Chit 2 bus terminal http://bit.ly/t9sDQb

[webfact]

BMA issues evacuation announcement for Bangkok Yai, Phasi Charoen residents

BANGKOK, Nov 5 - Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) announced residents in the capital's districts of Bangkok Yai and Phasi Charoen in the western part to evacuate, while Din Daeng district is now under close watch.

Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra said the amount of water in the west continues to increase and expands to other areas. Bangkok Yai district covers Charansanitwong soi 13 and Tha Phra, while Phasi Charoen district includes Klong Kwang, Bang Duan, Bang Waeg and Bangchak.

Regarding other parts of the city, the governor said floodwaters from Viphavadi-Rangsit Rd, which has already submerged Lat Phrao five-way intersection, might flow into Din Daeng, Victory Monument and Saphan Khwai, as Bang Sue Canal located in that area is already at full capacity.

BMA announced that Bang Sue Canal Community, Yu Charoen Village at Inthamara soi 41, and Yu Charoen Village Project 3 in Din Daeng district are to monitor the flood situation closely.

Mr Sukhumbhand said the water level in main canals of Bangkok have remained steady or increased by 1 cm, while the height of Chao Phraya River is at 2.20 metres above mean sea level.

Meanwhile, the water level in eastern part of Bangkok was increasing daily by 5 cm, the governor said, while adding if nothing is managed, more problems will arise.

He said he will assign BMA's City Clerk to issue letters to the Flood Relief Operation Centre (FROC) so it can request the Royal Irrigation Department release water via Bangkok's eastern part to the Bang Pakong River.

However, the governor said Royal Irrigation Department's drainage facilities have not worked at full capacity at Nong Chok water sluice gate, as some water pumps have not functioned properly.

If within 48 hours, the water situation on this side of the city has not improved, BMA will reconsider solutions to remedying floodwaters there. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-11-05

[webfact]

50-60 cm of Water Seen at Lad Prao Intersection

Flood water at the Lad Prao Intersection continues to rise. Water has flowed onto the inbound lanes of Paholyothin Road in front of the Thai Military Bank’s headquarters. Floods are flowing past the Mor Chit MRT Station and are heading towards the Paphan Kwai area.

On the direction of outbound Paholyothin Road, flooding is seen at sidewalk-level behind the Jatujak Weekend Market. Water levels in Paholyothing Soi 18 is around 30-40 cm.

As for Vipavadee Rangsit Road at 3 P.M. today, reports from Thai media indicate that flooding has decreased significantly in the area in front of the Thai Rath Newspaper. Reports say officials of Jatujak District have rapidly drained water out through the 5 and 6 pump stations of Bang Sue Canal.

-- Tan Network 2011-11-05

[webfact]

Flood water reaches Civil Aviation Training Center on Paholyothing Rd as vendors at Jatujak Weekend Market start packing up merchandise/TANN

[webfact]

AFP: Myanmar clears path for Suu Kyi's return to politics

Follow this link:

[Lite Beer]

Expert Seri: Rama 2, Bang Bon and Krathumban are next destinations of floodwater on the West side of BKK. #Thaifloodeng #ThaiPBS/via@veen_NT

Expert Seri: It will take 3-4 days for water to reach Rama 2 and then Bangbon and Samutsakorn's krathumban. #Thaifloodeng. #thaiPBS/via@veen_NT

Expert Seri: Bang Sue canal is to dictate the flow of water along Ratchada Rd. /via@veen_NT

Expert Dr Seri:Bang Sue canal should speed up pumping water out/ Vic Monument at risk/ predicted: 3-4 days water reaches Rama II ~@Neaw_NBC/via@ASEAN_NEWSROOM

Expert Seri: "Big bag" surely helps slow it down but BKK will have to deal with at least 550 M3 (330 from W. and 150 from E.) /via@veen_NT

Expert Seri: Floodwater will eventually reach Victory Monument but no specific time frame. (nothing changed from y'day) /via@veen_NT

[Lite Beer]

Friends of The Nation

Central Plaza Latphrao is unundated on Nov 4. It is among shopping malls which have to close doors due to the flooding. On the day, Fashion Island Ram Indra closed at 5pm, with plan to close indefinitely from Nov 5.

[Lite Beer]

Friends of The Nation

Military provides shuttle service

Military trucks are being used to shuttle passengers along the following routes in areas where city buses have stopped services due to flooding: Don Muang-Lak Si (7 am-10 pm); Lat Krabang-Nong Chok-Min Buri (6 am-10 pm and 3.30 pm-7 pm); Buddha Monthol-Nakhon Pathom (7 am-10 pm); Thanya Buri-Pathum Thani (8 am-6 pm); and the Vibhavadi highway from the National Memorial Monument to Ratchayothin intersection (8 am-6 pm

[Lite Beer]

Thai PM Says Flooding in Bangkok's Center Will Be Minor

Residents travel on a boat as a bus drives on a flooded street in Bangkok, Thailand, November 5, 2011.

Thailand's prime minister assured the residents of Bangkok Saturday that flooding in the capital's center would be minor and brief.

In her weekly radio address, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said a barrier of huge sandbags had been completed and drainage systems would keep the city's economic and political center mostly dry.

Bangkok residents have been doing what they can to fight the floodwaters, piling sandbags outside their homes and businesses. They have also stocked up on supplies. Many supermarket shelves are empty, while some stores are rationing bottled water and other essentials.

Some parts of the capital continued to experience considerable flooding.

Solid predictions are difficult, because various government officials - including the prime minister, disaster officials and Bangkok governor - have given often widely different versions of what city residents can expect.

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/Thai-PM-Says-Flooding-in-Bangkoks-Center-Will-Be-Minor-133290808.html

[Lite Beer]

Expert View: “Big Bag Barrier” Will Slow It Down, But Won’t Stop It

UPDATE : 5 November 2011

Seree Supharatid, director of the Disaster Warning Centre at Rangsit University, made his daily appearance on Thai PBS this evening, saying that the government’s big bag barrier near the Rangsit Canal can merely slow down the northern runoff, but will not solve Bangkok’s flooding situation completely.

However, the flood expert did admit that construction of the barrier has already resulted in a three centimeter drop in water levels in affected areas.

He went on to say that the capital still has around 550 million cubic meters of water to deal with, around 150 million cubic meters east of the Chao Phraya River.

The flood expert speculated that flood water will continue to move south and eventually reach the Victory Monument. However, he said Din Dang District will be spared because it is located on elevated patch of land. Seree said Rajthewee District is at risk, but stopped short of saying whether or not the area will be hit. He also urged Bangkok Metropolitan Administration officials to speed up pumping in the Bang Sue Canal as some flood water has begun to drain into the waterway.

On the west side of the Chao Phraya River, the flood expert said the flood water will reach Rama 2 Road in a few days. After overtaking the main highway, the water will move on to Bang Bon District and the Krathumban area in Samut Sakorn Province.

-- Tan Network 2011-11-05

[Lite Beer]

FROC to Import 60 Water Pumps

UPDATE : 5 November 2011

The Flood Relief Operation Center is preparing to procure 60 water pumps from Korea and Japan to help with water drainage in the capital. Earlier today, the Bangkok governor had revealed that the BMA has made several requests for additional water pumps from FROC and expected to receive the requested assistance within 48 hours.

-- Tan Network 2011-11-05

[Lite Beer]

"@GCC_1111: 6.05pm Flood at Ratchayothin Intersection 1m high, driving evacuation/via@Biz-TheNation

FROC; residents in DinDaeng and inner areas must stay alert, while FROC does it best to prevent floods/via@Biz-TheNation

FROC: Rama II still passable. 100000 sandbags deployed to resuscitate Highway 304 - as backup route to South/via@Biz-TheNation

FROC: all outbound expressways waive tolls until Nov 14/via@Biz-TheNation

[Lite Beer]

During the flood, 127 ppl were bitten by snakes;17 by cobra, 53 by green pit viper : Public Health Ministry TR @satien_nna #thaifloodeng/via@tonravee

[Lite Beer]

Public Health M. reports (July 25-now) 113,938 ppl under stress; 7,132 depressed and 1,096 likely to commit suicide. via @tonravee

[Lite Beer]

FROC Press Briefing November 5, 2011

The spokesperson of the Flood Relief Operation Center started off this evening’s press briefing by admitting that Bangkok is experiencing widespread flooding. However, the water levels seen in these past couple of days are lower than water levels experienced during the first phase of flooding in northern Bangkok.

Thongthong Chantarangsu stressed that FROC is in close cooperation with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration in dealing with the flood crisis. Addressing the BMA’s request for 60 high powered water pumps, the FROC spokesperson said officials spent the day contacting all provinces which have not been hit by floods. They were able to gain access to 10 water pumps. The remainder will have to be procured from foreign manufacturers in Japan and Korea. He said those would arrive within four to five days.

In addition, Thongthong extended the procurement to Thailand’s private sector saying that any private entity in possession of high powered water pumps should contact FROC. The government is willing to buy, rent, or borrow such pumps as soon as possible.

The spokesman confirmed the completion of the big bag barrier along the Rangsit Canal in northern Bangkok. Less runoff will now flow into the city. Flood water south of the barrier will be pumped into the Prem Prachakorn Canal.

He reassured residents living north of the barrier that authorities are not ignoring them and will continue to drain flood water into nearby canals and waterways. Thongthong pleaded with locals not to damage or try to destroy flood barriers, urging them to think of the greater good.

As for the situation in Klong 8-10 where residents were protesting since last night to pressure authorities to open sluice gates, Thongthong confirmed that an agreement has been reached. The Klong 8 and 10 sluice gates will remain closed. Only the Klong 9 gate will be opened.

The FROC spokesperson repeated earlier warnings from the BMA for Din Daeng District residents to be on alert. He cautioned residents in all districts to remain vigilant of the situation.

Speaking on the situation in the west of Bangkok, Thongthong stressed that although Rama 2 Road remains unaffected by the flooding, officials of the Transport Ministry, in cooperation with the Army and the BMA, will use 100,000 sandbags to salvage Highway 304. Once the operation is complete, Highway 304 will serve as an alternative route for commuters travelling to southern Thailand should the flood waters overtake Rama 2 Road.

Touching briefly on exempted toll way fees, the FROC spokesman said that the Expressway Authority of Thailand has exempted all expressways fees leading out of the city. However, inner expressways continue to collect toll as usual.

-- Tan Network 2011-11-05

[Lite Beer]

Image of a 7-meter snake found in front of FROC today

Today at the Flood Relief Operation Center, officials found a 7-meter snake in front of the Energy Ministry Complex. Construction workers were busy paving an elevated entrance into the complex when they came across the snake. Authorities captured the snake and will release it back into the wild.

-- Tan Network 2011-11-05