High Waves Strike Southern Provinces, Tourists Stranded On Island

[Lite Beer]

High waves strike southern provinces, tourists stranded on island

CHUMPHON, Dec 25 – High waves hit hundreds of houses in southern provinces with several dozen tourists stranded on an island in Chumphon.

Waves estimated at nearly four-metre struck the southern provinces of Chumpon and Surat Thani, prompting residents to evacuate.

Preecha Suweeranuwat, a sub-district head in Chumpon’s Lang Suan district mobilized volunteers to help about 200 households seriously damaged by waves.

Some people panicked, as such an incident has not happened in half a century. An initial survey found three houses destroyed by giant waves. Other houses are under water.

Acting Lang Suan district head Apinya Khondee evacuated local residents to seek shelter at the Laemtanod Temple.

Two other sub-districts in Lang Suan district were also hit by high waves. Up to 1,000 people have been affected.

Several dozen tourists have been left stranded on Phitak Island and cannot be connected so far, with no official reports of casualties thus far.

Meanwhile, in Surat Thani, Montri Phetkhum, chairman of the provincial administrative organization led officials with equipment to help seaside residents amidst heavy rainfall after several villages in seven districts were hit by more than 3 metre-high waves.

About 300 houses and shops were damaged. Unusual high tide, the highest in 30 years, was reported. The province evacuated local residents to safe areas, with no reports of casualties.

In Prachuap Khiri Khan’s Hua Hin district, two to four metre-high waves struck the coastline. Many shops and fishing boats docked behind a breakwater were damaged.

Khao Takieb village experienced unusually high tide. Seawater has flooded houses and roads as deep as 10-30 cm within Hua Hin municipality.

Villagers said the weather has fluctuated, as there is normally no strong wind or wave in December. Sea water has not risen to flood the areas for many years. (MCOT online

-- TNA 2011-12-25

[tlansford]

ouch !

We had some wind and rain on Koh Tao, but nothing like what happened in Chumpon.

[Lite Beer]

Thais evacuate after big wave hits village: official

BANGKOK, December 25, 2011 (AFP) - About one hundred people in southern Thailand were evacuated Sunday when a large wave flooded their coastal village, a local official said.

The three-to-four metre high wave inundated a shore on the Gulf of Thailand, causing floods of one metre deep in a village of Chumphon province, according to provincial governor Pinich Charoenpanich.

He said officials helped evacuate about a hundred people to a safe place further inland, and were expected to return home when the waters had subsided and the wind dropped. There were no casualties reported.

"This high wave would be normal for fisherman out at sea but this time it happened near the shore, so it caused flooding on the land," he told AFP.

The country was battered by an Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 that killed an estimated 5,400 people in Thailand alone.

The tsunami, triggered by an earthquake off the Indonesian island of Sumatra, sent giant waves crashing into countries around the Indian Ocean, killing more than 220,000 people.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2011-12-25

[Credo]

The second 50 year event. First the floods, which were the worst in 50 years and now waves that are the worst in 50 years.

[webfact]

Locals panic as menacing waves and winds lash some southern provinces

The Nation

High waves hit many seaside southern provinces yesterday, spreading panic among locals who were reminded of the 2004 deadly tsunami.

In Chumphon, waves ravaged hundreds of houses and strong winds uprooted many trees. Some local fishermen lost contact with others after sea conditions turned hostile.

Acting on behalf of Lang Suan district chief, senior assistant district officer Apinya Khondee ordered the evacuation of affected people.

Elsewhere, the big waves and strong winds also caused panic.

"I've never seen such big waves before," said Fon Yangnoi, a 60-year-old resident in Prachuap Khiri Khan's Sam Roi Yot district.

He was speaking after the waves, between two and four metres high, ravaged seaside restaurants and shops along the coastline.

"The waves were so high and the winds were so strong that they were frightening," Hua Hin Beach Shop Club chairwoman Somprapa Morakan said.

She said she had already instructed shop-owners to move their stuff out of their seaside structures as a precaution. "It has been forecast that the rough weather conditions will continue for a few more days," Somprapa said.

She said the shops would be closed until the weather conditions returned to normal. Her club has overseen shops stretching along the Hua Hin beach from the Hilton Hotel to the Sofitel Hotel.

Wanchai Iam-udom, a 62-year-old fisherman, was convinced that the waves were the highest in the province since Typhoon Gay hit more than two decades ago.

"It's dreadful because the waves have already broke three small fishing trawlers," he said.

Jim Daeng Restaurant owner Krissana Yoojan said the waves crashed onto the shore and damaged her place.

"The electrical appliances were submerged and ruined," she moaned.

The Meteorological Department had warned in advance that the sea would be rough in the Gulf of Thailand.

"We don't know why it has happened. Never before has seawater flooded our homes," Jirapat Poonsem said. He is a local resident of Khao Takiab Village in Prachuap Khiri Khan.

Local resorts have reported adverse impacts from the big waves, too.

Prachaup Khiri Khan Governor Weera Sriwattanatrakoon said he had already inspected the damage caused by the waves.

"People living along the 220km coastline in Prachuap Khiri Khan should be on alert and stay abreast of weather news," he said.

He warned tourists against playing in the sea. However, he said tourists could still come and visit the province as usual.

"We have an early-warning system in place," he said.

Pinnart Jarernphon, who heads the Tourism Authority of Thailand's Prachuap Khiri Khan branch, said the conditions would be rough for just a few days.

"There's no need to panic," she said. "It's just a natural phenomenon."

Fon of the Prachuap Khiri Khan, however, was really worried. "My parents told me Nature would punish human beings for damaging the natural environment. That's why we are seeing deadly disasters like flooding, earthquake and tsunami."

Locals in Nakhon Si Thammarat and Pattani also reported yesterday that high waves had been threatening their homes.

On December 26, 2004, giant tidal waves hit Thailand's coast for the first time, killing thousands of people and shocking the whole country.

Many events will take place today in the tsunami-hit provinces to commemorate that tragedy. A seminar on disaster-preparedness will be held in Phuket.

-- The Nation 2011-12-26

[haveaniceday]

The last time our road got wet from salt water was 30 years ago apparently. Most of the houses are damaged, only effect on me though is I don't like driving through salt water, and wave seeping through the floor boards on the veranda. Moved the beer fridge and all is fine now.

Edited December 26, 2011 by haveaniceday

[thailandshasse]

This are the result, as we don,t care about our earth !

Thanks to all pollution and more from us, and our travel, and car driving and industry.

It,s a shame about the climate meetings,who not get any result at all.

High wind and waves all around the year soon, and also.

Have experience from Thailands East Coast and Langkawi, as a sailor and can inform about these winds and storm,who appear soon all around the year.

[webfact]

Songkhla evacuates seaside residents in Ranot district as high waves pound shore

SONGKHLA, Dec 26 -- Authorities is this provincial seat have evacuated seaside residents in Ranot district as high waves continue pounding the shore, and the governor meets today to evaluate the situation and decide whether to announce six districts along the shoreline as disaster areas.

Governor Kritsada Boonrach inspected a village in Khlong Dan subdistrict after 2-3 metre waves smashed into 3 km of shore, forcing some 50 members of 20 households, mostly children and elders, to evacuate for a temporary stay at a nearby temple.

The evacuees could not stay at home and were unable to remove valuables in the rush to leave home.

Provincial authorities distributed relief packages and a medical team has been sent to attend to their health needs.

A two million baht budget will be allocated to help repair homes damaged by the waves.

The panicked villagers said the strong wind and high waves were the most severe in recent years, and it was also the third time this year.

The governor will chair a meeting of agencies concerned to evaluate the situation and decide whether to name six districts near the shore as disaster zones. Announcing disaster zones entitles emergency funds to be released.

The weather service warned that the ongoing northeast monsoon would cause scattered rainfall and isolated heavy rain in the lower South with waves 2-5 meters high in the Gulf of Thailand. Residents along the coast are warned of high waves. All ships should proceed with caution and small boats keep ashore in the next few days. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-12-26

[techboy]

This are the result, as we don,t care about our earth !

Thanks to all pollution and more from us, and our travel, and car driving and industry.

It,s a shame about the climate meetings,who not get any result at all.

High wind and waves all around the year soon, and also.

Have experience from Thailands East Coast and Langkawi, as a sailor and can inform about these winds and storm,who appear soon all around the year.

yi are rite. wee are all doomme diddie doomed bicaa baad peeplees!

[PaulHamon]

I lve between Cha-am and Hua Hin, 3-4 blocks of land (300m of vancant-ish beach front) next door have lost 2-3 metre to the ocean, smashed walls, old swimming pools and it's still eating away. The waves as crashing over the wall we've got for the condo building. First thing my wife said to me today, was look at the high water and massive waves.

[travelmann]

This are the result, as we don,t care about our earth !

Thanks to all pollution and more from us, and our travel, and car driving and industry.

It,s a shame about the climate meetings,who not get any result at all.

High wind and waves all around the year soon, and also.

Have experience from Thailands East Coast and Langkawi, as a sailor and can inform about these winds and storm,who appear soon all around the year.

Load of crap as usual its the global warming tripe, 50 years isnt even the blink of an eye for an event ( more non event) like this. Its windy and there are some big waves????? whats the problem you live near the sea expect this to happen occasionally.

It also give the papers tv something to bore us to death with also now the flooding has subsided, we can add it to the daily shows of blokes in white coats with medals?? being bored stiff at yet another ceremony.

Edited December 26, 2011 by travelmann

[Mosha]

A thaivisa member who is friend lives on the beach in Sawi Chumpon. I hope he's ok.

[finnomick1]

Well, I reckon it's a result of all that water pumped into the sea last month from Bangkok -- all those propellors pushing water out to sea. It's gotta come back somewhere and sometime....

[sbk]

I guess if its not your house, your friends or your family, it must be quite humorous. I, however, don't find alot of humor in it as we have many relatives that live in this area and our place, and our neighbors have all been affected.

[farangse]

not much to say about the weather, but i like your avatar mistress whiplash, who is that?

[elgato]

Moved the beer fridge and all is fine now.

I admire you for your bravery and unselfish actions during this crisis.

Edited December 26, 2011 by elgato

[QED]

This are the result, as we don,t care about our earth !

Thanks to all pollution and more from us, and our travel, and car driving and industry.

It,s a shame about the climate meetings,who not get any result at all.

High wind and waves all around the year soon, and also.

Have experience from Thailands East Coast and Langkawi, as a sailor and can inform about these winds and storm,who appear soon all around the year.

Load of crap as usual its the global warming tripe, 50 years isnt even the blink of an eye for an event ( more non event) like this. Its windy and there are some big waves????? whats the problem you live near the sea expect this to happen occasionally.

It also give the papers tv something to bore us to death with also now the flooding has subsided, we can add it to the daily shows of blokes in white coats with medals?? being bored stiff at yet another ceremony.

+1

Apparently Thailand will not be affected by global warming, as we are too far away from the melting ice caps

[Wombat6]

A thaivisa member who is friend lives on the beach in Sawi Chumpon. I hope he's ok.

He will get a wet bum if he stays on the beach Suggest he moves to Higher ground and ask him to get a phone so that you can check on him

[SICHONSTEVE]

This are the result, as we don,t care about our earth !

Thanks to all pollution and more from us, and our travel, and car driving and industry.

It,s a shame about the climate meetings,who not get any result at all.

High wind and waves all around the year soon, and also.

Have experience from Thailands East Coast and Langkawi, as a sailor and can inform about these winds and storm,who appear soon all around the year.

Load of crap as usual its the global warming tripe, 50 years isnt even the blink of an eye for an event ( more non event) like this. Its windy and there are some big waves????? whats the problem you live near the sea expect this to happen occasionally.

It also give the papers tv something to bore us to death with also now the flooding has subsided, we can add it to the daily shows of blokes in white coats with medals?? being bored stiff at yet another ceremony.

I think that the crap you refer to is emanating from your fingers touching the keyboard - I suppose you think the world is round and the holocaust never happened!!!!!

[chrisinth]

This are the result, as we don,t care about our earth !

Thanks to all pollution and more from us, and our travel, and car driving and industry.

It,s a shame about the climate meetings,who not get any result at all.

High wind and waves all around the year soon, and also.

Have experience from Thailands East Coast and Langkawi, as a sailor and can inform about these winds and storm,who appear soon all around the year.

Get A grip! It is a storm, nothing more! I spent 23 years at sea and sh*t happens; stop speculating.

[techboy]

This are the result, as we don,t care about our earth !

Thanks to all pollution and more from us, and our travel, and car driving and industry.

It,s a shame about the climate meetings,who not get any result at all.

High wind and waves all around the year soon, and also.

Have experience from Thailands East Coast and Langkawi, as a sailor and can inform about these winds and storm,who appear soon all around the year.

Load of crap as usual its the global warming tripe, 50 years isnt even the blink of an eye for an event ( more non event) like this. Its windy and there are some big waves????? whats the problem you live near the sea expect this to happen occasionally.

It also give the papers tv something to bore us to death with also now the flooding has subsided, we can add it to the daily shows of blokes in white coats with medals?? being bored stiff at yet another ceremony.

Hey dis-member. Too bad that there is not a "right-on" icon in the selection.

[webfact]

NAKHON SI THAMMARAT

Local residents and houses hit by unusually high waves

The Nation

Villagers of two villages in Nakhon Si Thammarat's Pak Panang district decided to dismantle their houses and move to a new location after high waves hit the site and destroyed some neighbouring houses.

They are now considering assembling their residences in a nearby protected forest although they are well aware that this is illegal. They said they have no choice and they would stay only on a temporary basis.

The high waves hit many seaside southern provinces on Sunday, spreading panic among locals who were reminded of the 2004 deadly tsunami.

The unusual weather event occurred just one day before the seventh anniversary of the tsunami, the giant tidal waves that hit Thailand’s coast in 2004 killing thousands of people and shocking the whole country.

Nakhon Si Thammarat is among the provinces that were hit by the high waves. The others were Chumphon, Phetchaburi, Prachuab Khiri Khan and Songkhla.

Local residents in Nakhon Si Thammarat were still in a state of panic on Monday as the wind remained strong and the waves high.

This morning, residents were seen jointly dismantling and moving their houses to higher ground. Some of the houses were damaged by the high waves.

Provincial officials and the army deployed their personnel to help with the move.

Saravuth Plaiduang of Laem Talumplug precinct said that he decided to dismantle his house as a preventive measure.

Some residents earlier refused to move their houses, not believing that they would hit by the high currents. Their houses were totally destroyed, he said.

"With nowhere to stay, some homeless residents decided to erect their houses in a protected forest near the area. Saravuth said they knew that it would be illegal to do so but they had no choice."

-- The Nation 2011-12-26

[michemiche]

[sirchai]

This are the result, as we don,t care about our earth !

Thanks to all pollution and more from us, and our travel, and car driving and industry.

It,s a shame about the climate meetings,who not get any result at all.

High wind and waves all around the year soon, and also.

Have experience from Thailands East Coast and Langkawi, as a sailor and can inform about these winds and storm,who appear soon all around the year.

Don't you think that you also created some pollution? Climate has and will always change. The Global Warming has become a big industry nowadays. The ice at the North Pole has melted a long time ago and even Polar bears survived.

I guess you also like to drive a car, motorcycle, or on your ship to make money, or? I believe that not the "little man" is causing pollution, the big money maker do not care. Cheers-

[peter48]

Looks like some people here are burying their heads in the sand ( even though its quite wet).

Fact, global temperatures are increasing, the ice caps are melting at a worrying and recently increasing rates and all this is in the scientific domain. All national governments went to Durban recently to come up with further ways to reduce man-made emissions which are affecting our systems. Respectfully, I would hope most people here are of sufficient education to recognise this ongoing problem or else why do we have all those specialists in all our universities across the globe researching these problems. I believe too these global changes are/ will affect the hotter regions of the world first because temperature increase has greater effect in places like far east rather than western Europe. Of course Thailand's problems this year could be a very big blip but I think its worth going with the scientists too.

Edited December 26, 2011 by peter48

[metisdead]

Nonsense posts and associated replies have been removed.

[Mosha]

It seems the waves may be localised. Sawi was unscathed. Which is good as another friend's house was only 1/2 metre above sea level.

[robblok]

I guess if its not your house, your friends or your family, it must be quite humorous. I, however, don't find alot of humor in it as we have many relatives that live in this area and our place, and our neighbors have all been affected.

That is the thing same as with the floods the people who were not hit by them did not understand the people who were hit by them. (not all) its hard to imagine unless you live through it. I hope that it will be all over soon.

OT

As for the people contributing it to global warming, there were other hot periods before. Its not said that we all cause this. Even if we do do you think that China will care.. or the USA for that matter. It might be connected it might not be but now every time something happens you call it global warming. Its big business.

[RickBradford]

Fact, global temperatures are increasing,

And have been for 150 years, as we rebound from the Little Ice Age.

the ice caps are melting at a worrying and recently increasing rates

That is simply untrue. The Arctic ice extent is low, but it has been lower in the past; the Antarctic extent is high, but has been higher.

All national governments went to Durban recently to come up with further ways to reduce man-made emissions which are affecting our systems.

So what? The fact that they went there is meaningless in itself. Possibly relevant is the fact that the similar Copenhagen meeting in 2009 hosted over 100 heads of state, while at Durban, there were 16.

Respectfully, I would hope most people here are of sufficient education to recognise this ongoing problem or else why do we have all those specialists in all our universities across the globe researching these problems.

Some would say that the bigger ongoing problem is all those specialists in all our universities across the globe having researched this issue for 20 years at a cost of hundreds of billions of dollars, and still can't make a prediction that stands up to real conditions.

I believe too these global changes are/ will affect the hotter regions of the world first because temperature increase has greater effect in places like far east rather than western Europe.

You may be right, but the scientists you place such faith in insist that the polar regions will feel greater effects.

[metisdead]

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