Bangkok Prepares For Possible Flood

[lubbkis]

Here in Sathorn, I'm being seriously inconvenienced as flood drainage is being improved and "my" soi has become one-way most of the week. The puppet girl cannot control the weather and obvious efforts are being made to cater for eventualities. As an ex-ex-pat tourist I can spot whinging as the normal expat mode of utterance. Give it a break.

[pointoffew]

That's impossible. Yingluck "promised" there would be no flooding this year.

Thats right and an article came out about 5 days ago that they were preparing for a severe drought this year. I am totally confused which one can we expect. Coats on coats off, ah bugger it, I will take my chances if my right knee plays up then it will be flooding.

The weather is patchy. We have had about 25 cm a day for 2 1/2 weeks. T'other side of the peninsula, they are have to water their rubber trees.

Love how people can exaggerate to the extent they make themselves ridiculous. "25 cm a day for 2 1/2 weeks" LOL. Extremely rarely does any place in Thailand receive 250mm within 24 hours, let alone for 2 1/2 weeks. But you got your name out,perhaps that's what it was all about.

As for the drought: Nakhon Ratchasima is suffering severe drought. But that is unlikely to have much impact on the situation in BKK.

[maxwellreid]

One in 50 chances of a flood in any one year, is no reason why you cannot have consecutive years with floods

Edited August 27, 2012 by maxwellreid

[OzMick]

I've just been watching on the Thai News (Channel 3) how Issan is experiencing drought conditions and this years rice crop could be severely effected. The water levels in the Dam's are down.....

The absolutely ridiculous aspect of the flooding paranoia is that there are so many different agencies, power players and experts who's opinions differ so dramatically it creates a farce out of what for many could be economically crushing - drought or flood.

It really is a shame - There should be one agency to handle this and distribute factually accurate information.

Channel 3 is wrong. Even if there is a very extensive and debilitating drought this year, Thailand will still have a bumper crop. The Rice Pledging Scam guarantees it.

[manarak]

The guy on the picture looks like a Thai version of William Shatner.

[Khonper]

The only flood this year will be caused by the continuing flow of BS from politicians mouths.

Or from TV members,

[DaamNaam]

That's impossible. Yingluck "promised" there would be no flooding this year.

You win today's prize for most original comment. Well done. Your prize is a course in English Comprehension. I hope you enjoy it. Once again, well done.

Blow me, the grammar (grandma) police are out in force. Sorry I'm not one of you TEFL underpaid English teachers. I am however a highly paid offshore worker who couldn't give a toss what you think of my "comprehension"...

[DaamNaam]

That's impossible. Yingluck "promised" there would be no flooding this year.

Yes, and as I said at the time ... that promise was "based upon what"..?

Delusions of grandeur.

[otherstuff1957]

Here is a map showing the departure from normal for this year's rainfall from Jan 1 to August 26. As you can see, we've had much more rainfall than usual in the south - up to 30cm more in many areas. We've also had more than the normal amount of rainfall along the Thai-Burmese border. However, much of central and eastern Thailand has had less rainfall than normal!

So, unless things change dramatically in the next two months, we probably will have little or no flooding in the north and west, and will probably have a drought in Issan.

[fxe1200]

That's impossible. Yingluck "promised" there would be no flooding this year.

Yes, and as I said at the time ... that promise was "based upon what"..?

Yingluck called me up lateley, and I gave her the answer from what I could see in my crystal ball.

[Deadline]

There is no lie. No flooding this year. Flood defences being upgraded in case of flooding in future years. Pretty simple really.

So Yingluck saying a few days ago that there might be flooding was the lie then?

Figure it out for your self. She is a clone of Thaksin.

Flooding is a sad facet of reality. You can't blame any particular politician for natural disasters. Its a collective problem of irresponsible people in society not thinking about the future, its a buddhist mindset........

[HUAHIN62]

When reading comments here I wonder why people complain that the Thai education system don't teach students analytical skills, because it's obvious that it's lacking in other countries too.

To answer a few misconspections of those who read nothing more than their own comments on this website and don't venture out of their local bar.

The Agricultural sector contributes 13,3% to Thailands GDP and rice is between 40% and 50% of that - 5% to 6% of GDP. Approximately 2 mil rai is at present effected by drought, but this could change if rainfall improves during the rest of the raining season. The rainfall in the major dams catchment areas are normal, but below the dams the rainfall have been below average. The government instructed the dams to be emptied to about 45% of capacity to allow storage of flood water from the north and north east. The emptying of the dams started in March this year and was completed in May. Off course something the previous government neglected to do last year and which contributed to the flooding in Bangkok. The dams have sufficient water in them and are letting water out to alleviate the drought conditions downstream, they can however not continue to do that as then they may run out of water during the dry season.

If you want to check if a flood is on it's way goto NASA's website and compare last year Septembers satelite pictures with the present ones. But this being Thailand two tropical storms after each other can change everything and thus they must prepare downstream for any possible flooding.

[sjjmmi]

That's impossible. Yingluck "promised" there would be no flooding this year.

You win today's prize for most original comment. Well done. Your prize is a course in English Comprehension. I hope you enjoy it. Once again, well done.

Blow me, the grammar (grandma) police are out in force. Sorry I'm not one of you TEFL underpaid English teachers. I am however a highly paid offshore worker who couldn't give a toss what you think of my "comprehension"...

+1

[fareastguy]

There is no lie. No flooding this year. Flood defences being upgraded in case of flooding in future years. Pretty simple really.

So Yingluck saying a few days ago that there might be flooding was the lie then?

Figure it out for your self. She is a clone of Thaksin.

Flooding is a sad facet of reality. You can't blame any particular politician for natural disasters. Its a collective problem of irresponsible people in society not thinking about the future, its a buddhist mindset........

You can blame politicians for not taking notice of global warming, rising water levels & the inevitable fact that BKK is sinking & will be under water within 50 years..

Don't patch up the holes in the wall now, plan for a new Capital on higher ground!!

[Thai at Heart]

That's impossible. Yingluck "promised" there would be no flooding this year.

Yes, and as I said at the time ... that promise was "based upon what"..?

Based on the fact that last years flood was a once-0in-50-years occurrence and that flood prevention work has been carried out.

I hope the one in a hundred year flood isn't overdue yet........... When was the last one in 25?

[starkey_rich]

That's impossible. Yingluck "promised" there would be no flooding this year.

Ah! That was just a "White Lie" a noble lie to make the people feel good.

[DaamNaam]

The Thai's don't do prevention well at all (if at all), they are masters at the use of band aids (albeit cheap non stick ones). Moving the capital is of utmost importance, but they'll wait until it's too late. The capital of Lanna was moved due to serious flooding 700 plus years ago, sad they they haven't learnt anything from their past.

[masterbiker49]

That's impossible. Yingluck "promised" there would be no flooding this year.

+ 1 U beat me 2 it.

[siampreggers]

There is a drought in much of the country, and whilst not having looked at the rain stats for the North, it is obvious that normality has returned in comparison with last year when the rain was 50% above average from March onwards.

If they manage to create a flood, that really would an amazingly incompetent achievement.

Let's hope they cut down on boat traffic in the harbour as not to push the water back up into the river.

[asiawatcher]

They are both politicians, they both lied.

[DaamNaam]

The only flood this year will be caused by the continuing flow of BS from politicians mouths.

Touche.

[FOODLOVER]

The sky is falling.

[Moruya]

That's impossible. Yingluck "promised" there would be no flooding this year.

You win today's prize for most original comment. Well done. Your prize is a course in English Comprehension. I hope you enjoy it. Once again, well done.

Blow me, the grammar (grandma) police are out in force. Sorry I'm not one of you TEFL underpaid English teachers. I am however a highly paid offshore worker who couldn't give a toss what you think of my "comprehension"...

Calm down, get your BOP under control and count to 10

[animatic]

You can't be accused of lying if you don't understand the facts

and only say what you THINK you know, which is

completely and utterly incorrect.

Of course with this being a government,

that makes it all alright.

Edited August 27, 2012 by animatic

[bigbamboo]

That's impossible. Yingluck "promised" there would be no flooding this year.

You win today's prize for most original comment. Well done. Your prize is a course in English Comprehension. I hope you enjoy it. Once again, well done.

Blow me, the grammar (grandma) police are out in force. Sorry I'm not one of you TEFL underpaid English teachers. I am however a highly paid offshore worker who couldn't give a toss what you think of my "comprehension"...

He runs a jet ski operation!

[culicine]

There is a drought in much of the country, and whilst not having looked at the rain stats for the North, it is obvious that normality has returned in comparison with last year when the rain was 50% above average from March onwards.

If they manage to create a flood, that really would an amazingly incompetent achievement.

And dams are running at 50% or less full, as must of the rainfall has been below the dams. Indeed must of the country is in a so-called 'drought', and farmers have been told to hold off their dry season crops in case there is not enough water.

Despite this, near my village they are building retaining walls at the underpasses (low areas prone to flooding). In these areas water levels are still very low in comparison to last year.

[Baerboxer]

There won't be widescale flooding this year. There will always be some local flooding somewhere in Thailand. For the pedantic among you, Yinluck was referring to widescale flooding, and she is correct in what she said.

ermm.. and how the <deleted> would u know?

Perhaps he writes Yingluck's scripts! He seems to know what she "really" means when she speaks.

[Baerboxer]

There won't be widescale flooding this year. There will always be some local flooding somewhere in Thailand. For the pedantic among you, Yinluck was referring to widescale flooding, and she is correct in what she said.

ermm.. and how the <deleted> would u know?

Perhaps he writes Yingluck's scripts! He seems to know what she "really" means when she speaks.

[DaamNaam]

That's impossible. Yingluck "promised" there would be no flooding this year.

You win today's prize for most original comment. Well done. Your prize is a course in English Comprehension. I hope you enjoy it. Once again, well done.

Blow me, the grammar (grandma) police are out in force. Sorry I'm not one of you TEFL underpaid English teachers. I am however a highly paid offshore worker who couldn't give a toss what you think of my "comprehension"...

Calm down, get your BOP under control and count to 10

lol.

[DaamNaam]

That's impossible. Yingluck "promised" there would be no flooding this year.

You win today's prize for most original comment. Well done. Your prize is a course in English Comprehension. I hope you enjoy it. Once again, well done.

Blow me, the grammar (grandma) police are out in force. Sorry I'm not one of you TEFL underpaid English teachers. I am however a highly paid offshore worker who couldn't give a toss what you think of my "comprehension"...

He runs a jet ski operation!

So the TEFL was just to fill in the gaps during low season?