Now when that water gets down stream. What happens to Bangkok? I distinctly remember a piece in The Nation posted on TV News forum last year. A government minister said if Bangkok floods next year, we deserve to be kicked out.

You might have misunderstood, those were 'campaign only' promises

No more flooding, no more drought

"Away! ... Go Away, Ocean! ... I'm Magon, the Basilius! ... Obey! ... Help, men!"

From the comics "Blake and Mortimer - The Mystery of Atlantis"

Naaaah......They dont need him.........They've got King Canute on standby!

They mus have reas this cartoon in the Nation a while back.

Apart from the hilarious officials CMA quote about 90% readiness, seems perfectly sensible stuff to me (having worked through my initial inbuilt TV-trained scornful reaction).

Duplicate deleted

Edited September 6, 201213 yr by SantiSuk

So what happens to all the build up water that was released from the dams if the test is stopped?

Do they tell it to go back to the dams?

Much of the comic effect we see in these news reports is (IMO) due largely to inept or unskilled translation into English. Admittedly Thailand has been suffering floods for several years and in Bangkok they coped with those events on ad hoc basis year after year with, as they say, fortune favouring the brave and no major disaster happening - until last year when the city submerged neck deep, yet managed to protect its most vital tourist hubs. Therefore we should (IMO) be looking at the current flood management efforts as the authorities' first baby steps to evolving a long term solution. As in everything else, there will of course be some failed attempts, some successes. But find a better way, they will.

I don't accept that Thais are inept at or incapable of handling their affairs as most ridiculing posts here make out. Bangkok is one of the Third World's most successful cities. In terms of tourism it is one of the entire world's most successful. Infrastructure is efficiently run and managed and is of a very high class, in spite of the many deprecating, deriding comments you would read. I would give them more time to get a grip on their problems in their own way. Given that this is a modern city equipped with so many modern systems and run on modern technology, we just need to realise that the Thais would prefer to employ modern solutions to flood management in their own way to suit their numerous pulls and pressures. Just as anywhere else in the world.

Edited September 6, 201213 yr by HereIAm

Much of the comic effect we see in these news reports is (IMO) due largely to inept or unskilled translation into English. Admittedly Thailand has been suffering floods for several years and in Bangkok they coped with those events on ad hoc basis year after year with, as they say, fortune favouring the brave and no major disaster happening - until last year when the city submerged neck deep, yet managed to protect its most vital tourist hubs. Therefore we should (IMO) be looking at the current flood management efforts as the authorities' first baby steps to evolving a long term solution. As in everything else, there will of course be some failed attempts, some successes. But find a better way, they will.

I don't accept that Thais are inept at or incapable of handling their affairs as most ridiculing posts here make out. Bangkok is one of the Third World's most successful cities. In terms of tourism it is one of the entire world's most successful. Infrastructure is efficiently run and managed and is of a very high class, in spite of the many deprecating, deriding comments you would read. I would give them more time to get a grip on their problems in their own way. Given that this is a modern city equipped with so many modern systems and run on modern technology, we just need to realise that the Thais would prefer to employ modern solutions to flood management in their own way to suit their numerous pulls and pressures. Just as anywhere else in the world.

Not all of them are inept, it's a question of averages and standard deviation. I honestly blame it very often on corruption, because either they are utterly incompetent or they are being paid to act stupid.

Throw in a dose of hierarchial society and it often appears that hundreds of people are doing incompetent things, when in reality they are being paid to shut up and do as they're told.

Just watch road repairs. They still actually do still dig up perfectly good roads, for repair when only few clicks away there can be enormous pot holes. At least they dig up something without simply pocketing the cash?

Ever wonder why they keep putting up new phone booths? Neither do they, and it's business.

Edited September 6, 201213 yr by Thai at Heart

begin removed ...

Ever wonder why they keep putting up new phone booths? Neither do they, and it's business.

A bit of topic, for which I apologise.

Along the road outside my apartment in Khet Dusit, Bangkok, there are at least five phone booths and many a time I see people using them.

I posted this in another thread but JFYI for others who don't read all the threads:

My soi in Bangkhen is already slightly flooded tonight,(it is now up to about 12CM) so 5 more and it is in my door) I posted on YingLuck's FB page "Please do not do the test on the 7th (tomorrow) I live in BangKhen and we are flooded on the soi tonight already just from the rain. the Klong near here is already at least 50cm higher too, too much construction going on around here, it will flood again, please consider at least delaying it!! It is your mistake if people get flooded again here, we had to leave for a month last October, people will call the news agencies and you will get very bad press."My soi in Bangkhen is already slightly flooded tonight, I posted on YingLuck's FB page "Please do not do the test on the 7th (tomorrow) I live in BangKhen and we are flooded on the soi tonight already just from the rain. the Klong near here is already at least 50cm higher too, too much construction going on around here, it will flood again, please consider at least delaying it!! It is your mistake if people get flooded again here, we had to leave for a month last October, people will call the news agencies and you will get very bad press."

Flood Drainage Test In Bangkok To Be Stopped If It Goes Wrong

IMO it has already gone wrong!

Edited September 6, 201213 yr by Bowery99