Heavy Rain Causes Traffic Chaos In Bangkok; Flooding In Phetchabun, Phichit

[webfact]

Heavy rain causes traffic chaos in Bangkok; flooding in Phetchabun, Phichit

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Heavy rain hit Bangkok during the night and continued throughout the morning, causing flooding in many areas and worsening the already chaotic traffic in the rush hour.

Vehicles were stuck bumper to bumper on the roads, with many commuters spending double their usual time travelling from home to office.

Many Bangkokians updated their facebook walls with photos of traffic congestion. Some said they simply gave up trying to reach their destinations while others said they wanted to go home but could not get out of the jam.

Traffic radio stations were busy taking calls from people trapped on the roads. The rains that hit the capital during the night and was still continuing at noon in some parts of the city.

The Nation's reporter Kornchanok Raksaseri missed a meeting at the Thai Journalists Association scheduled for 10.30am.

"An hour after leaving the Nation Tower at KM 4.5 on Bangna Trat Road, I had yet reach the entrance to the Bangna Expressway. I moved less than 100 metres in 10 minutes. It was 10am by the time I arrived at Bangna Intersection so I gave up and returned to the office. I learned later that the meeting I was supposed to attend in the city was cancelled," she said.

It usually takes her a little over an hour to reach Pichai Road.

In the northern province of Phetchabun, heavy rain caused localised flooding, affecting about 1,000 homes. Flooding is also likely to be reported from a wider area.

A flash flood hit about 1,000 houses in three communities. About 1,200 acres of farmland have been inundated. Some schools were forced to close.

However, the water level in the Pasak River is stable and the situation is expected to return to normal within two days if there is no more rain and northern run-off.

Flash floods also affected the Wangdaeng canal, flooding a community in Thapklor municipality in Phichit. Local residents moved their belongings to higher ground.

About 100 homes have been flooded and some roads cannot be used, so residents are travelling by boat and continue to watch flood water levels closely.

In Chaiyaphum, the water level in the Lamprataw Dam on Phulanka Mountain has risen, posing a flood threat to low-lying areas on the side of the mountain. Some muddy torrents have formed as rainwater flows down the mountain,

-- The Nation 2012-09-06

[JAS21]

Yes absolutely terrible ... we wanted to get on the expressway entry which is just just past Makro Chaengwattana ... absolutely solid so decided to try the by-pass ie going past Central ... we were going to Suk 36 area. 10-15 Kms down the bypass again absolutel solid so turned around ... stopped off at McDs for twenty minutes ( the one on the bypass).... now back just back home having left there originally at 10am!!

[KKvampire]

Why the surprise, Bangkok + travel = time wasting

[Skywalker69]

There will be no flood this year.

[MaxLee]

Oh Happy daaaayyyyyy!!!!!!!! Oh Happy raaaaaiiiiin!!!!!!!!!

Oh,.... Btw,.... The stubborn people of the governments are testing the flood ways. You get it???

[JonnyF]

Yep, my journey to work is less than 2 kms and normally takes me about 15 minutes. This morning it took over an hour. I didn't move at all for over 20 minutes at one point.

[Skywalker69]

There will be no flood this year.

I would like to refrase my post.

There will be No More Floods In Next 5 Years

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/511025-no-more-floods-in-next-5-years-virabongsa/page__hl__%2Bpol+%2Bgen+%2Bpracha+%2Bpromnok

[dddave]

I can think of only one major world city: Singapore, that doesn't lock up when hit by heavy, sustained rains. Singapore only because they make owning a car so dam_n expensive that there aren't enough vehicles to jam up.

Edited September 6, 2012 by dddave

[webfact]

Heavy rains trigger flooding in north Thailand

PHETCHABUN, Sept 6 - Heavy rain in Thailand’s northern provinces caused localised flooding in this province, affecting about 1,000 homes, and flooding is likely to be reported from wider areas.

In Phetchabun, a flash flood hit about 1,000 houses in three communities. About 1,200 acres of farmland have been inundated. Some schools were forced to close.

However, the water level in the Pasak River is stable and the situation is expected to return to normal within two days if there is no more rain and northern run-off.

Flash flood flowed into Wangdaeng canal, flooding a community in Thapklor municipality in Phichit. Local residents moved their belongings to higher ground.

About 100 homes have been flooded and some roads cannot be used, so local residents are travelling by boat and continue watching flood water levels closely.

In Chaiyaphum, the water level in the Lamprataw Dam on Phulanka Mountain has risen, posing flood threat to low-lying areas on the mountain side. As rainwater flows down the mountainsides, some muddy torrents have formed. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-09-06

[emanphoto]

Someday people will realize, you aren't stuck in traffic, you ARE traffic.

[Morakot]

Someday people will realize, you aren't stuck in traffic, you ARE traffic.

Profound wisdom!

[Pib]

This morning the wife and I set-out in the SUV from Khet Talingchan here in western Bangkok to Chaeng Wattana in north Bangkok to renew her Thai passport. Trip should have took approx 30-45 minutes like when I do my 90 day reporting run to immigration in Chaeng Wattana....we turned around about a third of the way there due to heavy, extremely slow moving traffic...figured we would try another day. But at about 12:15/lunch time the rain let up so we thought we would give it another try thinking everyone would have made it to work by now and maybe others were staying off the road due to the rain--we were right. Made it to Chaeng Wattana in record time....around 30 minutes...lite traffic the whole way. Found parking at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building where you renew/get Thai passports (fairly close to Bangkok Immigration for farangs) with little trouble...and within 30 minutes she had the passport renewal application process completed...go back on Monday to pickup the passport (really fast and efficient the way they do Thai passports...very nice facility also) and we were heading back to Khet Talingchan in lite traffic...got back in about 30 minutes also. But the weather radar shows more rain coming from the east and it's getting close to afternoon rush hours again which will probably be in rain again....glad I'm now off the road and in the house. In my part of Bangkok I think this is the first time this year it has rained pretty much all day....been a dry year compared to other years in my little part of Thailand.

[Bagwan]

I can think of only one major world city: Singapore, that doesn't lock up when hit by heavy, sustained rains. Singapore only because they make owning a car so dam_n expensive that there aren't enough vehicles to jam up.

And thanks to the Brits they have substantial monsoon ditches to carry excess water away or at least they did 50 years ago.

The good news for Thailand is that the Government are offering tax discounts to buyers of new cars. Sheer bloody madness. Soon BKK will be the World's biggest parking lot.

[MaxLee]

Someday people will realize, you aren't stuck in traffic, you ARE traffic.

more likely Bangkok people will become the traffic metropoly all the way. More traffic jams mean more greenhouse gases, more green house gases increase Global warming, more global warming means more heavy rainfall, more cars for every Bangkok residents means more stupidity More stupidity leads to more accidents, more drivers mean police will lose sight in the rich and arrogant who get away with everything more thanever without getting caught or punished!!!!

And one of these days Bangkok will be sunken into the sea, but until then won't be living anymore…

But people will graduate with useless so called university degrees which are good for rubbing up their A*****es,

But never mind, someone must continue the face saving corruption to cover up the stupidity of the high status Bankok society…

[phiphidon]

So while some sad bored out of their skull

"Bangkokians updated their facebook walls with photos of traffic congestion"

(note to self: do not apply for a facebook account) an intrepid "The Nation"

"reporter Kornchanok Raksaseri missed a meeting at the Thai Journalists Association scheduled for 10.30am.

"An hour after leaving the Nation Tower at KM 4.5 on Bangna Trat Road, I had yet reach the entrance to the Bangna Expressway. I moved less than 100 metres in 10 minutes. It was 10am by the time I arrived at Bangna Intersection so I gave up and returned to the office. I learned later that the meeting I was supposed to attend in the city was cancelled," she said."

She has now been put on a remedial class "Mobile Phone Use for Dummies Reporters"

Now I understand "The Nation", it all becomes so much clearer...................

[Morakot]

more likely Bangkok people will become the traffic metropoly all the way. More traffic jams mean more greenhouse gases, more green house gases increase Global warming, more global warming means more heavy rainfall, more cars for every Bangkok residents means more stupidity More stupidity leads to more accidents, more drivers mean police will lose sight in the rich and arrogant who get away with everything more thanever without getting caught or punished!!!!

And one of these days Bangkok will be sunken into the sea, but until then won't be living anymore…

But people will graduate with useless so called university degrees which are good for rubbing up their A*****es,

But never mind, someone must continue the face saving corruption to cover up the stupidity of the high status Bankok society…

Conflating correlation with causality par excellence. Nice!

Edited September 6, 2012 by Morakot

[MaxLee]

more likely Bangkok people will become the traffic metropoly all the way. More traffic jams mean more greenhouse gases, more green house gases increase Global warming, more global warming means more heavy rainfall, more cars for every Bangkok residents means more stupidity More stupidity leads to more accidents, more drivers mean police will lose sight in the rich and arrogant who get away with everything more thanever without getting caught or punished!!!!

And one of these days Bangkok will be sunken into the sea, but until then won't be living anymore…

But people will graduate with useless so called university degrees which are good for rubbing up their A*****es,

But never mind, someone must continue the face saving corruption to cover up the stupidity of the high status Bankok society…

Conflating correlation with causality par excellence. Nice!

And like isaid before, when every other province in Thailand gets flooded, the supplies from and to Bangkok is gonna come to a halt. The very provinces that are vital for providing agricultural food goods to Bangkok, the very provinces that most Bangkokians look down on as Ban Nok…, if the agriculture of Thailand sucks, Krungthep Mahanakorn is gonna starve. …

Edited September 6, 2012 by MaxLee

[siampolee]

And thanks to the Brits they have substantial monsoon ditches to carry excess water away or at least they did 50 years ago.

I once spent a night in one of those monsoon ditches due to a downpour of Tiger Beer on a run ashore whilst the ratings and chiefs were doing R.N. things some 45 years ago. Happy Andrew Days.

[Fgis]

People life must be sad to still live in Bkk...

:-)

[Maejo Man]

And thanks to the Brits they have substantial monsoon ditches to carry excess water away or at least they did 50 years ago.

I once spent a night in one of those monsoon ditches due to a downpour of Tiger Beer on a run ashore whilst the ratings and chiefs were doing R.N. things some 45 years ago. Happy Andrew Days.

Am quietly wetting myself here. When I read the OP it took me back to the night I took a header into one of those rotten drains after a skinfull of G&T Then you post this. As you say ...Happy days and wasn't Singapore fun then?

[lubbkis]

I can think of only one major world city: Singapore, that doesn't lock up when hit by heavy, sustained rains. Singapore only because they make owning a car so dam_n expensive that there aren't enough vehicles to jam up.

And thanks to the Brits they have substantial monsoon ditches to carry excess water away or at least they did 50 years ago.

Really, it is Thailand's tragedy that they avoided colonialism. The British also introduced heavy rain and typhoon warning systems in Hong Kong so that not only does the city not freeze up, everybody gets home safely before the event occurs.

If Singapore is the only major city that someone can think of that doesn't freeze up with traffic under heavy rain then someone isn't thinking much.

[SOTIRIOS]

.....this is madness....I have heard (ad nauseam) about denial and 'saving face'......but this charade of a government has gone far enough.......

........3 billion baht is gone and unaccounted for...for preparation.....with assurances and guarantees........and this is the result....

[GeorgeO]

Someday people will realize, you aren't stuck in traffic, you ARE traffic.

There's just so much inane crap posted here on a normal day, that it's very refreshing, once in a while, to see a really incisive and appropriate post!

I remember talking to a guy once in Taipei complaining vehemently about the traffic, and when we got down to it, it was revealed that there were a total of four people in his family, but eight vehicles. Each one had a car and a motorcycle.

So, in the same vein as your post, I pointed out to him that there's no point complaining about the problem, when you are a major contributor to it...!!

[asiawatcher]

The rain contributes to the unsafe driving techniques used by Thai's. Speed in the wet, too close to the car in front, lane hopping, push and shove, creating lanes because too damned lazy to wait in line then having to force their way back in, even driving down the middle of the road and not through water that is banked up against the kerb (<deleted> is that about?) and on it goes. Lots of rear enders today and no doubt more to come.

Driver education and severe penalties for sheer stupidity and road rules being broken would go a long way towards fixing the problems as would getting rid of the idiots controlling the traffic lights. Sync them up and don't have any more than 60 seconds between changes (duh - such basic stuff!) But T.i.T. Nothing will change and if they created a speed (car pool lane) lane for 3 in one car it would just create another lane of chaos. Nope - we're stuck with it I'm afraid.

[bhakta]

Traffic on my road this evening was totally insanity. I'm on Sukhumvit 109 in Samrong. Cars were jammed in every direction and no one could move at all at 18:00. More and more condos are going up here and there is no planning to handle the increased traffic of course. This used to be a very quiet safe place. Not any more.

[Buckaroo]

Yep, my journey to work is less than 2 kms and normally takes me about 15 minutes. This morning it took over an hour. I didn't move at all for over 20 minutes at one point.

You are being sarcastic I hope

[Pib]

No shortage of unsafe driving techniques on Thai roads, rain or shine. However, when it rains Thais generally turn into much better and slower drivers. Heck, you see more and more turning on their headlights during the day when it rains to make themselves more visible....now, if they would just learn to turn their headlights on before it gets completely dark at night that would be good also. In Bangkok with millions of vehicles on its roads everyday (counting my SUV), traffic is heavy and slow moving in many locations during the prettiest of days; add in rain---even just a little rain---and Bangkok traffic simply crawls.

[BillyBobThai]

I am considering building a pontoon boat for something to do. If it ever floods here in Hang Dong,

I will have a way out.

[Bowery99]

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."

[rubl]

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."

If it wasn't so depressing I would 'like' your post. I'm still wondering if the rice fields in Ayutthaya province would have flooded if no tests were done. Even with the 'way the water goes' extremely well-defined by the experts, would all that water interfere with the way the rainwater is running it's way back to the sea?