I don't undrestand why the press is making a big deal out of flooding. This has been going on for thousands of years. All the Thai Government can do is study the problem and try to make the damage less. The Government is not as powerful as nature. She will always do thing that can not be anticipated. If you live in a country that is subject to monsoons, then flooding is part of the game. Live with it!

Yes indeed it has been going on for thousands of years.

But most of those years man was not actively trying to disrupt it's flow pattern. And man was not cutting down the natural water storage. Tree's and other vegetation.

It has only been in the last year where the Dutch the worlds foremost water management experts have volunteered to help out and been refused. Actually Isrialle (sorry about the selling) has some good water management experience and to his credit Thaksin did ask them for advice only to have later governments reject it.

Give me a break. There was a drought up north 6 weeks ago and now the rainy season has hit late in the mountains, Of course the water is going to flood the rivers as it's moving too fast to soak into the hardened earth. They were harvesting what rice they could because of the lack of water.

Can't have it both ways.

Nothing to do with the current or past Governments, it's Nature showing you who's boss.

Ayutthaya Placed On Flood Watch

obviously it's no longer a matter of watching

Pic of 52 year old Mrs Rungarun Bunyakhet, making her way around in a home made sofa boat today, after the Mae Nam Noi in Ayutthaya broke its banks and flooded.

http://www.thairath....ewspaper/290178

and now, it's official...

Flood-hit districts in Ayutthaya declared disaster zones

BANGKOK, 11 September 2012 (NNT) - Six districts in Ayutthaya have been declared flood disaster zones. The provincial governor has instructed river basin committees to work with relevant units in draining the flood water and find areas to be used as floodways.

Ayutthaya Governor Witthaya Phiewphong stated on Tuesday after a meeting on the province’s flood situation that six flood-hit districts, namely Phak Hai, Bang Ban, Sena, Bang Pa-in, Bang Sai and Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, had been designated as disaster zones.

Up to 5,000 households have been affected by flood waters of 10-50 centimeters deep.

The governor suggested that local administrative organizations in the province spend their budgets on financial assistance for the flood-affected. Irrigation, district and agricultural offices in Ayutthaya will figure out the way to drain the flood waters through floodways in order to decrease the water levels of local rivers.

The offices will try to protect residential and agricultural areas with the flood drainage channels.

For locals who are entitled to receive compensation from the government, Mr Witthaya stressed that they must have household registration documents and inform the province of the exact number of family members affected by the flooding.

-- NNT 2012-09-11

Ayutthaya Placed On Flood Watch

obviously it's no longer a matter of watching

Pic of 52 year old Mrs Rungarun Bunyakhet, making her way around in a home made sofa boat today, after the Mae Nam Noi in Ayutthaya broke its banks and flooded.

http://www.thairath....ewspaper/290178

and now, it's official...

Flood-hit districts in Ayutthaya declared disaster zones

BANGKOK, 11 September 2012 (NNT) - Six districts in Ayutthaya have been declared flood disaster zones. The provincial governor has instructed river basin committees to work with relevant units in draining the flood water and find areas to be used as floodways.

Ayutthaya Governor Witthaya Phiewphong stated on Tuesday after a meeting on the province’s flood situation that six flood-hit districts, namely Phak Hai, Bang Ban, Sena, Bang Pa-in, Bang Sai and Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, had been designated as disaster zones.

Up to 5,000 households have been affected by flood waters of 10-50 centimeters deep.

The governor suggested that local administrative organizations in the province spend their budgets on financial assistance for the flood-affected. Irrigation, district and agricultural offices in Ayutthaya will figure out the way to drain the flood waters through floodways in order to decrease the water levels of local rivers.

The offices will try to protect residential and agricultural areas with the flood drainage channels.

For locals who are entitled to receive compensation from the government, Mr Witthaya stressed that they must have household registration documents and inform the province of the exact number of family members affected by the flooding.

-- NNT 2012-09-11

Quite encouraging to see Thai aplomb in the face of adversity and a government and local administration acting to solve the problem.

Thank you, Bucholz for posting this civic good news.

Edited September 11, 201213 yr by philw

We can only but hope Ayutthaya gets bypassed. I still would love to see what all these billions of baht did other than buy more sandbags which is the only solution they have for Sukhothai. Expensive bloody bags... So how about opening the books and see where all the money has gone? Not too much to ask?

'The OP'

Ayutthaya Placed On Flood Watch

obviously it's no longer a matter of watching

Pic of 52 year old Mrs Rungarun Bunyakhet, making her way around in a home made sofa boat today, after the Mae Nam Noi in Ayutthaya broke its banks and flooded.

http://www.thairath....ewspaper/290178

and now, it's official...

Flood-hit districts in Ayutthaya declared disaster zones

BANGKOK, 11 September 2012 (NNT) - Six districts in Ayutthaya have been declared flood disaster zones. The provincial governor has instructed river basin committees to work with relevant units in draining the flood water and find areas to be used as floodways.

Ayutthaya Governor Witthaya Phiewphong stated on Tuesday after a meeting on the province’s flood situation that six flood-hit districts, namely Phak Hai, Bang Ban, Sena, Bang Pa-in, Bang Sai and Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, had been designated as disaster zones.

Up to 5,000 households have been affected by flood waters of 10-50 centimeters deep.

The governor suggested that local administrative organizations in the province spend their budgets on financial assistance for the flood-affected. Irrigation, district and agricultural offices in Ayutthaya will figure out the way to drain the flood waters through floodways in order to decrease the water levels of local rivers.

The offices will try to protect residential and agricultural areas with the flood drainage channels.

For locals who are entitled to receive compensation from the government, Mr Witthaya stressed that they must have household registration documents and inform the province of the exact number of family members affected by the flooding.

-- NNT 2012-09-11

Quite encouraging to see Thai aplomb in the face of adversity and a government and local administration acting to solve the problem.

Thank you, Bucholz for posting this civic good news.

it's B-u-c-h-h-o-l-z... and only the local governor is doing anything. What's the national government done?

where the FROC is FROC?

As for the photo, it takes us right back to last year with no indication there's been any improved courage.

.

OP Photo:

The indomitable Thai spirit is well encapsulated in the OP photo of a smiling woman up to her neck in water as she seems to be greeting a visitor to her opened door as if nothing was the matter and she hasn't a care in the world.

You have much respect, dear lady...

Hopefully, this government will someday have even 1% of your courage, but I'm not treading water until they do so.

p.s. As justifiably proud as Mrs. Rungarun is of her innovative floating device, I doubt she would consider it as "good news".

.

Edited September 11, 201213 yr by Buchholz

[...] What's the national government done?

where the FROC is FROC?

.

After their stellar last year's performance everybody should be happy that this government is doing nothing.

I don't undrestand why the press is making a big deal out of flooding. This has been going on for thousands of years. All the Thai Government can do is study the problem and try to make the damage less. The Government is not as powerful as nature. She will always do thing that can not be anticipated. If you live in a country that is subject to monsoons, then flooding is part of the game. Live with it!

Yes indeed it has been going on for thousands of years.

But most of those years man was not actively trying to disrupt it's flow pattern. And man was not cutting down the natural water storage. Tree's and other vegetation.

It has only been in the last year where the Dutch the worlds foremost water management experts have volunteered to help out and been refused. Actually Isrialle (sorry about the selling) has some good water management experience and to his credit Thaksin did ask them for advice only to have later governments reject it.

The first paragraph above is absolutely, truly on point. The deforestation in Thailand has been extreme. Thanks to hellodolly for again pointing this out.

The second para, as far as I can tell, is absolutely untrue. I would be genuinely curious to know if posters have evidence to the contrary. If not, I wish that its endless repetition in this forum would be checked. I know better than to expect that, however.

“Not re-active but pro-active, that’s the way we have assisted the Flood Relief Operations Center in Bangkok”, recall Adri Verwey and Tjitte Nauta of the research and specialist consultancy institute Deltares for coastal areas and river basins.

Initially the two Dutch flood experts were asked by chief of operations for evacuation and flood prevention, minister Plodprasop, to advise him and his staff only.

But as the flood crises intensified late October and Bangkok came under serious threat, more Thai authorities were involved. Verwey and Nauta saw their advisory role expanded to more ministries and other authorities such as the Royal Irrigation Department and the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority.

Verwey was frequently asked to attend top level meetings with the army staff and prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Both flood experts look back on a very successful mission……

http://www.dutchwate...bangkok-floods/

Edited September 11, 201213 yr by DeepInTheForest

OP Photo:

The indomitable Thai spirit is well encapsulated in the OP photo of a smiling woman up to her neck in water as she seems to be greeting a visitor to her opened door as if nothing was the matter and she hasn't a care in the world.

various text and pics snipped

Her husband has spent the last 2 months inurance premium on Lao Khao

That's why she's looking so pleased with herself - She's standing on his shoulders!

OP Photo:

-- photo link removed --

The indomitable Thai spirit is well encapsulated in the OP photo of a smiling woman up to her neck in water as she seems to be greeting a visitor to her opened door as if nothing was the matter and she hasn't a care in the world.

various text and pics snipped

Her husband has spent the last 2 months inurance premium on Lao Khao

That's why she's looking so pleased with herself - She's standing on his shoulders!

In that case there can hardly be more than 2 meters of water! If the lady can still smile why are others complaining?

Maybe time to train Thai builders ? Moo Ban's full of house boats, no more steel and brick houses..

Problem solved

I am looking at the Mae Wong river here in Mae wong it is higher then I have ever seen it however according to the wife it is still @ 4 foot lower then last years peek. Causing problems around Lat Yao all ready.

Good news the river has droped a good four feet overnight which should be good news to folks down stream.

Moe