Does Chiang Mai Get Affected By Floods?

[ForumUsername]

Thanks for the reply, Winnie.

Just have some family coming soon and they wanted me to pick a month that wasn't too bad for them to come. Not sure what I would say if the city was flooded

[heybruce]

Keep in mind that there is temporary flooding when heavy rains dump more water than the drains can handle. This leads to water ankle deep or more, but usually clears up less than an hour after the rain ends or slows down, so it rarely lasts more than a few hours. This kind of flooding can happen almost anywhere in Chiang Mai, or the rest of Thailand for that matter.

The more permanent flooding in Chiang Mai, where there is standing water for days, roads difficult or impossible to use, and sometimes prolonged water and electricity outages, is mostly limited to the low areas near the river. That seems to happen every five or six years, so it's primarily a concern if you're are thinking of buying property.

[Greenside]

When you really need a lot of water...........you never have it on hand.

Amazingly, they sandbagged the doors and didn't suffer any major water damage despite the car park becoming a boating lake. They didn't come out of the fire quite so well though.

Edited October 1, 2012 by Greenside

[dave2]

re.

If it happens it's likely in September.

hes right !

pic 1 .. its over the wall by the school

pic 2 .. its well down by warrarot market coz its higher ground

pic 3 .. it got well up outside pantip plaza

pic 4 .. it did the same along chiang klan road near chiang mai land

pics taken 28 . 29 sept 11

dave2

ps .. pic 5 .. this years river level on 26 sept 12

[weary]

Avoid investing in a business near a waterway, or if you do, do avoid the mistake the Chedi Hotel did by placing their servers and power central in the basement...

[elektrified]

Thanks elektrified, as long as snakes were dead, we're they cobras? Pythons? Would still make me shit myself. Are snakes poisonous ?

I don't know what kind of snakes they were. The snake in our kitchen was very much alive. It took me 2 days to catch that thing and get him out! I couldn't see where he was hiding because the standing water was dark brown. The kitchen became flooded through the drainage system which backed up.

Another thing about the flooding is the absolutely horrible smell that lingers on for many, many days. Winnie is right, it's the clean up afterwards that is the big job.

[Mapguy]

Hmm, sorry if I sound naive, but what months are these floods happening?

That Chang Klan photo shocked me..

Happens once every 7 years or so. If it happens it's likely in September. (or early October).

It's not a mortal disaster.. Mostly hassle and a big cleanup if you're in the area. It mostly doesn't last long either.Couple days, if that.

And it's the predictable areas: Chang Klan, Pa Daed, and the East Side of the river towards the railway station. (That's the short version; if you're buying property you'll want the long version)

It was not by chance that the "old city" was established WEST of the river after older settlements east of the river.

I leave it to those who wish to speculate as to why the Christian missionaries were granted land east of the river, or the sporting farang gifted with Gymkhana Club land.

[davofromoz]

Are snakes poisonous ?

Serious question?

This is South East Asia.

Why not? In aust we have 8 of the worlds deadliest 10 snakes. I haven't been to chiang Mai before and thought you may just have pythons etc, haven't heard of any deadly snake victims from there before. If so I certainly wouldn't be living in a house with one swimming around.

[davofromoz]

Thanks to everyone who posted pics. It's opened my eyes and thinking of where I should rent for a year, and it's going to be at a moo baan that is deffinately in a flood free area with good drains . I might just run my business from there to start with too.