Gaemi Enters Thailand; Downpours Hit Provinces

[webfact]

Gaemi enters Thailand; downpours hit provinces

Patinya Iamtarn

The Nation

Downgraded to depression, but officials prepared to tackle floods and traffic jams

BANGKOK: -- Tropical depression Gaemi has entered Thailand, spreading downpours over many provinces across the country.

Sa Kaeo, Buri Ram and Si Sa Ket are among provinces facing moderate to heavy rain even before the depression arrived last night.

Bangkok is now under the influence of Gaemi too.

The Meteorological Department said the capital would experience direct impacts of the tropical depression today.

"We are worried about flooded roads because they can cause traffic congestion," Traffic Police Division commander Maj-General Piya Tawi-chai said yesterday.

Traffic was paralysed in many parts of the capital last month in the wake of hours-long cloudbursts.

Relevant authorities in the capital are working hard to spare Bangkok commuters from any traffic nightmare.

Deputy Metropolitan Police Commissioner Maj-General Worasak Nopsittiporn said traffic police in the capital had already had pumps on hand to ensure that rainwater is drained from road surfaces as fast as possible.

"We have prepared basic tools to deal with vehicles that may break down on flooded roads," he added.

Piya said special attention would be paid to major flood-prone roads such as Sri Ayutthaya, Srinakharin, and Ratchadaphisek.

Water and Flood Management Commission chairman Plodprasob Surassawadee, who is also science minister, yesterday chaired a video conference on the preparations to tackle Gaemi.

Speaking after the meeting, Interior Ministry deputy permanent secretary ML Panadda Diskul said relevant authorities were told to be on full alert even though Gaemi was downgraded from a tropical storm. "We are taking proactive measures. We will ensure that people get early warnings and assistance wherever necessary," he said.

Panadda assured the public that the central government and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration were working closely in preventing floods.

The Royal Thai Army (RTA) has now prepared 880,000 sandbags for Bangkok. Other units of the RTA have resources ready to help in flood relief and flood prevention.

Expected to be directly hit by Gaemi today are Nakhon Ratchasima, Chaiyaphum, Phetchabun, Prachin Buri, Sa Kaeo, Nakhon Nayok, Chachoengsao, Chon Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi, Trat, Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani, Chai Nat, Lop Buri, Saraburi, Suphan Buri, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Ayutthaya, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkham, Bangkok and adjacent provinces.

-- The Nation 2012-10-08

[rubl]

Not sure when it started here in Bangkok, but at least since about 05:40AM it's raining. Not too heavily, but just continuing.

with some luck I can take the advice of Minister Plodprasop and stay home today :-)

[softgeorge]

We have had very little rain all year in Chiang Mai, missed the wet season this year.

[asiawatcher]

I love this... "but officials prepared to tackle floods and traffic jams"

The ubiquitous 'officials' who keep being named but never showing their faces? Who are they, where are they, what have they done and as yet, they are always 'prepared' to tackle but in the instance of both floods and traffic - neither have done SFA. We know regarding floods everyone is ducking for cover but traffic jams? Okay fess up, which one of you 'officials' are responsible for the chaos we experience every day (for the last 30 years)?

The operative word is 'prepared' meaning standby, do nothing and wait for instruction...

Edited October 8, 2012 by asiawatcher

[fareastguy]

Nakhon Pathom

Had a bit of rain last night but just showers.

As from 06:00 rain started again now 07:00 it"s continuous & now increasing to heavy downpour..

Good luck to all..

[angsta]

Korat.

In the UK we call this drizzle. Fine rain, soaks you through. Probably just the edge of the weather front as it was very cloudy and windy yesterday.

[h90]

Not sure when it started here in Bangkok, but at least since about 05:40AM it's raining. Not too heavily, but just continuing.

with some luck I can take the advice of Minister Plodprasop and stay home today :-)

My staff from around Bangkok are just coming in.....so no reason to sit at home.....

[rubl]

Not sure when it started here in Bangkok, but at least since about 05:40AM it's raining. Not too heavily, but just continuing.

with some luck I can take the advice of Minister Plodprasop and stay home today :-)

My staff from around Bangkok are just coming in.....so no reason to sit at home.....

Spoilsport!

Mind you, the rain seems to have stopped for the moment.

PS the (dis-)advantage of working with computers and having a few at home, is that sitting at home is sometimes almost like sitting in the office or at a customer site.

[MaxLee]

It's raining moderately hard since somewhere around the morning hours earlier from Samut Prakan, Paknam area up to Bearing, up until the Sukhumvit road lines until Thonglor, oh happy Monday.

I gotta call my girlfriend and my relatives to make sure they are okay...

It's gonna be a heck of a month after that pleasant weekend…

[TheKrayTriplet]

I love this... "but officials prepared to tackle floods and traffic jams"

The ubiquitous 'officials' who keep being named but never showing their faces? Who are they, where are they, what have they done and as yet, they are always 'prepared' to tackle but in the instance of both floods and traffic - neither have done SFA. We know regarding floods everyone is ducking for cover but traffic jams? Okay fess up, which one of you 'officials' are responsible for the chaos we experience every day (for the last 30 years)?

The operative word is 'prepared' meaning standby, do nothing and wait for instruction...

If you read on past the first sentence you will get the answer that you seek. It's all there in the OP.

[rubl]

I love this... "but officials prepared to tackle floods and traffic jams"

The ubiquitous 'officials' who keep being named but never showing their faces? Who are they, where are they, what have they done and as yet, they are always 'prepared' to tackle but in the instance of both floods and traffic - neither have done SFA. We know regarding floods everyone is ducking for cover but traffic jams? Okay fess up, which one of you 'officials' are responsible for the chaos we experience every day (for the last 30 years)?

The operative word is 'prepared' meaning standby, do nothing and wait for instruction...

If you read on past the first sentence you will get the answer that you seek. It's all there in the OP.

Love it or hate it, but this is TrueThailand or maybe just TrueBangkok?

Nothing to brighten a Monday morning traffic chaos more than continuous rain from about 05:40AM. And sorry, it just started again after a 5-minute slacking

[Thaddeus]

From tropical storm to tropical depression, whilst all the time remaining a topical obsession.

[phuturatica]

It's hardly a cylone anymore. According to some sites its broken up and we are just expected to get a bit of rain. Nothing different than usual.

[webfact]

Overnight rain in Sa Kaeo due to impact of Gaemi

SA KAEO, Oct 8 -- Continuous rain has fallen in the eastern province of Sa Kaeo since Sunday night as the province tropical depression “Gaemi” passed over the area, despite being downgraded to an active low pressure cell early this morning.

Many districts of Sa Kaeo, particularly Aranyaprathet were impacted by Gaemi with heavy and light downpours since 10pm Sunday. The provincial meteorological office said the rainy weather would continue Monday.

Aranyaprathet municipality officials said the rain has not severely impacted the area as the water level in Khlong Phrom Hod, the district’s main canal, was 3 metres below the embankment.

However, the authorities will continue to closely monitor the situation, particularly in Watthana Nakhon and Khao Chakan districts because continuous rainfall for more than three hours would cause water from the two districts to flow into Aranyaprathet.

In Prachin Buri, all seven districts experienced heavy rainfall overnight, while the authorities are closely monitoring the situation at Si Maha Phot district because it was deeply flooded earlier.

Meanwhile, the Thai capital has had scattered rain since last night, with 20-30 millimetres of rainfall per hour.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA)'s Department of Drainage and Sewerage reaffirmed the water drainage system in Bangkok is functioning as usual, while water in the city’s canals was earlier discharged to allow more space to contain the rain.

The department said as of now there is no flooding of Bangkok roads and that it will rain in the capital for another one or two days. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-10-08

[CockneyGit]

From tropical storm to tropical depression, whilst all the time remaining a topical obsession.

Very poetic..!!

[CockneyGit]

Been raining non-stop in Kan since last night. Still coming down..!!

[webfact]

Storm Gaemi downgraded to low pressure cell

BANGKOK, Oct 8 - Meteorological authorities have downgraded tropical storm Gaemi just a low pressure area, but rainfall metropolitan Bangkok will continue into Tuesday, according to the Water and Flood Management Commission (WFMC).

WFMC member Royal Chitradon said the commission has monitored water drainage in Bangkok's western canals and found that water flow is better than last year. Equipped with information technology system network data, sluice gates are working efficiently.

Personnel are on stand-by and the Royal Thai Navy has cooperated in dredging canals, installing pumps and providing water pushing boats.

Western Bangkok is not worrying, but in the eastern reaches of the city there is concern about water draining into the Bangpakong River due to downstream flooding in Chonburi.

The commission is working with city hall to drain water to canals a water pumping station to divert it directly to the Gulf of Thailand.

Dr Royal said provinces experiencing heavy rainfall include Chanthaburi, Rayong, Phetchaburi, Ratchaburi, Kanchanaburi, Uthai Thani and Bangkok.

The storm is passing Chanthaburi and Rayong crossing over the Gulf of Thailand.

Nakhon Si Thammarat and Prachuap Khiri Khan provinces in the south, and Nakhon Ratchasima and Buri Ram in the northeast are also affected.

In reporting the downgrade, the meteorological department said tropical depression Gaemi was now active low pressure. Torrential rain and isolated heavy rain are likely in the East, the Central and the upper South. People should beware of severe weather conditions during the next day or two. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-10-08

[sandrabbit]

it's currently dry here in Rayong but overcast and we were commenting last night that it has been drier with the onset of Gaemi than the downpours we'd been having for the previous few days.

[phuketrichard]

they kept telling us in Phuket for past 3 days to expect heavy rains,

last night its drizzled a bit for like 10 min on and same today this morn

But NO heavy rains

[sandrabbit]

I take back what I previously posted lol, heavy rain & high winds just hit Ban Phe. Looks like there will be some local flooding if this continues.

[likewise]

It's when they say nothing at all one should be worried . Got the feeling that it's all about : Look if it comes we (the officials) are ready for it...... Then suppose it rains more then they had expected it will be : We hadn't expected such a huge amount of rain........ All about saving face and showing the public that they are "prepared" unlike last year !

We had a bit of rain in Krabi but nothing out of the ordinary.

Edited October 8, 2012 by likewise

[tominbkk]

So was that one hour rainfall this morning all Bangkok will see? Have to say that was all a bit anticlimatic!

[anon467367354]

The sun just came out in Nonthaburi

[SNGLIFE]

Udonthani (proper)

Moderate rain in the morning. Nothing unusual. Currently overcast - no rain - light breeze.

[mommysboy]

Din Daeng area, Bangkok. Since Friday, when the warnings began, the weather has been much drier than usual with just light rain last night. Nothing compared with the previous weeks.

[TackyToo]

Not sure when it started here in Bangkok, but at least since about 05:40AM it's raining. Not too heavily, but just continuing.

with some luck I can take the advice of Minister Plodprasop and stay home today :-)

I'm headed for Europe for a month. However, now I'm scared not to survive over there without the smart advice of Prof. Propellerflopp...

[crocken]

pattaya 30 minutes of rain so far....black clouds to the north (Bangkok)

[dcutman]

I take back what I previously posted lol, heavy rain & high winds just hit Ban Phe. Looks like there will be some local flooding if this continues.

I was just gonna say, we where at Rayong Home tile store and it was raining like piss out of boot.

[Ricardo]

So is the drought now officially over ?

[MaxLee]

The sun just came out in Nonthaburi

Well it's a dry afternoon so far in Thong Lor; If its a good weather in Nontaburi, my uncle will be more than happy...