Experts Call On Bangkok Residents To Prepare For Impacts Of Volatile Weather Conditions

[laislica]

Well at least they are trying to do something!

So hats off to them for that at least.

“Want of foresight, unwillingness to act when action would be simple and effective, lack of clear thinking, confusion of counsel until the emergency comes, until self-preservation strikes its jarring gong - these are the features which constitute the endless repetition of history.” ~ Winston Churchill

[Thai at Heart]

Well at least they are trying to do something!

So hats off to them for that at least.

“Want of foresight, unwillingness to act when action would be simple and effective, lack of clear thinking, confusion of counsel until the emergency comes, until self-preservation strikes its jarring gong - these are the features which constitute the endless repetition of history.” ~ Winston Churchill

Quoting Winston Churchill in a Thai political context, now there is a first.

[metisdead]

A trolling post has been removed as well as an off topic post.

[easybullet3]

Mr. Anond said: "during the next 30 years, all must start working together to prepare prevention and alleviation measures."

How are we (the public) supposed to help prevent problems from weather change and subsidence and possible floods???? !!!!

this is the GOVERNMENTS job to SPEND THE TAX MONEY WISELY!!! and not stick it in their pockets!!

Mr Arnold should tell the government to make prevention! What on earth are the public going to do? We are not allowed to build huge barriers! We are not allowed to create damns!! Tell it to the government please Mr Arnold

[jamhar]

Its coming, and you can make it a lot easier for yourself and family if you plan ahead.

I'm personally going to make sure i have

First aid bag

Critical documents organized for easy evac, and in a dry safe place

20l of water

bunch of instant noodles

a bag of chlorine shock (in case i run out of water)

emergency cloths packed

mosquito net to sleep under

if you drive, have a plan for petrol

any other ideas?

[laislica]

Its coming, and you can make it a lot easier for yourself and family if you plan ahead.

I'm personally going to make sure i have

First aid bag

Critical documents organized for easy evac, and in a dry safe place

20l of water

bunch of instant noodles

a bag of chlorine shock (in case i run out of water)

emergency cloths packed

mosquito net to sleep under

if you drive, have a plan for petrol

any other ideas?

​5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

​A sou'wester and a parachute?

[seminomadic]

According to the title of this thread: "experts-call-on-bangkok-residents-to-prepare-for-impacts-of-volatile-weather-conditions"

Prepare? How? Build an ark?

In Bangladesh, some villages have a bamboo structure, like a large wide ladder - with its legs set in the mud. That way, at least some of the residents can clamor up the scaffolding to survive the ubiquitous floods. They also have small boats made in to floating schoolrooms. Perhaps that's a peek in to the future for Bkk, when there's 1 to 3 standing meters of dirty water everywhere.

Thais themselves have had an adaptive home design for hundreds of years - wooden chalet-thingies on stilts, with the stilts serving to keep people dry. The real problem came when Thais decided to stop following the old ways and develop a taste for European-style homes.

Doesn't solve the issue of how to adapt inner city structures, but for residences it makes a hell of a lot more sense for people living on a floodplain.

[remobb]

It's those falangs that brought the weather with them.

Have they though of dykes? No not the female type, the Dutch type.

[Mudcrab]

The concept of preparing for tomorrow is alien to most inhabitants here. Asking them to contemplate the next 30 years is comical.

We live in Isaan. The long term plan is to market condos at Surin-by-The- Sea. Can't see how we can fail.!!!!!!!!!!

[55Jay]

According to the title of this thread: "experts-call-on-bangkok-residents-to-prepare-for-impacts-of-volatile-weather-conditions"

Prepare? How? Build an ark?

In Bangladesh, some villages have a bamboo structure, like a large wide ladder - with its legs set in the mud. That way, at least some of the residents can clamor up the scaffolding to survive the ubiquitous floods. They also have small boats made in to floating schoolrooms. Perhaps that's a peek in to the future for Bkk, when there's 1 to 3 standing meters of dirty water everywhere.

The Venice of SE Asia. Keep the skytrain, should be high enough.

[Bluespunk]

Thailand doesn't have the luxury of pretending this isn't happening.

Wish the States would take that lesson.

"He added that, during the next 30 years, all must start working together

to prepare prevention and alleviation measures..."

But that "working together" part- isn't that the definition of government?

Not this govt, no. Their definition of govt is to enrich themselves and screw everyone else.

[rbrooks]

Deputy Dean of Political Science Faculty at Thammasat University Tawida Kamolvej commented that the risks Bangkok is facing stemmed from its residents’ lack of basic knowledge about the city’s natural features and how to solve the problems that may emerge.

Maybe the quote from the esteemed Dean was out of context, but 'residents' lack of knowledge' does not seem to be so dire. It's city planners and politicians who should shoulder the onus of the inevitable damage the floods will bring. Bangkokians move to wherever they can find housing which fits their budget. Much more people reside there than need to, but that could be said about nearly any city. It's like Mexico City (or countless other giant cities)- a magnet for any and all people in outlying regions, whenever they have job problems, they pack a bag and move to the biggest city.

As for 'solving problems' (flood-related), no amount of sand bags will work. Certainly not, as some politicians have suggested, a giant berm all around the city with giant pumps pumping water out to the bay. With such a wrong-headed plan, the entire lower length of the Chao Praya river and its tributaries would need flood walls - which incidentally, are already being built - and needing to be made higher every so often.

That is typical of Thai politicians and scientists, shift the blame of their incompetence on somebody else. Unfortunately in this case it is the residents of BKK. The lack of basic knowledge and what to do to prepare for natural disasters and prevent devastation should be the responsibility of the government officials and so called scientists in Thailand. They show their lack of knowledge of natural features and how to solve problems in the classic example set when they suggested and actually used boat propellors to push back the flow of water coming into BKK during the last major flood. NASA was also recently knocking at Thailand's door attempting to set up a base that could have alleviated many weather prediction/prevention issues but Thailand turned them away. Good luck Thailand on your next disaster, you will need it thanks to your politicians and scientists.

[rubl]

For a moment I thought we'd be in for power failures in April, till I read the "during in the next decades."

Now of course I know I don't have to worry (yet)

[bigbamboo]

Deputy Dean of Political Science Faculty at Thammasat University Tawida Kamolvej commented that the risks Bangkok is facing stemmed from its residents’ lack of basic knowledge about the city’s natural features and how to solve the problems that may emerge.

Maybe the quote from the esteemed Dean was out of context, but 'residents' lack of knowledge' does not seem to be so dire. It's city planners and politicians who should shoulder the onus of the inevitable damage the floods will bring. Bangkokians move to wherever they can find housing which fits their budget. Much more people reside there than need to, but that could be said about nearly any city. It's like Mexico City (or countless other giant cities)- a magnet for any and all people in outlying regions, whenever they have job problems, they pack a bag and move to the biggest city.

As for 'solving problems' (flood-related), no amount of sand bags will work. Certainly not, as some politicians have suggested, a giant berm all around the city with giant pumps pumping water out to the bay. With such a wrong-headed plan, the entire lower length of the Chao Praya river and its tributaries would need flood walls - which incidentally, are already being built - and needing to be made higher every so often.

That is typical of Thai politicians and scientists, shift the blame of their incompetence on somebody else. Unfortunately in this case it is the residents of BKK. The lack of basic knowledge and what to do to prepare for natural disasters and prevent devastation should be the responsibility of the government officials and so called scientists in Thailand. They show their lack of knowledge of natural features and how to solve problems in the classic example set when they suggested and actually used boat propellors to push back the flow of water coming into BKK during the last major flood. NASA was also recently knocking at Thailand's door attempting to set up a base that could have alleviated many weather prediction/prevention issues but Thailand turned them away. Good luck Thailand on your next disaster, you will need it thanks to your politicians and scientists.

Who needs NASA when you've got Professor Plod shooting for the moon...... and hitting his foot.

[Thai at Heart]

Deputy Dean of Political Science Faculty at Thammasat University Tawida Kamolvej commented that the risks Bangkok is facing stemmed from its residents’ lack of basic knowledge about the city’s natural features and how to solve the problems that may emerge.

Maybe the quote from the esteemed Dean was out of context, but 'residents' lack of knowledge' does not seem to be so dire. It's city planners and politicians who should shoulder the onus of the inevitable damage the floods will bring. Bangkokians move to wherever they can find housing which fits their budget. Much more people reside there than need to, but that could be said about nearly any city. It's like Mexico City (or countless other giant cities)- a magnet for any and all people in outlying regions, whenever they have job problems, they pack a bag and move to the biggest city.

As for 'solving problems' (flood-related), no amount of sand bags will work. Certainly not, as some politicians have suggested, a giant berm all around the city with giant pumps pumping water out to the bay. With such a wrong-headed plan, the entire lower length of the Chao Praya river and its tributaries would need flood walls - which incidentally, are already being built - and needing to be made higher every so often.

That is typical of Thai politicians and scientists, shift the blame of their incompetence on somebody else. Unfortunately in this case it is the residents of BKK. The lack of basic knowledge and what to do to prepare for natural disasters and prevent devastation should be the responsibility of the government officials and so called scientists in Thailand. They show their lack of knowledge of natural features and how to solve problems in the classic example set when they suggested and actually used boat propellors to push back the flow of water coming into BKK during the last major flood. NASA was also recently knocking at Thailand's door attempting to set up a base that could have alleviated many weather prediction/prevention issues but Thailand turned them away. Good luck Thailand on your next disaster, you will need it thanks to your politicians and scientists.

The reality is, no matter what anyone does, some pretty large parts of Bangkok are going to be underwater very regularly in the next 50 years or so, and many very important bits are going under with some very serious consequences. I don't blame man made global warming, it is just the ebb and tide of nature, married together with a crazy idea to build a monstrous city in a flood plain. I have an elderly friend who showed me a picture of the house she grew up in on Sukhmvit soi 7 many years ago. She was at the end of the road and there was little but paddy fields where today there are condos. The sad thing is, that make Bangkok function as a modern city, half the people should leave anyway, just to free up the roads.

People wonder how the Bangladeshis survive, well Bangkokians are going to get used to it very regularly.

[hellodolly]

in short: Bangkok is going to flood badly.

Yes, we knew that. Unfortunately, pol. leaders can't fathom the idea of moving Bkk's services to higher ground. Bkk is sacred and too important to Thais. However, Mother Nature doesn't give a gnat's ass about sacredness or economic importance.

The current budget busting Bt.2.2 trillion proposal by Thaksin PT proposes several high speed trains - all connecting with Bkk. Besides the lie that the 2.2 trillion boondoggle is to connect Thailand to neighboring countries (the high speed trains don't do this), the train lines, if built (which is a big IF) will likely become like the lonely concrete sculptures leading out to Don Muang.

What happened to the plan to work with China for a high speed train that would eventually run from Singapore to Peking. I thought that the first step to get to the train to the Laotian border was a done deal.

[hellodolly]

Mr. Anond said: "during the next 30 years, all must start working together to prepare prevention and alleviation measures."

How are we (the public) supposed to help prevent problems from weather change and subsidence and possible floods???? !!!!

this is the GOVERNMENTS job to SPEND THE TAX MONEY WISELY!!! and not stick it in their pockets!!

Mr Arnold should tell the government to make prevention! What on earth are the public going to do? We are not allowed to build huge barriers! We are not allowed to create damns!! Tell it to the government please Mr Arnold

Quit building huge buddings start using proper garbage handling recycling and what not. Keep the canals free of liter.

[geronimo]

So nothing's happening at quarter to twelve?

[jacko45k]

in short: Bangkok is going to flood badly.

Yes, we knew that. Unfortunately, pol. leaders can't fathom the idea of moving Bkk's services to higher ground. Bkk is sacred and too important to Thais. However, Mother Nature doesn't give a gnat's ass about sacredness or economic importance.

The current budget busting Bt.2.2 trillion proposal by Thaksin PT proposes several high speed trains - all connecting with Bkk. Besides the lie that the 2.2 trillion boondoggle is to connect Thailand to neighboring countries (the high speed trains don't do this), the train lines, if built (which is a big IF) will likely become like the lonely concrete sculptures leading out to Don Muang.

You have a point...... I was furniture shopping and in 3 places was told they have to order and bring from factory in Bangkok, 2 weeks.

Must be bringing them up those soon to be swollen rivers. So much is focused there and it is an ever deteriorating situation.