Storms bring Pattaya to Grinding Halt

PATTAYA:--All through the week the 103 weather has been predicting the storms that hit today, bringing the city to a grinding halt and adding to the usual afternoon gridlock in many areas.

Power outages were fixed quickly but the internet in the area has, from many suppliers, been up and down today as all roads from the Sukhumvit to the Beach saw major flooding making some unpassable.

Full story:http://www.pattaya103.com/storms-bring-pattaya-to-grinding-halt/

--Pattaya 103 FM 2013-04-11

Not my reality. 10th of an inch in Pattayatai. No utilities disrupted at my home

No problems on NPW either...roads fine and all utilities up and running all day. I love the Darkside!

Not my reality. 10th of an inch in Pattayatai. No utilities disrupted at my home

The weather station near Royal Cliff reported 13mm. It's kinky in the tropics, you can get all the water you need for a month, while your neighbour doesn't get a drop of rain.

Here's hoping for heavy rains, everyday, all through Songkran!

I got stuck in a buffet at lunchtime today because of the rain (shame!). Had to take my shoes off to get to my car when it stopped, and then it took forever to drive up Central Road to Sukumvit. Not that there was any reason for the delay; just people driving incredibly slowly and taking about a minute to get in gear when the lights go green, as usual. Sometimes I wonder if they are actually awake behind those one-way mirrors they call windows.

First encountered minor flooding in a couple of spots on Sukhumvit as we traveled north the BPH. On the return trip "we" decided to avoid Sukhumvit and went west to Beach Road which, with the construction work, tour busses, song taeows and foot of water turned into a virtual parking lot. Tried going back east on Pattaya Klang and then south on Soi Buakow, which turned out to be comparatively smooth traveling.

It seemed surprising that there was so much road flooding in spots, especially Beach Rd, since it never seemed the rain was all that much. It doesn't bode well for the rainy season, but I agree with JT that heavy rains during Songkran do make the water-throwers less of a problem.

It doesnt take much rain to make a flood here. The drains are all filled with sand, plastic, and cooking oil. Most roads are designed to be the storm drainage channel, (like Soi Siam) so it only takes a few mm, to flood. In other places, the road and drainage are higher than the surrounding land, so everything floods, before the water can ever get to the drain. Still havent figured out why the drains are in the middle of the road, and of course when your on a bike and hit those drains, it could wreck you.

Rain was predicted yesterday, so it was not unexpected. we cleaned out our gutters.

if not one person in city hall expected the rains and ensuing floods, then they ought to be sacked en masse, an administrator put in and the city be run from Bkk.. Stuff democracy, we need a benevolent dictatorship here to make things work.

I was also down on Beach Road just after the rain stopped and I could see all the gutters was overflowing badly. The last 3-400 meters before walking street was dry as the gutters there were doing the job.

I was riding in about 30-40 cm of water sometimes.

I am still trying to dry my shoes , don't like riding in flip-flops.

Here in Khao Talo area on the darkside, we saw the black clouds overhead, saw the lightning, heard the thunder and wondered who was copping the lot.

Nice for someone else to get it and not us for a change

No power cuts or internet problems either. The g/f was not happy her Thai tv went off for a while though!!

Edited April 12, 201313 yr by pattayadingo

did thailand not buy a multi billion baht computer to predict the weather? apparently it is either never delivered but still billed or still in the original packing

or just plain nobody knows how to operate and nobody dares to tell in case of loss of face

did thailand not buy a multi billion baht computer to predict the weather? apparently it is either never delivered but still billed or still in the original packing

or just plain nobody knows how to operate and nobody dares to tell in case of loss of face

Huh? This storm was widely predicted for Thursday - they were spot on.

It doesnt take much rain to make a flood here. The drains are all filled with sand, plastic, and cooking oil. Most roads are designed to be the storm drainage channel, (like Soi Siam) so it only takes a few mm, to flood. In other places, the road and drainage are higher than the surrounding land, so everything floods, before the water can ever get to the drain. Still havent figured out why the drains are in the middle of the road, and of course when your on a bike and hit those drains, it could wreck you.

Well you're certainly right in this case, but in the past we've had worse rains without so much back up and flooding. As you say a lot of rubbish accumulates and I haven't come across anyone cleaning them out as was the case in the past.

When it comes to odd drains, I always wondered about the science employed when they put down the road & drains along Dongtan Beach. The grates and drainage canal are clearly raised above level of the road.

Wouldn't it be nice if that were to happen on the 19th?

Oh what lovely justice.

I got stuck in a buffet at lunchtime today because of the rain (shame!). Had to take my shoes off to get to my car when it stopped, and then it took forever to drive up Central Road to Sukumvit. Not that there was any reason for the delay; just people driving incredibly slowly and taking about a minute to get in gear when the lights go green, as usual. Sometimes I wonder if they are actually awake behind those one-way mirrors they call windows.

Location ! Location ! Stay away of Pattaya,its crowded,stinking sewerings,stinking beaches (Jomtien included,or are you blind?)You cant drive with a car unless verry verry slow............stay away ! Go live outside of Pattaya ,only go there for shopping early in the morning (Macro open 6 o'clock,Foodland open all night)

Manny restaurants and bars on the "dark side " ,where you can still drive a car . (1 exercise a day ,keeps the dogs away.)

Location ! Location ! Stay away of Pattaya,its crowded,stinking sewerings,stinking beaches (Jomtien included,or are you blind?)You cant drive with a car unless verry verry slow............stay away ! Go live outside of Pattaya ,only go there for shopping early in the morning (Macro open 6 o'clock,Foodland open all night)

I went to Pattaya because I specifically wanted to go to that restaurant. There is nothing even remotely like it on the darkside as far as I know, and certainly nothing that offers similar value.

I took my car because I needed to continue on to Sri Racha after my meal and there was no point taking the Bahtbus from Jomtien (where I live) to Pattaya, then back to Jomtien to get my car and then go back through Pattaya yet again to get where I was going. Driving from Pattaya up to Sukumvit and beyond is not normally difficult at that time of day.

I live in Jomtien because my condo there has a nice view and it is very convenient for just about everything that I do. Also the traffic there is usually very light. During the day it is very easy to get from there to Pattaya and back again on public transport or in my own car. Generally I only go to the darkside on Sundays, for Sunday lunch.

did thailand not buy a multi billion baht computer to predict the weather? apparently it is either never delivered but still billed or still in the original packing

or just plain nobody knows how to operate and nobody dares to tell in case of loss of face

Huh? This storm was widely predicted for Thursday - they were spot on.

+1

didnt see much rain here in jomtien soi wat boon yesterday

Maybe the drains on Dongtan beach are actually a long out door toilet?

It doesnt take much rain to make a flood here. The drains are all filled with sand, plastic, and cooking oil. Most roads are designed to be the storm drainage channel, (like Soi Siam) so it only takes a few mm, to flood. In other places, the road and drainage are higher than the surrounding land, so everything floods, before the water can ever get to the drain. Still havent figured out why the drains are in the middle of the road, and of course when your on a bike and hit those drains, it could wreck you.

Well you're certainly right in this case, but in the past we've had worse rains without so much back up and flooding. As you say a lot of rubbish accumulates and I haven't come across anyone cleaning them out as was the case in the past.

When it comes to odd drains, I always wondered about the science employed when they put down the road & drains along Dongtan Beach. The grates and drainage canal are clearly raised above level of the road.

The drain wast built last around 2004 I think, long after the street was paved. I guess it was put so hight because otherwise more sand from the beach would fall in and clog it rapidly. Don't know why they needed a drain, without it rain would simply seep away on the beach.