World bank study projects that major portions of Bangkok will be flooded by 2030

[webfact]

Climate change threatens trouble in the near future, World Bank says
By Howard Schneider

WASHINGTON: -- The World Bank is beginning to commit billions of dollars to flood prevention, water management and other projects to help major Asian cities avoid the expected impact of climate change, a dramatic example of how short the horizon has become to alleviate the effects of global warming.

Places such as Bangkok, Jakarta and Ho Chi Minh City are now considered “hot spots” that will bear the brunt of the impact as sea levels rise, tropical storms become more violent, and rainfall becomes both more sporadic and — in the rainy season — more intense.

Bank officials said this week that those effects are not considered a distant risk anymore, but rather are a near certainty “in our planning period” of the next 20 years or so.

In a study released Wednesday, the bank, for example, projected that major portions of Bangkok would be flooded by 2030. [more...]

Full story: http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/climate-change-threatens-trouble-in-the-near-future-world-bank-says/2013/06/18/1ba2bcea-d83d-11e2-a9f2-42ee3912ae0e_story.html

-- The Washington Post 2013-06-20

[whybother]

Never mind. I'm sure the government can spend a couple of trillion baht to fix that.

[EyesWideOpen]

There goes the real estate market.......

[Pib]

When I had my house built in Bangkok I had adjustable screws installed in the foundation piles...they have a lift height of 10 meters. So, when sea water approaches me in the year 2030 I will just jack-up my house, trade the Fortuner in for a boat, and life goes on.

Thought to self: I wonder how many people will believe this?

[bubblegum]

Since banker don't know a thing about keeping banking safe, hence the economic downfall of the west, I doubt very much they know anything about rising sea levels.

And BTW all you doomsday followers, screaming about about rising temperatures, take a look at the stats and see that its actually getting colder.

[PoodMaiDai]

When I had my house built in Bangkok I had adjustable screws installed in the foundation piles...they have a lift height of 10 meters. So, when sea water approaches me in the year 2030 I will just jack-up my house, trade the Fortuner in for a boat, and life goes on.

Thought to self: I wonder how many people will believe this?

I don't know if you did or not, but that is how people should be thinking right about now.

[trainman34014]

When I had my house built in Bangkok I had adjustable screws installed in the foundation piles...they have a lift height of 10 meters. So, when sea water approaches me in the year 2030 I will just jack-up my house, trade the Fortuner in for a boat, and life goes on.

Thought to self: I wonder how many people will believe this?

I don't know if you did or not, but that is how people should be thinking right about now.

No; the most sensible people will get out of BKK as soon as they can and relocate their life/business. By 2030 they will be laughing at people living in jacked up houses and riding around in boats... doing what exactly?

[Thai at Heart]

Since banker don't know a thing about keeping banking safe, hence the economic downfall of the west, I doubt very much they know anything about rising sea levels.

And BTW all you doomsday followers, screaming about about rising temperatures, take a look at the stats and see that its actually getting colder.

Doesn't make much difference of Bangkok keeps sinking.

[Pib]

When I had my house built in Bangkok I had adjustable screws installed in the foundation piles...they have a lift height of 10 meters. So, when sea water approaches me in the year 2030 I will just jack-up my house, trade the Fortuner in for a boat, and life goes on.

Thought to self: I wonder how many people will believe this?

I don't know if you did or not, but that is how people should be thinking right about now.

No; the most sensible people will get out of BKK as soon as they can and relocate their life/business. By 2030 they will be laughing at people living in jacked up houses and riding around in boats... doing what exactly?

Ripoff jet ski business...it will be so large it will put the Pattaya and Phuket ripoff jet ski businesses out of business.

[Skywalker69]

Never mind. I'm sure the government can spend a couple of trillion baht to fix that.

Now I feel safe.

[RKASA]

There goes the real estate market.......

Not really - we have Ocean view lots available up here in Phitsanulok. Buy now and save.

[lee b]

looks like that exotic underwater species thing in the bangkok mall is going to be bigger than they thought

[Pib]

There goes the real estate market.......

Not really - we have Ocean view lots available up here in Phitsanulok. Buy now and save.

The water from the late 2011 flood must being draining slowly from Phitsanulok. Just kidding.

My son-in-law family lives in Phitsaulok and the stories he told when visiting the family during the 2011 flood....a boat was much more useful for several months compared to a car/truck....cars/trucks don't float too good.

[winstonc]

i dont care im in ubon and if that starts to go under,,im guna do a large italian retreat and leave on a jet plane,just like peter,paul ,and mary,,,,,,,,

[Scott]

Some off-topic posts have been removed. Although humor and banter is nice, it tends to keep taking the thread further off-topic.

[purushanti]

The low level elevation of Bangkok actually extends thru the center of Thailand all the way to Uttaradit.

Another issue is that Thailand, and some other countries, are situated on the Sunda Plate, whose stability could be questioned.

[zydeco]

What parts of Bangkok are due to go under first? Nothing in the article, of course, to provide any indication. Anybody remember those artist sketches a year or so ago of the underwater Bangkok? Giant pods floating on the water and connected by water taxis. Think I'd rather relocate to Khon Kaen.

[whybother]

The low level elevation of Bangkok actually extends thru the center of Thailand all the way to Uttaradit.

Another issue is that Thailand, and some other countries, are situated on the Sunda Plate, whose stability could be questioned.

Thailand is entirely (except maybe the very northern part) on the Sunda plate, so that shouldn't be an issue. None of the tectonic plates are stable at their edges, but away from the edges they should be fine.

[givenall]

Never mind. I'm sure the government can spend a couple of trillion baht to fix that.

the government as usual keeping happy face and telling everyone everything is fine. BTW the Mr. T is finding homes around the world so he'll be fine

[trainman34014]

What parts of Bangkok are due to go under first? Nothing in the article, of course, to provide any indication. Anybody remember those artist sketches a year or so ago of the underwater Bangkok? Giant pods floating on the water and connected by water taxis. Think I'd rather relocate to Khon Kaen.

It's sinking to the East; so lets call that the stern end shall we. Better get up West toward the bow and make sure you gather lifebelts on the way.

[giggles]

When I had my house built in Bangkok I had adjustable screws installed in the foundation piles...they have a lift height of 10 meters. So, when sea water approaches me in the year 2030 I will just jack-up my house, trade the Fortuner in for a boat, and life goes on.

Thought to self: I wonder how many people will believe this?

the drainage wont work any more surrounded by human waste

[moe666]

When I had my house built in Bangkok I had adjustable screws installed in the foundation piles...they have a lift height of 10 meters. So, when sea water approaches me in the year 2030 I will just jack-up my house, trade the Fortuner in for a boat, and life goes on.

Thought to self: I wonder how many people will believe this?

Do not laff exwifes brother jacked up his house in California by 5 feet to build a walk around basement, so could be done

[RKASA]

There goes the real estate market.......

Not really - we have Ocean view lots available up here in Phitsanulok. Buy now and save.

The water from the late 2011 flood must being draining slowly from Phitsanulok. Just kidding.

My son-in-law family lives in Phitsaulok and the stories he told when visiting the family during the 2011 flood....a boat was much more useful for several months compared to a car/truck....cars/trucks don't float too good.

The thing is we have high lands as well as downtown - I live a good 150m above Phitsanulok. That is why we have view lots available.

[noitom]

i dont care im in ubon and if that starts to go under,,im guna do a large italian retreat and leave on a jet plane,just like peter,paul ,and mary,,,,,,,,

Ubon will suffer the result of large waves of migration from flooded areas in Bangkok region. When the looters get through in Bangkok, they will head up country.

[hellodolly]

Not to worry Bangkokians can all take Yinglucks fast trains to Chiang Mai we will not be underwater here except for a few low spots.

[Mampara]

Time to get into the secondhand boat business

[noitom]

When I had my house built in Bangkok I had adjustable screws installed in the foundation piles...they have a lift height of 10 meters. So, when sea water approaches me in the year 2030 I will just jack-up my house, trade the Fortuner in for a boat, and life goes on.

Thought to self: I wonder how many people will believe this?

I don't know if you did or not, but that is how people should be thinking right about now.

No; the most sensible people will get out of BKK as soon as they can and relocate their life/business. By 2030 they will be laughing at people living in jacked up houses and riding around in boats... doing what exactly?

Black snakes, alligators, rats , and mosquitoes for neighbors in that jacked up house high above that sewage posing as flood water.

[Ricardo]

No problem, Science-Minister & DPM Plodprasop says we can hire ships to tie-up to the coastline of the Gulf-of-Siam, and run their propellors to push the rising-waters back again !

With a suitable 30% kick-back, from the ship-owners to the politicians, naturally.

[Pikeybkk]

OOOOOOOOOOO. I do like top be beside the seaside, oooooo i do like to be beside the sea

[newermonkey]

...And in a thousand years it will be called the lost city of "Banglantiscock" and no one will have any record of it ever existing.