Thailand to launch world's first flood forecast system

[Cloggie]

Get the bloody Dutch in , then u not need a flood forecasting system . But no they been to Bulgaria to work together on watermanagement .

I think the problem is that the Dutch are not that keen on corruption .

We already did that, guess what happened with the report?

[Mudcrab]

Just like predicting how many cars will run off the road instead of installing street lights.

You can't fix stupid.

I am surprised the Japanese are involved in this. They are usually quite practical. Maybe their associations with the Thais is beginning to wear their intelligence down to a single synaptic response to issues, just like the Thais. Makes me think if that nuclear reactor incident was somehow related now...

So we can now predict how many cars will run off the road and HIT street lights. Headlights have been an innovation on motor vehicles for quite some time I believe. You're right COC...you can't fix stupid

[klauskunkel]

The reporting will be done via Facebook...

[GAZZPA]

This is brilliant, I can just see it in operation. The rain comes,,,, the hugely expensive computer system spits out a report, "WARNING, FLOODS ARE PREDICTED IN LOW LYING AREAS, ALSO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO AREAS AT THE BASE OF MOUNTAINS". Two days later everyone is wading waste deep through stinky, brown water contaminated by their own crap saying how clever the government is for letting us know this was coming.. Success, the system works, money well spent.

How about a computer based /online system that can measure that the correct degree of common sense has been applied to a key decision before it is actually implemented.

[Dap]

Well dam*, they gotta' show something for all the spent money

that hasen't stopped any flooding yet. Good show boys

[draftvader]

First flood forecast system? In my previous life I sold remote sensing software that saw a new life in raster imagery for digital mapping (i.e. aerial photography with map overlay...just like the Satellite button in googlemaps). This piece of software was also able to render 3D models from terrain mapping. Combined together this allowed my Dutch reseller to sell flood plain mapping into the local governments across the Netherlands. We wrote some additional code that allowed these customers to be able to easily demonstrate what 1m, 2m, 3m, etc of water would do in real terms. I was doing this in 1999 and I don't think we were the first to use data to interpret a future problem. Anybody with half a brain cell could use any map with elevation data to understand what would happen if the water were to rise 'x' meters.

Honestly, the people making these announcements really need to get out more.

-----EDIT-----

In fact I remember that County Series mapping had elevation data and that stuff was created by men on foot with pencils during the mid-late 1800s. Still doubt that they were the first.

Edited September 20, 2013 by draftvader

[Angeledge777]

Easy to forecast, it's flooding every years.

[richard10365]

Just to be correct in their predictions they will probably open the flood gates on local dams to save face.

[Thaddeus]

Thailand to launch world's first flood forecast system today

I eagerly await Thailand unveiling the worlds first search engine that insists the word Thailand is included in every enquiry.

That will ensure that the general public stay well informed on how great and good their government truly are.

http://www.gov.mb.ca/mit/floodinfo/

[cup-O-coffee]

Just like the NGO's when thy pull up in their 2014 Land Rovers; there will be wealthy Thais pulling up in all areas throughout Thailand in their Lexus SUVs and walking around the area. They will be followed by a bevvy of sexy girls dressed in hip-high skirts, armed with clipboards and smartphones with head devices attached.

The VIP will walk every few meters and point at the ground and exclaim with confidence, "I predict it will rain here!" and then move on to another area and repeat the process until the entire country has been documented on billions of reams of A4 paper and stacked up in corners of newly constructed government building just for this purpose, and manned by wealthy brats to document and tabulate the boxes of paper and...

...oh bother!

[paddyjenkins]

So, the Thais claim they will have the world's first flood forecasting system. Well, I had thought that flood warning/forecasting was pretty much in existence about everywhere but Thailand, but if the the Thais made this claim then they must be right because as we all know, Thais never make mistakes. So, OK, nobody in the world has any flood forecasting system and so Thailand is to be the first. Its a bit like when Thailand invented the internet, invented modern medicine, cloud seeding, cars, mobile communication etc etc.

But, it does seem the Japanese will build this system, so lets at least be clear on where the brain matter will come from...not Thais...so the thing should work.

But what really surprised me is why there was not a press release stating that Thailand was to become the hub of flood forcecasting.

Edited September 20, 2013 by paddyjenkins

[Pimay1]

I think what they meant to say it is Thailand's first flood forecast system. All they had to do was google "flood forecast system" to see there are many more throughout the world. Example below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEPpGqAUdP8

http://www.susquehannafloodforecasting.org/about.html

[Fullstop]

God love 'em. Sorta reminds me of a toddler stacking three blocks on top of one another for the first time.

[slipperylobster]

Let me guess.... the dogs start barking when they can no longer squat ???

[draftvader]

I had to look it up but realised I should have known already because of the Cassini projection system. Anyway, the earliest recorded topographic maps were made by the French in the late 1600 - 1700s (a century and 3 generations of the Cassini family) then it was the British in India including the method used to measure mountains.

I'm actually confused as to whether this is relevant to this topic as it would seem that Thailand doesn't believe in Topographic data combined with satellite (specifically remote sensing) imagery as a method to determine flooding.

[Misterwhisper]

The system comprises 1000's of people spread along the banks of rivers, 200m apart, all with a mobile phone. The idea being that they call a hotline number when the water goes past a certain depth. Works great.

The system is further augmented by villagers around the country reading tree barks, sacred mushrooms, lizard skins and assorted strange-looking rocks for signs of impending flooding instead of lottery numbers. An integrated fail safe involves directors of selected government departments and state enterprises unraveling in regular intervals large-scale ceremonies to ask various spirits and deities for flood protection.

[exalll]

Sorry, but TV readers are guilty once again of not reading what the article says! It says:

"the internet-based system for the Chao Phraya River basin is the first of its kind in the world"

This is 100% correct. I simply don't believe all those posters saying that the UK or the Netherlands, or whoever, have had such a system since a long time ago. Why on earth would the UK develop an internet-based system for the Chao Phraya River basin?

Thailand's IS the first of its kind in the world.

[Just1Voice]

I can just see it now. Turn on the tv and idiot (probably related to the management), or some dolled up Thai version of a bimbo, stands in front of a weather map and says:
"We are having torrential rains here, and here, and here, (while blinding pointing to Cambodia, Lao and China) so we can positively predict flooding....ahhhhh....somewhere."

[Pimay1]

Sorry, but TV readers are guilty once again of not reading what the article says! It says:

"the internet-based system for the Chao Phraya River basin is the first of its kind in the world"

This is 100% correct. I simply don't believe all those posters saying that the UK or the Netherlands, or whoever, have had such a system since a long time ago. Why on earth would the UK develop an internet-based system for the Chao Phraya River basin?

Thailand's IS the first of its kind in the world.

I hope the Internet infrastructure is better than it is here in Isaan.

[nong38]

Where did all that water come from? Now I know how Col. Custer felt!

[cloudhopper]

Must be a spinoff of this great invention -

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/455328-thai-science-and-technology-ministry-to-unveil-locally-developed-weather-forecast-and-disaster-warning-machine/

[ignis]

"the internet-based system for the Chao Phraya River basin is the first of its kind in the world"

not a lot of good if it rains, 1st things to go out is the internet

[fareastguy]

The system comprises 1000's of people spread along the banks of rivers, 200m apart, all with a mobile phone. The idea being that they call a hotline number when the water goes past a certain depth. Works great.

The pre-determined depth is when the water goes over the top of your wellies & you feel your feet getting wet!!

[Thormaturge]

After the huge allocation of money to prevent flooding there should not really be any further risk of flooding.

Oh wait, now I get the idea.

Those Lexus SUV's are made in Japan, no?

[Thormaturge]

Warning everybody.....It rained a lot today.

Where do I apply for my ThB 124 mn ?

[ramrod711]

Thailand is the Hub of flood predicting, great innovations and getting rid of bad spirits. I have total confidence that once the early warning system is in place, a fleet of speed boats will be able to send the excess water down to the sea quickly.

[Lingba]

How hard is it to have a flood forcast system in Thailand/??....given the instracture...if it rains a lot there will be a flood

[bubblegum]

Surfs up !

[RickBradford]

The flood warning system has 4 levels:

1) Nothing is going to happen

2) Maybe something is going to happen, but we needn't do anything

3) Maybe we should do something, but there's nothing we can do

4) Well, maybe we could have done something about it but it's too late now

(pace: Yes Prime Minister)

[lungmi]

Absolutely the best solution: This system connected to the best future tellers (don't forget the favourit of Takki) and make a Committee to discuss what to do.

If there is no unity, ask the bloody Dutch specialists to help you not to lose face.