With the military in place a flood will lead to variations of happy tales of soldiers doing heroic deeds for the community combined with outright denial of any flood taking place.

Sgtsabai nails it fairly well. Correct me if wrong, but weren't klongs in Bangkok also a means of flood run off control? Collective greed, short sightedness, lack of willingness to learn all contribute to this problem. Floods are nothing new to Thailand. Nature always bats last, and may not happen to read what fortune tellers/weather forecasters may wishfully predict.

I believe the klongs were also to be a means of flood control, could be wrong. First and foremost Thailand has to create real 'drainage districts'. Maintenance of ditches is a major concern if the water is to flow. Ditches have to be cleaned, grass etc. mowed, silt has to be removed. We had many that 'long stick' track hoes had to be used for reach and some areas where they had to be on barges. Pretty much a never ending job just in our district. Hard to believe but a ditch that is under water will still flow water if the water is not coming up from an incoming tide. We even maintained those that the marsh had re-claimed and were underwater, often time the levy was still usable, sometimes the cottonmouths and gators didn't seem to happy. The expertise is available world wide if Thailand doesn't have it in house, yea I know they will never admit to that. Good engineers with flood control expertise and the survey crews that have to do the studies are not cheap and the study is absolutely necessary. Just in our district it took us 4 or 5 years to complete level loops through out the district, 3, sometimes 4 man crews using 4 wheelers, airboats, swamp buggies, boats etc. Standing chest deep in the marsh and sharing your space with gators and cottonmouths really does tend to make one drink just a tad bit after work. The study alone is time consuming. Like I said, I'm not holding my breath to see any real action. You know, "oh well, mai pen rai" attitude.

Maybe they went out and checked the seaweed hanging up outside the office.Okay i know,before anyone say's it,"i am not packing my bag's",neither will the door hit me on the way out,as i am not going.

"The Meteorological Department said that Thailand is unlikely to face another major flood this year, as less rains are expected compared to last year."

And because the skillful politicians who knew nothing about water management and held the water for too long before eventually pulling the trigger on the dams resulting in over 700 deaths (more than the last two 'coup de thais' together) is no longer in office.