An expert predicts Bangkok will be partly submerged in the next 30 years

[whatsupdoc]

This has been known for more than 20 years why are they talking about it now? Bangkok sinking about 1 metre a year and now all the panic, dont worry dont need farang advice just "Flee the scene"

I don't think this is necessarily about Bangkok sinking but the oceans rising due to global warming. Of course, all of this focus on Bangkok sort of overlooks the fact that Rayong, Pattaya, Hua Hin, etc, will disappear first. In fact, most everything (including large parts of Cambodia) bordering the Gulf of Thailand is expected to be underwater.

Building up earth berms or dykes really can't help that situation much since you're going to have flooding from the north and the sea approaching from the south. Unless Bangkok wants to wall itself in and eventually become an island, there is no saving Bangkok unless the seas don't rise as much as predicted.

Please tell the Dutch that dykes are not much use...... Also several big rivers end up in the Netherlands, so the situation is not that much different from BKK.

I think you're misunderstanding the problem. Dykes would be helpful if the only problem Bangkok faced was water flowing from the north to the Gulf of Thailand. What I'm saying is that dykes are less effective if the water is also approaching Bangkok from the rising waters in the Gulf of Thailand to its south.

I know that some may dismiss climate change estimates because someone made a prediction 20 years ago and it didn't come true but IF most sea level predictions are even remotely true, the beaches in Thailand will be north of Bangkok. The problem in Thailand is that everything is at or below sea level. Not just Bangkok. There's very little high ground to hold anything back.

I'm not trying to be all chicken-little here. Just saying that IF the 3 meter rise in sea levels that climate scientists predict happens, Bangkok is likely unprotectable. The only option will be to move north to higher ground.

The coastal provinces in Holland are 1 to 7 meter (!) under sea level. Of course implementing a protection from the sea like they have in Holland costs something, but it can be done.

[Thongkorn]

do you know how much the dutch live below the sea level in your measurement unit? they can live so can Bangkok people as an intelligent creature. just copy them.

I believe it's 5 meters below sea level Amsterdam is, other parts of the country can't be sure, but do you honestly think the Thais will take advice from another nation in the same position?

This post was on a few years ago, or one similar to this.

Where i live in the UK, In Lincolnshire there are parts only 6 inches above sea level, its called Holland Lincolnshire. We have wide drains and ditches to drain the land of excessive water, The Dutch have been draining land and .irrigating land for 100s of years, Maybe wise to ask experts and people with experience, But saying that I have lived a quarter of a mile from a beach, I have lived here 45 years, I have not seen the sea level rise at all , I think global warming is a con , In fact the earth is cooling down.

[joboss]

"And God said to Noah, 'I have determined to make an end of all flesh; for BKK is filled with violence through them; behold, I will destroy them with BKK. Make yourself an ark of gopher wood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, its breadth fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above; and set the door of the ark in its side; make it with lower, second, and third decks.

"For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon BKK, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life from under heaven; everything that is in BKK shall die. But I will establish my covenant with you; and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you.

"And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground according to its kind, two of every sort shall come in to you, to keep them alive. Also take with you every sort of food that is eaten, and store it up; and it shall serve as food for you and for them.

And your planning to move to sin city? Are you taking your pulpit?

[digibum]

I think you're misunderstanding the problem. Dykes would be helpful if the only problem Bangkok faced was water flowing from the north to the Gulf of Thailand. What I'm saying is that dykes are less effective if the water is also approaching Bangkok from the rising waters in the Gulf of Thailand to its south.

I know that some may dismiss climate change estimates because someone made a prediction 20 years ago and it didn't come true but IF most sea level predictions are even remotely true, the beaches in Thailand will be north of Bangkok. The problem in Thailand is that everything is at or below sea level. Not just Bangkok. There's very little high ground to hold anything back.

I'm not trying to be all chicken-little here. Just saying that IF the 3 meter rise in sea levels that climate scientists predict happens, Bangkok is likely unprotectable. The only option will be to move north to higher ground.

The coastal provinces in Holland are 1 to 7 meter (!) under sea level. Of course implementing a protection from the sea like they have in Holland costs something, but it can be done.

That's not really an apples to apples comparison. In almost 200 years the sea level has risen about 8 inches. Eight inches in 200 years is relatively easy to deal with compared with a *predicted* rise of 1 - 3 meters in time frames of decades rather than centuries.

What I'm saying is that if the ONLY issue was water flowing north to south, dykes, levees, and similar solutions would do a great deal to mitigate flooding problems.

However, if sea levels are also rising, it's a very different problem. You may not be able to protect Bangkok. They need to model out what happens at 1, 2, 3 or more meters of sea level rise and then project the risk factor of each outcome. Most models of 3m put Bangkok entirely underwater and makes Ayutthaya beach front property.

And keep in mind, if the seas rise that much that quickly, it's every country for itself. The Dutch are not going to have time to lend their expertise to Thailand as they'll be staving off their own loss of land. Richer nations will definitely hold a big advantage as they already have the expertise and equipment to fend off the water. Less developed countries will have to fend for themselves.

Whether you believe in global warming or not is irrelevant. It's a proven fact that sea level rise over the last 100 years has greatly accelerated over the rate the seas were rising over the last several thousand years. The question is whether or not that rate holds steady or it continues to accelerate (and whether that rate is linear or exponential). Why it's accelerating is not important from a planning standpoint. Unless the trend reverses, it's only a matter of when, not if, you're dealing with the problem.

[maidee]

someone has interests in building a new capital somewhere ?

[stevo52]

GEE guys i don't know , if bangkok sliped beneath the waves '' do you think anybody would really miss it ''???? I was speaking to my wife about this '' she is Thai , she said to me '' look dear take out the 5 million rats , the 500,000 scamming bar girls the 600,000 alcoholics , and all the BF'S)))) ( I SAID HANG ON )))))WHATS THE BF'S ?? she replied all the ''beggar farangs of course ''!

So i said do tell my dear which ones are not the beggar farangss ?? she replied the ones that are NOT B'F'S = Aussie / kiwis/ some English ( THE NON STINGY ONES LIKE ----3 FROM 10 ) A few lost americans and 2 or 3 dozen))) half decent irish men ! LOL LOL !

To take all this from bangkok , she said who's going to miss it???? , it's a just sea of scam and deciet ( i think the wife has pretty well got it summed up'' - but over all ''she hates the sight of the place''

Personaly i think it's the last card in the pack------- bangkok))))))) gee what a cess pit of slime)))))))) ''come on de water '')))))

[mmh8]

In equally relevant news that I wanted to give the thumbs up too, apparently an anonymous developer is trying to save thailand by building up the land in the sea, it will be called thaksinville and will be an amazing place where various virtues are practised and the roads will be alive with soi dogs and poor beggars

additianlly I like the comments of wash the sins away - bybye bankgok

[ginjag]

If you own a condo and above 1st floor, easy---sell the car and buy a boat.

Or get the hell out of the crazy place and live cleaner--cheaper--friendlier life up in Udon. property half the price.

[IMA_FARANG]

Bangkok is and has ben for years gradually sinking do to groundwater being drained by overuse of the water by an increasing population and the increased drawing of fresh water from the ground..... which unfortunately for Bangkok is being replaced by brackish or salty water. This overuse of the ground water is causing the ground to subside and salt water is encroaching into the ground water.

This has been known for many years..... I can remember it being a big topic with the then government in the 1980's.

It hasn't changed much since then.