Tropical storms wreak havoc in Thailand

[webfact]

Tropical storms wreak havoc in vast areas



BANGKOK: -- Tropical storms and hailstorms wreaked havoc on several provinces in the North, Northeast, East and Central regions of the country last night and this morning, uprooting big trees, blowing away roof tiles and sheets, bringing down power poles, flattening bill boards and flooding many roads.

Many vehicles were damaged by flying debris of roof tiles, sheets, billboards, fallen trees, power poles.

There were a number of injuries but official count was still unavailable.

A tour bus heading for Bangkok from Ubon Ratchathani also skidded off the road during heavy rainstorm, injuring more than 40 passengers in Prakonchai district of Buriram province before dawn Thursday.

Slippery road surface during heavy rain was blamed as the cause.

In Phob Phra district of Tak, tropical storm ravaged more than 50 homes and brought down several big trees, blocking the village road at several sections.

Tropical storm also hit Sawan Kalok district of Sukhothai province, causing damages to several homes last night.

Fire was also reported at Kamphaeng Phet Muang District office after heavy rainstorm lashed the town and caused electric short circuit at the office.

The fire was kept under control last night.

Several roads in the municipal area were also flooded when torrential rain lashed the area for over an hour.

Meanwhile hailstorm wreaked havoc in Lomsak district of Phetchabun province last night damaging hundreds of homes and black out electricity in seven villages of Tambon Ban Klang in Lomsak.

Soldiers from 28th Infantry Battalion were despatched to assist villagers repair their homes this morning and provide primary aids to them.

Meanwhile more than 30 power poles in Pattaya were also pulled down by torrential rain storm yesterday, causing power blackout for many hours in the beach town.

The Meteorological Department today said high pressure system from China has now blanketed Thailand’s North, Northeast, East, Central and upper Southern regions.

It said the system will result in tropical storms in vast areas that will cause torrential thunderstorms, hailstorms, and twitters in some areas.

After the storms, overall temperatures will fall 6-8 degrees Celsius.

It again warn people of danger from big trees, bill boards and instable structures that could be brought down by heavy storms, and ask to stay away from them.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/tropical-storms-wreak-havoc-in-vast-areas

-- Thai PBS 2015-04-23

[Soutpeel]

The Meteorological Department today said high pressure system from China has now blanketed Thailand’s North, Northeast, East, Central and upper Southern regions.

ergo the storms experienced cant be tropical storms then, tropical storms are associated with low pressure systems not high pressure systems

"It said the system will result in tropical storms in vast areas that will cause torrential thunderstorms, hailstorms, and twitters in some areas"

No they didn't, no mention of tropical storms

http://www.tmd.go.th/en/list_warning.php

[berybert]

I tried to stay away from trees, billboards and unstable structures, but I had to go out.

[NongKhaiKid]

The Meteorological Department today said high pressure system from China has now blanketed Thailand’s North, Northeast, East, Central and upper Southern regions.

ergo the storms experienced cant be tropical storms then, tropical storms are associated with low pressure systems not high pressure systems

"It said the system will result in tropical storms in vast areas that will cause torrential thunderstorms, hailstorms, and twitters in some areas"

No they didn't, no mention of tropical storms

http://www.tmd.go.th/en/list_warning.php

I lived in Hong Kong for 20 years and experienced my fair share of storms from a Tropical Storm up to Typhoon strength including those categorised under the HK system as Number 10 meaning expect a direct hit.

The forecasts invariably started with " there's a low pressure area over the Pacific ( at / or near a reference point ) and a Tropical Depression appears to be forming. " As this intensified it went from Depression to Tropical Storm, to Severe Tropical Storm and then Typhoon.

[cmiuc]

first i was at home when it struck... it seemed to have only lasted a few minutes at a time...

hehe, the tropical storms didn't wreck havoc... they just uncovered and exposed how work in thailand is done... half-assed... go out and look around at the power poles... their not straight, cables are going everywhere, i would hate to unravel those lines... and most times, the cables including the power ones are hanging so close to the ground... you can either die of being chocked to death or electrocution... give your choice... or both if you like to go quick... the other day, i rode past an transformer that was on the ground and exposed with the cables just there... before any storms..

so ... this article is a funny one... should be posted in the comics section.

[Gutterboy]

No.

Pathetically low standards of building work, poor quality infrastructure, dodgy wiring and dangerous driving wreak havoc in Thailand.

With the exception of perhaps the trees, the storms are just a lame excuse.

[docshock13]

Its the twitters that are really dangerous!

[OOLEEBER]

Quick... to the cellar..... a Twitter is coming!

[Soutpeel]

Quick... to the cellar..... a Twitter is coming!

one suspects the local hub of Twit ters is TV

[ratcatcher]

first i was at home when it struck... it seemed to have only lasted a few minutes at a time...

hehe, the tropical storms didn't wreck havoc... they just uncovered and exposed how work in thailand is done... half-assed... go out and look around at the power poles... their not straight, cables are going everywhere, i would hate to unravel those lines... and most times, the cables including the power ones are hanging so close to the ground... you can either die of being chocked to death or electrocution... give your choice... or both if you like to go quick... the other day, i rode past an transformer that was on the ground and exposed with the cables just there... before any storms..

so ... this article is a funny one... should be posted in the comics section.

"....you can either die of being chocked (choked ? - shocked? ) to death or electrocution.."

Is there a choice?"....

[ratcatcher]

"A tour bus heading for Bangkok from Ubon Ratchathani also skidded off the road during heavy rainstorm, injuring more than 40 passengers in Prakonchai district of Buriram province before dawn Thursday.

Slippery road surface during heavy rain was blamed as the cause."

Poor driving by the bus driver, who failed to operate his bus according to the prevailing dangerous conditions (heavy rain) . Speeding along on flooded roads will always have the potential for a mishap....................unless of course the brakes conveniently fail.

[masuk]

first i was at home when it struck... it seemed to have only lasted a few minutes at a time...

hehe, the tropical storms didn't wreck havoc... they just uncovered and exposed how work in thailand is done... half-assed... go out and look around at the power poles... their not straight, cables are going everywhere, i would hate to unravel those lines... and most times, the cables including the power ones are hanging so close to the ground... you can either die of being chocked to death or electrocution... give your choice... or both if you like to go quick... the other day, i rode past an transformer that was on the ground and exposed with the cables just there... before any storms..

so ... this article is a funny one... should be posted in the comics section.

The total area of the 'black sails' must be a very weak point when it comes to strong winds. I've seen about 6 poles get bowled over as there were so many cables.

[Dublin]

A tour bus heading for Bangkok from Ubon Ratchathani also skidded off the road during heavy rainstorm, injuring more than 40 passengers in Prakonchai district of Buriram province before dawn Thursday.Slippery road surface during heavy rain was blamed as the cause.

Nothing to do with the driver not driving to conditions, just slippery road was to blame.. Thai Drivers they drive in a storm same as it was a sunny day no idea of the dangers....They should start teaching Driver's Ed in schools.....

[Suffinator]

They wouldn't have issues with power lines coming down if they were buried underground; it would also save a lot of other issues too. I hear from a friend that they've started doing so in parts of Phuket. Maybe they are finally beginning to realise that they are better off underground.

[papa al]

"A tour bus heading for Bangkok from Ubon Ratchathani also skidded off the road during heavy rainstorm, injuring more than 40 passengers in Prakonchai district of Buriram province before dawn Thursday.

Slippery road surface during heavy rain was blamed as the cause."

Poor driving by the bus driver, who failed to operate his bus according to the prevailing dangerous conditions (heavy rain) . Speeding along on flooded roads will always have the potential for a mishap....................unless of course the brakes conveniently fail.

This stretch of highway 24 east of Nang Rong is two-lane with heavy traffic.

IMO #1 scary highway in Thailand.

[Doc46]

So that is what happens with no building code,,,,,Shit happens,,, every thing falls into a heap with a bit of wind and rain what an shambles

[jamie2009]

Until they get rid of the mentality of overhead lines there will always be a problem not helped by tagging of telecoms cables on the same poles increasing the load. Transformer on poles increasing the weight doesn't help either although it is common practice in the States in some places.

[Roota]

hehe, the tropical storms didn't wreck havoc... they just uncovered and exposed how work in thailand is done...

Even those shoddy Thai trees, coming out by the roots!

No question there's plenty of slipshod work done in this country, but these kinds of Asian hot-season storms cause massive destruction even in places with Western-standard building codes, like Singapore and Japan. I'm guessing you've never experienced one. They give you a whole lot more respect for Mother Nature.

[BMF1960]

Every year it is the same, and every year the authorities feign surprise by the storms and rain. Rather than improve infrastructure, they would rather blame the thunder and lightening. As soon as rain hits the eastern seaboard, the lights go out - this has been the same for years. More condos are built, but the level of infrastructure remains as it was 20 years ago.

Bringing happiness and blackouts to Thailand!

Edited April 23, 2015 by BMF1960

[gyrosman]

You get what you pay for in life. buy cheap get cheap.

[joebrown]

A tour bus heading for Bangkok from Ubon Ratchathani also skidded off the road during heavy rainstorm, injuring more than 40 passengers in Prakonchai district of Buriram province before dawn Thursday.Slippery road surface during heavy rain was blamed as the cause.

Nothing to do with the driver not driving to conditions, just slippery road was to blame.. Thai Drivers they drive in a storm same as it was a sunny day no idea of the dangers....They should start teaching Driver's Ed in schools.....

Agreed. Never the person at fault, always put the blame on someone else or adverse conditions.

Edited April 23, 2015 by joebrown

[SunsetT]

.................. "will cause torrential thunderstorms, hailstorms, and twitters in some areas."

Oh No! Not the dreaded 'twitters'.................... !!!!

.............Or is 'twitters' a Thai technical weather term I am unaware of?

[mikecat]

Building standards cant be much better in Australia then, if the last few days are anything to go by, Also the people who are responsible for allowing building to go ahead in so many flood prone areas in Australia should be held to account. Australia also seems to have massive blackouts everytime there is a bit of a blow come in off the ocean.

[VINCENT2012]

in ubon still we are waiting for rain......alll grass is diying slowly....and the termometer marking 40 up every day

[flyingdoc]

What twitters are these then???

[jagfx]

Only been in Hua Hin for a couple of months now and today was probably our first decent storm since arriving. There has been rain a couple of times, but nothing major, and the power has gone out each time. And today was no different. Power out for about an hour. No big deal though. Even in today's storm there were fences blown over and street signs gone missing in our area. It wasn't that big of a storm by comparison to ones I have been through in Qld & the NT in Australia. The infrastructure here is woeful and there is zero planning when it comes to potential wild weather forecasts. We all knew that this storm was coming but then they are surprised by the damage it causes. I can't work it out, but it doesn't really affect me anyway...

[louse1953]

first i was at home when it struck... it seemed to have only lasted a few minutes at a time...

hehe, the tropical storms didn't wreck havoc... they just uncovered and exposed how work in thailand is done... half-assed... go out and look around at the power poles... their not straight, cables are going everywhere, i would hate to unravel those lines... and most times, the cables including the power ones are hanging so close to the ground... you can either die of being chocked to death or electrocution... give your choice... or both if you like to go quick... the other day, i rode past an transformer that was on the ground and exposed with the cables just there... before any storms..

so ... this article is a funny one... should be posted in the comics section.

Any chance to bash,any opportunity to have a go,what a sad life you must live.

[BSJ]

Blackouts are normal around here, 3 to5 times a month from 1 minute to hours. So, we have the LED lanterns and torches at the ready for the next time......which should be soon!

[Burl Ives]

22 power pylons destroyed in Pattaya sukhumvit soi 89, 30 hours later the PEA had erected 22 new ones and the power was restored.

So we know now there is at least one good utility company in Thailand.

Well done PEA!

[beowolf2012]

A tour bus heading for Bangkok from Ubon Ratchathani also skidded off the road during heavy rainstorm, injuring more than 40 passengers in Prakonchai district of Buriram province before dawn Thursday.Slippery road surface during heavy rain was blamed as the cause.

Nothing to do with the driver not driving to conditions, just slippery road was to blame.. Thai Drivers they drive in a storm same as it was a sunny day no idea of the dangers....They should start teaching Driver's Ed in schools.....

who speak they have a driving license....