Bangkok traffic chaos after heavy downpour

[webfact]

Stormageddon leaves Bangkok soaked to the bone (PHOTOS)
By Coconuts Bangkok


Sukhumvit 36 sunk in water. Photo: Chekchon Anchaisri

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok got back to work Monday later than usual as commuters slogged through streets flooded by an epic, overnight storm worthy of a Wagner opera.

Heavy rain pelted the Thai capital for five to six hours starting at about 1:30am this morning, while blasts of thunder cracked the sky. When the rain stopped at about 8am, many roads and buildings were flooded, and traffic was paralyzed, prompting closure of some schools.

Main arteries including Chaeng Wattana, Klong Toei, Lat Phrao, Rama IV, Sukhumvit and Asoke roads were all reported flooded.

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2015/06/08/stormageddon-leaves-bangkok-soaked-bone-photos


-- Coconuts Bangkok 2015-06-08

[webfact]

Heavy downpours, floods hit Bangkok
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok was hit by heavy downpours from 2 am to 5 am Monday, causing floods of several roads in the capital, including Lard Prao, Chaeng Wattana, and Sukhumvit roads.

The floods resulted in traffic chaos on Bangkok streets which are normally congested Monday morning. The Bangkok city clerk said Sukhumvit, Phra Khanong and Klongtoey districts saw the heaviest rains.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Heavy-downpours-floods-hit-Bangkok-30261846.html


-- The Nation 2015-06-08

[wow64]

Yes that was fun today. Asoke Rd closed towards Petchburi.. Those little finos are tuff.. saw some riding in water almost to the seat.

[Thunder26]

At Sawarnabhumi airport rained 150 ml. Bangkok metropolis 174 ml. Klong Toei -165ml which is extremely a lot. No wonder some areas were flooded.

http://tmd.go.th/en/climate.php?FileID=1

[webfact]

Heavy predawn rains causes traffic chaos in morning rush hours in Bangkok



BANGKOK: -- Northeasterly monsoon caused complete traffic chaos in Bangkok when it dumped over a 100 millimetres of rain water in the capital turning sections of several roads into waterways, paralysing both inbound and outbound traffic in many parts of the capital.

Commercial areas critically affected by floods from rains were reported on Ratchadapisek, Asoke, Asoke Montri, Sukhumvit, Rama 4, Din Daeng, Rama 9 when many small cars were knocked down by waves caused by larger cars, trucks and buses running on flooded roads without slowing down speeds.

In some roads floodwater was reported at knee deep, particularly on roads in front of MCOT Plc, Prasarnmitr and Din Daeng. Elsewhere on Sukhumvit and Rama 4, floodwater was 20-30 centimetres deep.

By noon today many office employees reported to JS 100 Traffic Radio that they still have not yet made it to their offices though leaving home before 7 am.

Several schools affected by floods have announced closure and several companies suspended time check temporarily for their employees.

Schools closed included Prasarnmit demonstration school on Asoke Montri and the Sacred Heart Convent school in Klong Toey area.

BTS commuters also were affected by floods though they were not stuck on roads by traffic jams like bus commuters.

As roads where several BTS stations are located were also flooded, electric train commuters have to take of their shoes, carry them in hands and wade through ankle deep water to walk to their offices or take on buses, taxis or motorcycle taxis to offices.

Bangkok city clerk Sanya Chenimit said most affected by rain today was at Klong Toey where monsoon rain dumped 139.5 mm of rain water.

By noon today, traffic in major roads leading from the suburb to the city’s inner zones remain congested. Motorways and ring roads reported heavy traffic jams, particularly on exits connecting to main roads in the city.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/heavy-predawn-rains-causes-traffic-chaos-in-morning-rush-hours-in-bangkok


-- Thai PBS 2015-06-08

[DLang]

Wow. quite unusual. Almost as if nothing like this has happened before and they wouldn't know that they need a proper drainage system (properly designed, built and maintained).

[Berkshire]

Wow. quite unusual. Almost as if nothing like this has happened before and they wouldn't know that they need a proper drainage system (properly designed, built and maintained).

Are you suggesting that flooding from heavy down pour would never occur anywhere else....

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-09/wet-weather-flooding-affects-areas-across-australia/6009412

Nah, no one can be that stupid.

[TheAppletons]

Used the Airport Rail Link for the first time ever this morning due to the wait times for a taxi at my hotel....and to avoid the traffic I knew I'd be sitting in. Actually, a rather pleasant was to go to BKK.

[CWMcMurray]

Left the house(by airport) 6:40 am... Got to the office 11:20 (Suk)

Normally only takes about 1hr 30 min...

[Cuchulainn]

.......... many small cars were knocked down by waves caused by larger cars, trucks and buses running on flooded roads without slowing down speeds............

Thainess at its most inconsiderate!!

[spermwhale]

Have to love ThaiVisa's headline in my in box: Bangkok traffic chaos after heavy rain causes widespread flooding

Amazing that bad traffic can cause flooding! Chuckling at the great imaginations on the Thai Visa staff!

[Guest]

Wow. quite unusual. Almost as if nothing like this has happened before and they wouldn't know that they need a proper drainage system (properly designed, built and maintained).

Shocking ! I too, would have never seen that coming !

What next ? Smog in Beijing?

[edwinchester]

Have to love ThaiVisa's headline in my in box: Bangkok traffic chaos after heavy rain causes widespread flooding

Amazing that bad traffic can cause flooding! Chuckling at the great imaginations on the Thai Visa staff!

Read it again......."Bangkok traffic chaos...........after heavy rain caused widespread flooding".

Not so hilarious is it.

[Johnnie99]

That's odd.

Was it the first time it's rained in Bangkok?

[thaiguzzi]

Wow. quite unusual. Almost as if nothing like this has happened before and they wouldn't know that they need a proper drainage system (properly designed, built and maintained).

5" or 125mm of rain overnight is going to flood and/or cause problems in any concrete metropolis anywhere in the world.

[freebyrd]

I've said it before, travelled home late at night in '95, water up to the bonnet of the taxi. Then there were the 10,000 year rains in '83 when the streets were flooded for 3 months.

Why is this news anymore?

[animatic]

Wow. quite unusual. Almost as if nothing like this has happened before and they wouldn't know that they need a proper drainage system (properly designed, built and maintained).

Are you suggesting that flooding from heavy down pour would never occur anywhere else....

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-09/wet-weather-flooding-affects-areas-across-australia/6009412

Nah, no one can be that stupid.

NO he's suggesting the decades of top to bottom corruption or nepotistic incometance,

has left the drainage system utterly unprepared for the storms of relative regularity here

that are of Wagnerian proportion. We know it happens here, we know they are unprepared

more than most places. We know why, a little into the cuff, sarcastic snickering, is part of a

reasonable coping mechanism, when on schedule it all goes pear shaped.

Edited June 8, 2015 by animatic

[plahgat]

Outside my hotel Wellness Residence on Soi Asoke this morning!

Plahgat

[Jim walker]

And the flood alleviation schema kicked into action just as planned and all this years of talking planning and building worked it all worked so well you would never know it had even rained after 10 minutes.

[skildpadden]

Yes there was heavy flooding but that happens all over the world - after the rain stopped it took a couple of hours before streets were drained, which I think was appropriate speed. Of course traffic was crazy as it is with every (even small) raining in this city.

Flooding drainage "highways" is a massive investment, and as people cry over a small land and building tax, there is probably not funds to support such a project.

[mike324]

I've said it before, travelled home late at night in '95, water up to the bonnet of the taxi. Then there were the 10,000 year rains in '83 when the streets were flooded for 3 months.

Why is this news anymore?

Yup in the early 90s, when it rains in bangkok, it is common to see water up to the doors, nowadays its only right below the bumper.

[luckyman]

Traffic wise, Bangkok is one of the most congested cities in the worlds, even without rain !

[Ulic]

I love a good thunderstorm, I would have loved to watch it.

[bamukloy]

Wow. quite unusual. Almost as if nothing like this has happened before and they wouldn't know that they need a proper drainage system (properly designed, built and maintained).

Are you suggesting that flooding from heavy down pour would never occur anywhere else....

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-09/wet-weather-flooding-affects-areas-across-australia/6009412

Nah, no one can be that stupid.

Yep, they can. TiTV !!

[Katipo]

This is why I always carry an umbrella. It keeps the falling rain off my head, with the option to turn it upside down to use as a nifty boat in times of flood.

[wirat69]

Have to love ThaiVisa's headline in my in box: Bangkok traffic chaos after heavy rain causes widespread flooding

Amazing that bad traffic can cause flooding! Chuckling at the great imaginations on the Thai Visa staff!

Read it again......."Bangkok traffic chaos...........after heavy rain caused widespread flooding".

Not so hilarious is it.

Sorry, "Bangkok traffic chaos, after heavy rain, caused widespread flooding" makes a much better afternoon skip along hilariously

[Sparkles]

Looking at some of the photos published in the print media is it any wonder water can't get away. There is no will to get ready for the rainy season its a knee jerk when it happens.What happened to the dredging of all klongs, Judging by the amount of rubbish and weed build up, clearly shown in photos, it never happened.

One would think that the Governor knew the rainy season was about to hit and ordered his minions to get busy. What a cess pit Bangkok is and when it finally gets into the Chao Prayo River it finishes up on the southern beaches TIT

[sydneyjed]

Just another day in paradise!

[NanLaew]

Good grief! This thread has been up for nearly 6 hours and nobody has dropped by to remind us that this is all Yingluck's fault.

[Cuchulainn]

This is why I always carry an umbrella. It keeps the falling rain off my head, with the option to turn it upside down to use as a nifty boat in times of flood.

That's why I think carrying an umbrella is totally pointless in Bangkok. You can never seem to be able to walk more than 2 or 3 yards without your brolly hitting an awning, a vendor's cart with tarp and ropes etc, electric or telegraph pole or an advert hoarding.