Governor orders assistance for Phuket flood victims

A man walks through floodwaters south of Phuket Airport. Photo: Suthicha Sirirat

PHUKET: Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong has ordered officials to provide relief to flood victims in the Nai Yang Beach area after heavy rains there yesterday (August 7) left many houses under a metre of water.

Gov Nisit also ordered officials to take ramp up their measures to mitigate the floodwaters, which were still evident during his visit to the area this morning (August 8).

“More than 100 homes were affected by the flooding,” Gov Nisit explained.

Many residents in the area, which is immediately south of Phuket International Airport, are using small boats to access their homes.

The Phuket Provincial office of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM-Phuket) and the Sakoo Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor) drained some of the floodwaters yesterday, Gov Nisit pointed out.

“But the floodwaters have risen by at least 10 centimetres because of it rained again overnight,” he said.

“Officials are trying to locate the problem and to unclog the drains, and we are providing all assistance that residents might need at this moment,” Gov Nisit said.

The affected area is below the sea level and often floods when Phuket is hit with heavy rainfalls, he said.

Gov Nisit also gave ordered Thalang Distict Chief Veera Kerdsirimongkol to monitor the situation every hour.

“But for the long-term solution, the Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation [PPAO, or OrBorJor] will investigate and survey the area to install larger permanent drainage for the area,” he said.

Phuket Red Cross also donated life vests to residents and DDPM-Phuket officials reviewed the the total cost of damage floodwaters caused to residents’ homes in order to determine how much assistance is to be provided.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/governor-orders-assistance-for-phuket-flood-victims-53558.php

-- Phuket News 2015-08-08

This problem should have been addressed by the grand flood mitigation policy, quite obvious words alone don't stop floods and on the subject of floods the OZ TV is all over with the flooding in Myanmar and aid being sent , not one word from that great institution ASEAN after all what are good neighbours for.

So they wait till the bloody place floods,,,,Than they decide to clean the drains,,,,Major F,UP...What is wrong with them people? every year is the same ,Clean out the drains and clean up the place BEFORE the raining season starts,,Get your shit together and live happy.

It's a right balls-up here in Nai Yang with traffic detour sending vehicles through the national park just to get from one part of the village to the other. Not to mention the poor folk that have suffered water inundation into their homes.

The reason the floods have occurred appears to be due to the the construction of the Terminal condos and an hotel under construction near the market.

Both built on what was a swamp or water-meadow that fed into a klong and then onto the sea through the national park.

The reason the floods have occurred appears to be due to the the construction of the Terminal condos and an hotel under construction near the market.

And you can bet your bottom dollar that the authorities will not dare to demolish the buildings that are obstructing the canal.

I am having to shuttle my hotel guests back and forth across the flooded roads in my pick-up.

Presumably, this problem will re-occur every time there is a heavy rainstorm

I only hope that the owners of the new condo buildings on Nai Yang 13/1, (where the water level was about 1.5 metres and shorted out their electricity transformer), have enough clout to get some action.

Yes. Dead right. I was shocked to the core when I saw that environmental disaster being built. Could not believe how quick it went up. Guess no one at the Governors office mentioned that fact they were backfilling a catchment buffer zone. As always, corruption trumphs commonsense in Phuket.

Simon, good on you driving your guest around. Isn't taxi driver a prohibited occupation for foreigners. And what coloured taxi plates do you have on your pickup?

Simon, good on you driving your guest around. Isn't taxi driver a prohibited occupation for foreigners. And what coloured taxi plates do you have on your pickup?

The 'I' in my post means 'my hotel' ==> my staff drive my guests. I lounge in a hammock..

We only have to use the pick-up to cross the flooded area. Then guests continue to the airport in our green-plate hotel taxi.

Simon, good on you driving your guest around. Isn't taxi driver a prohibited occupation for foreigners. And what coloured taxi plates do you have on your pickup?

The 'I' in my post means 'my hotel' ==> my staff drive my guests. I lounge in a hammock..

We only have to use the pick-up to cross the flooded area. Then guests continue to the airport in our green-plate hotel taxi.

With flooding set to become more frequent, you might consider putting that green plate on a SUV, so it can do the whole trip, and not have to use the pick-up and change vehicles.

With flooding set to become more frequent,...

Well, the only reason why flooding might become more frequent in the future, (ie more than 'never', because it never flooded before), is if the authorities don't have the balls to demolish the buildings that are blocking the canal.

So yes, I assume flooding will be a common event now...

With flooding set to become more frequent,...

Well, the only reason why flooding might become more frequent in the future, (ie more than 'never', because it never flooded before), is if the authorities don't have the balls to demolish the buildings that are blocking the canal.

So yes, I assume flooding will be a common event now...

I know the problem you face simon. We have the same 'development' problem in Patong. We built a small apartment block in the lower level of Patong almost 16 years ago. Back then all the water from Nanai hills drained down to the big undeveloped area between the beach area and Nanai (old rice fields). We never experienced any road/property flooding ... until the new road area was developed. Nowhere for the flood water to drain off. These past 2 or 3 years ... now the road/property floods every time there is a heavy rain fall. No solution in sight .... tesibaan talks about need more central funding to develop the drainage system. Fact is that it's far too late for a solution now that it's all been deveoped/built up. Just no advanced city planning, just build and don't worry.

It seems to be taking forever for the water to drain away from the swamp behind me here in Nai Yang and the powers that be still have the main road blocked near the local temple.

Honestly this local crowd couldn't organise a booze-up in a brewery.

(Shakes head, mutters and shuffles off downstage right.)

So yes, I assume flooding will be a common event now...

Only when it rains.

With flooding set to become more frequent,...

Well, the only reason why flooding might become more frequent in the future, (ie more than 'never', because it never flooded before), is if the authorities don't have the balls to demolish the buildings that are blocking the canal.

So yes, I assume flooding will be a common event now...

If you look closely at the brochures and online marketing for these new condos you will read that they advertised as having water views. You and LIK seem to think that this flood was the result of no planning. It is actually quite the opposite.

If you look closely at the brochures and online marketing for these new condos you will read that they advertised as having water views. You and LIK seem to think that this flood was the result of no planning. It is actually quite the opposite.

Well, I suppose I could also put a spin on this. I used to tell guests that my hotel was just a 3-minute drive from the beach. Now I can boast kayaking within a 2-minute walk.

(Not to mention marine wildlife, cos when I was wading through the floods yesterday, there were some BIG snakes swimming in the water!!)

If you look closely at the brochures and online marketing for these new condos you will read that they advertised as having water views. You and LIK seem to think that this flood was the result of no planning. It is actually quite the opposite.

Well, I suppose I could also put a spin on this. I used to tell guests that my hotel was just a 3-minute drive from the beach. Now I can boast kayaking within a 2-minute walk.

(Not to mention marine wildlife, cos when I was wading through the floods yesterday, there were some BIG snakes swimming in the water!!)

Maybe you can start up a fishing park.

With flooding set to become more frequent,...

Well, the only reason why flooding might become more frequent in the future, (ie more than 'never', because it never flooded before), is if the authorities don't have the balls to demolish the buildings that are blocking the canal.

So yes, I assume flooding will be a common event now...

If you look closely at the brochures and online marketing for these new condos you will read that they advertised as having water views. You and LIK seem to think that this flood was the result of no planning. It is actually quite the opposite.

Perhaps the TAT can promote Phuket as "The Venice of South East Asia."

You will be able to hire a gondola and float around to restaurants and bars.

It rained again last night (still raining now at 06.00), and the roads have flooded again...

Been raining in Chalong for a long time now & I have to go out shortly. Hoping to get ahead of the school runners.

Been raining in Chalong for a long time now & I have to go out shortly. Hoping to get ahead of the school runners.

How'd you go Valentine?

The access roads remain flooded, which is a major inconvenience for my business. But for the local families who live 'the wrong side' of the canal, it is more than that.

Access is only possible by navy boat, by pick-up (if the water is not more than 1 metre), or by driving your motorbike through someone's back garden.

There's a disabled guy who usually sells lottery tickets outside 7/11. He is marooned because his samlor cannot cross the flooded area. There's an old lady with a samlor who sells food, and who is in a similar position. The truck that collects from the rubber plantation every day cannot get to the plantation - the sole access road is too deep for the truck.

Meanwhile, the OrBorTor seems to have all but disappeared from the area. No backhoes at work now - they have all done a runner and left the locals to fend for themselves...

Here's The Terminal that appears to be at the heart of the problem.

But after major groundwork, work seems to have halted for the past 3 or 4 months.

http://www.realphuket.net/index.php/property/the-terminal-phuket-new-mixed-use-condominium-near-naiyang-beach-airport.html

I made the mistake of bringing my Toyota Wish back to the hotel yesterday,(after the flood waters had receded).

Now I need to get it back on the other side of the floodwaters again, which means driving it on the hill 4x4 trail once again...

This trail is not an official route at all - it crosses the garden of my cleaning lady, who is generously not charging a toll fee She tells me that there has been a steady flow of cars who have been marooned here, and have been bouncing down this rutted trail during the previous night.

Ah, the world class resort island of Phuket! Infrastructure and planning, what's that?

Simon. It is bucketing down up here in the Jungle but still no flooding. No corruption here...yet.

You need to be careful if it continues to rain because the flooding will magnify with the tide cycle. At present you are on a lower (high tide) but the height of the tide is increasing throughout this week. Good luck;

http://www.tide-forecast.com/locations/Phuket/tides/latest

You need to be careful if it continues to rain because the flooding will magnify with the tide cycle

The flooding will never reach my hotels - they are on a small hill. But it will effect the level of flooding on the access roads.

One access road (Nai Yang 13/1) has been shut since the start of these problems - the water is way too deep for any vehicle and the Navy are ferrying local families and goods back and forth.

The other access road is accessible, except for one low spot, which is still passable with a pick-up. But if the water rises, then that route is cut off as well. Then I have to shuttle guests to one side of the flood water, carry their luggage through someone's back garden and load it into our green plate taxi (which I've just parked on t'other side of the flood waters).

You need to be careful if it continues to rain because the flooding will magnify with the tide cycle

The flooding will never reach my hotels - they are on a small hill. But it will effect the level of flooding on the access roads.

One access road (Nai Yang 13/1) has been shut since the start of these problems - the water is way too deep for any vehicle and the Navy are ferrying local families and goods back and forth.

The other access road is accessible, except for one low spot, which is still passable with a pick-up. But if the water rises, then that route is cut off as well. Then I have to shuttle guests to one side of the flood water, carry their luggage through someone's back garden and load it into our green plate taxi (which I've just parked on t'other side of the flood waters).

Hmm, and this is just the result of the FIRST STAGE of that massive new condo development. What happens when the start on the subsequent stages. Maybe the roads to the Airport will be permanently flooded in a down pour. All in all a quintessential example of how the greed and corruption of just a few in Phuket can adversely affect so many.

Hmm, and this is just the result of the FIRST STAGE of that massive new condo development.

Well, I can only hope that this flooding does close the main airport road, because the authorities are unlikely to do the neccessary (demolish the obstructions), unless there is a major inconvenience to traffic.

You need to be careful if it continues to rain because the flooding will magnify with the tide cycle

The flooding will never reach my hotels - they are on a small hill. But it will effect the level of flooding on the access roads.

One access road (Nai Yang 13/1) has been shut since the start of these problems - the water is way too deep for any vehicle and the Navy are ferrying local families and goods back and forth.

The other access road is accessible, except for one low spot, which is still passable with a pick-up. But if the water rises, then that route is cut off as well. Then I have to shuttle guests to one side of the flood water, carry their luggage through someone's back garden and load it into our green plate taxi (which I've just parked on t'other side of the flood waters).

"The flooding will never reach my hotels" - Simon, you have been here long enough to know, "never say never, on Phuket."

"The flooding will never reach my hotels" - Simon, you have been here long enough to know, "never say never, on Phuket.

In this case, I am quietly confident, because my hotels are sitting at about 50 metres ASL, whist the airport and surrounding roads are at about 5 metres ASL

You need to be careful if it continues to rain because the flooding will magnify with the tide cycle

The flooding will never reach my hotels - they are on a small hill. But it will effect the level of flooding on the access roads.

One access road (Nai Yang 13/1) has been shut since the start of these problems - the water is way too deep for any vehicle and the Navy are ferrying local families and goods back and forth.

The other access road is accessible, except for one low spot, which is still passable with a pick-up. But if the water rises, then that route is cut off as well. Then I have to shuttle guests to one side of the flood water, carry their luggage through someone's back garden and load it into our green plate taxi (which I've just parked on t'other side of the flood waters).

"The flooding will never reach my hotels" - Simon, you have been here long enough to know, "never say never, on Phuket."

It doesn't have too to send him broke. Just cut the arterial to the airport.