the first time i have seen the rice crop failing

they are feeding the rice crop to cows as never went to head

first time last year our dam dried up 

and wife said never saw in here life time 48yrs

now in start of dry and dam nearly dry again

i think this year people will be fighting over water

4 minutes ago, opalred said:

i think this year people will be fighting over water

well, yes they will....in about two weeks and thats a definate

I very much doubt it.
For the 1st time in 24 months we have no El Niño, so we should be in for a wetter than average rainy season in northern Thailand.  Rice crop was probably fed to cows because at the moment it is far more profitable to produce milk than to grow rice.

1 hour ago, Maejoe said:

For the 1st time in 24 months we have no El Niño

I tried to understand what the situation is.

But it seems that at this time of year it's hard to predict the El Niño situation.

 

We currently have relatively cool temperatures and occasional rain/thunderstorm.

When I arrived in mid March 2011 to settle here, there was an extreme cold spell.

Coldest March temperatures in living memory.

What followed was the worst flood catastrophe in decades.

 

But who knows.

Having lived in Thailand a long time, I have noticed throughout the years that the weather is becoming more and more unpredictable. I actually think this is scary because anything could happen, from extreme heat, extreme cold, heavy rains, strong winds and drought. I had a huge concrete water tank built in our garden that would supply us with water for at least 2 months in the event of a drought and severe water shortage. And that`s all we can do, be prepared for any eventually.

5 hours ago, cyberfarang said:

Having lived in Thailand a long time, I have noticed throughout the years that the weather is becoming more and more unpredictable. I actually think this is scary because anything could happen, from extreme heat, extreme cold, heavy rains, strong winds and drought. I had a huge concrete water tank built in our garden that would supply us with water for at least 2 months in the event of a drought and severe water shortage. And that`s all we can do, be prepared for any eventually.

 

I'm glad you clarified that, because, like you, I've lived here for many years and two lifetimes ... the first terminating, and the second beginning, in the subway tunnel in Bangkok where the dying Orangutan #37 ... the one who escaped from the private zoo ... and the dying former human self associated with this now chimeric entity ... fused mind-souls together in a cosmic singularity that left the human meat package re-animated ... sorry to say, the Orang body experienced physical death.

 

And, I have noticed an increasing degree of uncertainty, also; which, being by temperament uncertain, I have attributed to myselves most of the time, and other factors, like dark-matter, or soy-milk mono-diet, at other times. But, it is hard to separate the subjective sense of increasing personal entropy from that delusional construct of an external reality rendered by the senses which we cling to so dearly, at such a high price that it ultimately costs us a life, or two.

 

So, your perspective is very welcome; it's like when Billy Pilgrim came to accept the Tralfamadorian view that everything that happens is predestined, and, so, you're off the hook, free to enjoy your version of Montana Wildhack, and free to relish being a farang in the zoo.

 

and so it goes, o:37;

13 hours ago, Maejoe said:

I very much doubt it.
For the 1st time in 24 months we have no El Niño, so we should be in for a wetter than average rainy season in northern Thailand.  Rice crop was probably fed to cows because at the moment it is far more profitable to produce milk than to grow rice.

Its raining in other parts of Thailand but not in the North,I hope you are correct about

a wetter than average rainy season, as the lack of enough rain in the past few years

has had a cumulate effect ,we were only saved by an early rainy season.

regards worgeordie

14 hours ago, Maejoe said:

I very much doubt it.
For the 1st time in 24 months we have no El Niño, so we should be in for a wetter than average rainy season in northern Thailand.  Rice crop was probably fed to cows because at the moment it is far more profitable to produce milk than to grow rice.

Unfortunately they are not certain if the El nino will not return. According to a recent article it is at present a 50/50 of a new El nino. Apparently the recent heavy rains in Peru which caused landslides was a result of an El nino.

13 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

Its raining in other parts of Thailand but not in the North,I hope you are correct about

a wetter than average rainy season, as the lack of enough rain in the past few years

has had a cumulate effect ,we were only saved by an early rainy season.

regards worgeordie

The problem is most of the dams are up north. So if it doesnt rain there there will not be irrigation water or drinking water available later in the year. 

9 minutes ago, SOUTHERNSTAR said:

The problem is most of the dams are up north. So if it doesnt rain there there will not be irrigation water or drinking water available later in the year. 

It's been raining in the Surin area where i am, North East, last night we had rain and a thunderstorm, in fact it has been raining off and on for several days now and looks like it will rain again today. This is the hot season but it hasn't been as hot as it usually is at this time of year, in fact in the evenings and early morning it's more like the cold season. During the rainy season it didn't rain as much as it usually does so i would say that the weather has been unpredictable for around three years now in my neck of the woods. 

28 minutes ago, SOUTHERNSTAR said:

The problem is most of the dams are up north. So if it doesnt rain there there will not be irrigation water or drinking water available later in the year. 

That's not true, the reservoirs are fairly evenly spread across the country:

 

http://www.thaiwater.net/DATA/REPORT/php/rid_dam_1.php?lang=en

28 minutes ago, SOUTHERNSTAR said:

The problem is most of the dams are up north. So if it doesnt rain there there will not be irrigation water or drinking water available later in the year. 

 

Watchyaguys talkin bout?  

 

It's the dry season.  And as of the end of February we were above average in terms of rainfall, with March being normally dry anyway.

 

No storm happened this year so far but that doesn't drop significant rain to affect overall yearly precipitation.

Take advantage of the dry dam to dig it deeper. We may have more variable weather

swings from El Nino to La Nina becoming more severer and frequent. Heavier rainy

periods and drier drought periods. Either way a deeper more efficient dam/reservoir.

11 hours ago, cyberfarang said:

And that`s all we can do, be prepared for any eventually.

Yes death and taxes have some new travelling companions. 

2 hours ago, Ulic said:

Take advantage of the dry dam to dig it deeper. We may have more variable weather

swings from El Nino to La Nina becoming more severer and frequent. Heavier rainy

periods and drier drought periods. Either way a deeper more efficient dam/reservoir.

Most reservoirs here are rarely over 50% of capacity, digging them deeper would be dam foolish. :).

You would not happen to have an original copy of the 10 commandments would you ?  They were purported to be set in stone also

It is extremely hot already during daylight.

"i think this year people will be fighting over water'

So those dooms day peppers were not a bunch of crazy rednecks after all

3 hours ago, Ulic said:

Take advantage of the dry dam to dig it deeper. We may have more variable weather

swings from El Nino to La Nina becoming more severer and frequent. Heavier rainy

periods and drier drought periods. Either way a deeper more efficient dam/reservoir.

Stop using logic,it doesnt transfer to Thai thinking

Anyone thinking that they can successfully predict weather patterns for the next few months should go and buy a lottery ticket.

 

I just returned from my homeland,NSW,Australia, after 4 weeks holiday where March is usually without heavy, prolonged rain.

 

The outcome was the wettest March for 37 years. Only 5 days did it not rain heavily.

 

Queensland has been battered by a cyclone,not unusual at this time of the year, but this one was an absolute brute with massive evacuations and sadly drownings

THe big drought ended last year. The rainy season provided more rain than the last couple of years so the local dams went from almost empty to "low" . The dams are higher now than this time last year, still low but not the critical level of 2016. The hot season is bit cooler this year so far. As long as we have a "normal"or hopefully above average rainy season the dams will fill up and we can forget about droughts for a couple of years and about floods instead. 

Guys, El Niño is a major weather phenomenon affecting the whole of the western Pacific. It is weather phenomena that affects the whole world's weather. Seasurface temperatures rise resulting in less rainfall in areas like Southeast Asia and increased rainfall in parts of Australia and the West Coast of America, and warmer winters in Europe
Current status of seasurface temperatures in the Western Pacific is normal or just below the El Niño threshold. Therefore Southeast Asia and northern Thailand (which is the area we are really debating) should receive a normal to above average rainfall during the coming rainy season.
I did visit the dam at Mae Ngat a few days ago and I can confirm that although it is by no means full it does contain considerably more water than at this time last year.
I would support some of the other contributors to this thread in that most dams in northern Thailand currently contain more water than at this time last year - therefore water shortages, particularly drinking water shortages are very unlikely this year.

12 minutes ago, Maejoe said:

Guys, El Niño is a major weather phenomenon affecting the whole of the western Pacific. It is weather phenomena that affects the whole world's weather. Seasurface temperatures rise resulting in less rainfall in areas like Southeast Asia and increased rainfall in parts of Australia and the West Coast of America, and warmer winters in Europe
Current status of seasurface temperatures in the Western Pacific is normal or just below the El Niño threshold. Therefore Southeast Asia and northern Thailand (which is the area we are really debating) should receive a normal to above average rainfall during the coming rainy season.
I did visit the dam at Mae Ngat a few days ago and I can confirm that although it is by no means full it does contain considerably more water than at this time last year.
I would support some of the other contributors to this thread in that most dams in northern Thailand currently contain more water than at this time last year - therefore water shortages, particularly drinking water shortages are very unlikely this year.

If you click on the link below and then click on individual reservoirs you can see current usage graphs compared against previous years usage.

 

http://www.thaiwater.net/DATA/REPORT/php/rid_dam_1.php?lang=en

 

FWIW most bottled drinking water in Thailand comes from underground sources and aquifers, many in the mountains between Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai where the major bottled water suppliers have large capture and fill factories, nicely tucked away from view.

 

 

Been here ten years and the last two have been drier than any that went before.   This year seems worse than last as the small Rivers had dried up before the end of February and no water is being released to the Farmers via the Klong''s.    Where rice would normally be growing there is nothing but free grazing for Buffalo.

90% chance of rain tonight in Chiang Rai.

 

When Farang moan and whinge about dryness, is like Native American Rain Song. ?

i don't know if it means anything

but the guy up the road has stopped building a large wooden boat

and set a lot of animals loose

Off topic a bit but WHY for God's sake must there be these names, i.e. El Nino, La Nina, Shock and Awe, Rolling Thunder, Operation Desert Storm always be given to events??? Who decides what events merit a name, who chooses the name or is there a naming contest with a prize??? Growing up in Ireland and even when going to University in America I don't ever recall events being given silly names.

Sent from my SM-T805 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

same 

why do they give cyclones girls names

is it because they do so much destruction 

Nice drop of rain we had last night. Roads well and truly soaked on my journey from Suthep Rd to the Centre of Universe Swimming Pool this morning.

Nice and over cast altho I can only see, say half way across CM town from my condo on Suthep Rd. On a clear day I can see Doi Saket hills from my place.

 

john

Huge rain last night 100km south (Hod area) and certainly a lovely drizzle in town.

 

Seems this drought issue is really in its 2nd year. We live in an area where the local moo-baan water supply is from a watershed 1km up Doi Suthep.Last year the pipes ran dry at the end of Dec.,this year it was mid-Feb. Past years it may run dry for 1month at most while reaching the peak of the heat, then quickly replenished from the forth coming rains.

 

Last Feb.(2016) had some record breaking lows ,pleasant Mar. then a scorching 7wk heat-wave.

Global weather patterns are indeed playing out in the extremes.

I'm from Vancouver Island where snow comes and goes in a day,not this year....came along with the worst winter conditions in 25yrs for the Mainland.

This summer is still more temperate to date than last,even the air quality is reasonable.

 

Hoping it continues till the end of May then we're off to the Island where there is nothing but fresh air and clean water.