Bangkok flooding is chronic

[reader]

From the Nation

 

 

BMA officials admit they cannot cope with heavy rains as experts blame infrastructure and lack of preparedness.

 

BANGKOK WILL continue to experience flooding after heavy rains unless water-drainage problems including roads and canals are solved, water-management experts have said.

 

Heavy rain was to blame for yesterday’s floods in 25 areas around Bangkok after up to 170 millimetres of rain fell on the capital on Wednesday night, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) stated. 

 

Bangkok faced the prospect of more flooding as the Meteorological Department predicted more heavy rains last night and this morning.

 

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30316334

[PeterRS]

Its a never ending chorus. The same year after year after year and aways the same excuses - drainage problems, blocked klongs and other infrastructure problems. You wonder if the BMA ever send teams out to at least ensure klongs are cleared during the dry season. After the worst flooding in decades in 2011, the Yingluck government promised to take action. Another broken promise!

[vinapu]

thanks God boys in bars are dancing on elevated platorms so our hobby seems to be safe

[steveboy]

thanks God boys in bars are dancing on elevated platorms so our hobby seems to be safe

 

You can even invite them to come down from their platforms and skinny dip with you in the flood waters.

[steveboy]

Its a never ending chorus. The same year after year after year and aways the same excuses - drainage problems, blocked klongs and other infrastructure problems. You wonder if the BMA ever send teams out to at least ensure klongs are cleared during the dry season. After the worst flooding in decades in 2011, the Yingluck government promised to take action. Another broken promise!

 

Nearly seven inches of water is a very strong rain precipitation that few populated areas are able to cope with.  The culprit is most probably the climate change that raises havoc in many countries.

 

This is the case in the US, and we are supposed to have a better infrastructure than Thailand... hahaha.  But our "president" seems to think that it is more important to preserve the jobs of coal miners than to protect the climate, as long as his mar-a-lago resort does not flood.

[PeterRS]

Its a matter of political will. Taipei and Hong Kong suffer greater annual average rainfall than Bangkok but remain relatively unscathed. Both regularly get typhoons that dump well over 7 inches of water. The effect should be greater in the Hong Kong urban area than in Bangkok because of its very hilly terrain. All that water rushing down towards the harbour could cause Bangkok-like floods. It doesnt because the city constructed massive underground stormwater storage tanks and tunnels. These reduce pressure on the normal drainage systems and clears much of the water. 

 

If Bangkok had not filled in so many of its major klongs to create traffic highways, chances are these would drain away much of the monsoon rains much more rapidly.

[reader]

From Bangkok Post

 

Several Bangkok streets have been paralysed after a downpour that soaked 80% of the capital and nearby provinces shortly before noon on Saturday.

 

Pathumwan district saw the most rainfall with 72mm as of 1.55pm. As of 4.30pm, floods had been reported in 37 locations, with water levels ranging between 5 and 20cm, according to City Hall data.

 

Earlier reports showed particularly high water levels of 15-20cm at 11 locations. They were:

• Suan Phlu Road in front of the Suan Phlu market for a distance of 200 metres
• Pracha Songkroh Road at Ong Phra-Soi 24 intersection (all)
• Ngam Wong Wan Road near the Pong Phet market (300m) and neat Soi Shinnaket (300m)
• Ratchadaphisek Road near the former Robinson store (300m),
• Phahon Yothin Road from Soi 9 to Saphan Kwai (all)
• Si Ayutthaya Road at the Royal Plaza (200m)
• Pradiphat Road at the Saphan Kwai intersection (200m)
• Nikhom Makkasan Road at Ratchaprarob intersection (100m)
• Ratchaprarob Road at Din Daeng-Si Ayutthaya intersection (500m) and from the railway to Pratunam (all)
• Rama IV Road between Soi 26-38 (entire area)

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1257511/bangkok-drenched-again

 

Photos on tons of waste blocking Bangkok drainage system from Khaosod English

 

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/bangkok/2017/05/26/furniture-tonnes-waste-blocking-bangkok-drainage-photos/

 

See Christian's excellent photo essay "Bangkok is sinking"

 

https://christianpfc.blogspot.com/2017/05/bangkok-is-sinking.html

[Guest]

The effect should be greater in the Hong Kong urban area than in Bangkok because of its very hilly terrain. All that water rushing down towards the harbour could cause Bangkok-like floods. It doesnt because the city constructed massive underground stormwater storage tanks and tunnels. These reduce pressure on the normal drainage systems and clears much of the water. 

 

If Bangkok had not filled in so many of its major klongs to create traffic highways, chances are these would drain away much of the monsoon rains much more rapidly.

 

Hilly terrain makes large drains work very effectively.  Bangkok is at a disadvantage, since shallow drains move water more slowly.    Of course, I expect Hong Kong & Taiwan have much more effective engineering of their infrastructure.

[Alexx]

For more than a decade, Thai governments have been preoccupied with "the great power struggle". Add to this that long-term planning hadn't been a strong Thai trait even before that and it's no surprise that precious little is being done to improve the water management situation. It's a big challenge, no doubt, but something could be done if those in charge were prepared to take it on. I think things will get a lot worse in years to come before that will eventually happen.

[ChristianPFC]

Rama IV Road between Soi 26-38 (entire area)

Probably referring to Sukhumvit Soi 26-38, Rama IV end?

 

After such a heavy rain with poor draining, it's interesting to see how uneven the roads are, and where there are low points. This could even be something to consider when choosing a place to live: look for signs of flooding (like an elevated walkway built by locals to get across large puddles) - a friend complains about soi dogs in front of his place, he doesn't like going out or coming back in darkness for fear of being bitten.

 

I observed the draining being cleaned (ususally by prisoners - their shirts or the car has the name of the prison on it), there is a lot of garbage and sand partially blocking the drains.

[PeterRS]

It is bad now in parts of the city but just wait till October. Then the rain combines with water flowing down the Chao Phraya meeting water coming up from the Gulf of Thailand during the annual high tides. Most riverfront buildings will have sandbags in the hope of preventing flooding. I remember once visiting the Shangri La hotel whent hey also had sand bags around the swimming pool! Some experts even predict Bangkok will be under water is little more than 15 years.

 

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/asia-s-future-cities-can-bangkok-turn-back-the-rising-tide-and-s-7612754

[Guest]

This could even be something to consider when choosing a place to live: look for signs of flooding (like an elevated walkway built by locals to get across large puddles) - a friend complains about soi dogs in front of his place, he doesn't like going out or coming back in darkness for fear of being bitten.

 

Flood risk is definitely something to check when buying a property anywhere which might flood, in any country.

 

As for soi dogs, well I imagine they can be shot, poisoned or sold off for Vietnamese restaurants, with some modest bribes. Make the world a better place.