Guest fountainhall Posted October 10, 2011 Posted October 10, 2011 With the defences having failed and Ayutthaya now flooded, I wonder what effect, if any, this may have on Bangkok. Presumably some of the water surge will continue to flow through into Ayutthaya and the surrounding area; so I wonder if this reduces the risk to Bangkok - if only a little? Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted October 10, 2011 Posted October 10, 2011 Walked past Silom and Lumphini MRT stations late afternoon today. They have erected large steel barriers around the stations. Since the entrance to the MRT on Silom is already at least 4 feet above road level, the total height of the flood defence will be about 9 - 10 feet. I assume they are not expecting anywhere near that level of water on Rama 4 or Silom, and these are just barrriers which are used every year. It's just that I've never seen them before! Quote
Mysteryman Posted October 10, 2011 Posted October 10, 2011 Howdy! Arriving in Pattaya on sunday. Is it worth coming due to all the flooding? Quote
Gaybutton Posted October 10, 2011 Posted October 10, 2011 Howdy! Arriving in Pattaya on sunday. Is it worth coming due to all the flooding? Yes, come on. There is no flooding at all anywhere in Pattaya where you're likely to be. Bring an umbrella with you and you should be fine. And if the weather pattern doesn't unexpectedly change, most of the time you probably won't even need the umbrella. Quote
Guest Posted October 10, 2011 Posted October 10, 2011 Walked past Silom and Lumphini MRT stations late afternoon today. They have erected large steel barriers around the stations. Since the entrance to the MRT on Silom is already at least 4 feet above road level, the total height of the flood defence will be about 9 - 10 feet. That's a serious flood defence. I thought Bangkok occupies a very flat area, so even if the water gets up to 4 feet, the flooded area will be very large. KL seems to have much more obvious gradient, so if they are smart enough to build in the right places, drainage should be a more straightforward matter. As for Bangkok, well looking at all the money that has been poured into roads, skyscrapers and rail links, they should be able to divert some into flood prevention measures. Quote
Mysteryman Posted October 10, 2011 Posted October 10, 2011 Yes, come on. There is no flooding at all anywhere in Pattaya where you're likely to be. Bring an umbrella with you and you should be fine. And if the weather pattern doesn't unexpectedly change, most of the time you probably won't even need the umbrella. Ok, thanks for your reply. I'll come then Quote
Rogie Posted October 10, 2011 Posted October 10, 2011 I'll come then I'm sure you've made the right decision Mysteryman. You do not say how long you are visiting Thailand. Hopefully your visit will be long enough to take you into November when things (weather-wise) usually settle down. I hope you enjoy yourself! Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted October 11, 2011 Posted October 11, 2011 That's a serious flood defence. I thought Bangkok occupies a very flat area, so even if the water gets up to 4 feet, the flooded area will be very large. I'm guessing, but I expect the MRT authorities are using an ultra-conservative long-term approach. When the Taipei underground opened, even though its station entrances are also set 2 - 3 feet above pavement level, the system was so badly flooded during one bad typhoon that it had to close for several months. With Bangkok known to be sinking, who knows how high flood levels will be in 30 - 40 years time? Quote
ceejay Posted October 11, 2011 Posted October 11, 2011 I think it may be more short term than that, Fountainhall. There are Spring tides - in the 3 metre plus range - due in Bangkok this weekend. That will back up the water flowing down the Chayo Praya. Quote
Guest joseph44 Posted October 11, 2011 Posted October 11, 2011 I think it may be more short term than that, Fountainhall. There are Spring tides - in the 3 metre plus range - due in Bangkok this weekend. That will back up the water flowing down the Chayo Praya. Full moon on the 12th (tomorrow). Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted October 11, 2011 Posted October 11, 2011 I think it may be more short term than that, Fountainhall. There are Spring tides - in the 3 metre plus range - due in Bangkok this weekend. Yes, I am aware that this is an annual occurrence at this time of year, with water coming from both directions always putting Bangkok on a flood alert. But as z909 pointed out, the entire area of Bangkok is pretty flat, and so there is a vast area over which floodwaters can spread if there was to be really serious flooding. I doubt if there is any likelihood of flooding in the Rama 4/Silom/Sathornarea rising to more than a meter or so - if indeed any water gets that far. A 3-meter high flood defence must surely be looking to the much longer term. The Bangkok Post today writes of one piece of good news, however. The 100 crocodiles that escaped in Uthai Thani province will not eat us. "Please do not panic. The crocodiles are not fierce like those living in the wild. On the contrary, they are rather scared of people," said Mr Thirapat (deputy chief of the Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department). http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/260683/100-escaped-crocodiles-not-fierce He adds that crocodiles raised in captivity have no instinct to attack humans. So we can all now breathe more easily Quote
Mysteryman Posted October 11, 2011 Posted October 11, 2011 You do not say how long you are visiting Thailand. I hope you enjoy yourself! Hi Rogie! I will stay one month. Last year weather was ok for me already in October (arrived 10.10), but this year it might be a bit more wet. We are planning to rent a car, and drive to Sisaket. I don't really have a clue about the floods along the roads to there. We plan to go around the 20th Oct, and stay some 4 days, and then drive back. Quote
Rogie Posted October 11, 2011 Posted October 11, 2011 We are planning to rent a car, and drive to Sisaket. I don't really have a clue about the floods along the roads to there. We plan to go around the 20th Oct, and stay some 4 days, and then drive back. Ordinarily that would be pretty straightforward, but Sisaket is an awful long way. I used to drive from Pattaya to Surin and that sometimes took a good 7 hours even in good weather. As Sisaket is about 60 miles (100 km) farther that's at least another hour and a half. I do not like driving in the dark so always tried to arrive before 6pm. Provided driving conditions are good and you leave no later than 9am you should arrive before dark. It's a bugger arriving in a strange town after dark, but maybe you are familiar with Sisaket in which case that won't be such a problem. Try and get a good traffic report so you know the road conditions along your route before you book the car. If they look bad than you will have saved yourself hiring a car with nowhere to go! If there are floods they can take a long time to subside even after the rains have stopped. If road conditions sound borderline and you decide to go, you could perhaps consider a SUV ('ute') which would have higher ground clearance. Bear in mind also that you're planning a return trip so if conditions are bad on the outward journey they'll most likely still be bad coming back. Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted October 12, 2011 Posted October 12, 2011 Both English newspapers this morning have officials predicting that Bangkok will not suffer flooding (apart from the outer areas). It seems that the volume of water coming down river has passed its peak. "We are quite sure that Bangkok can be saved from flooding, after monitoring tide reports last week with the Department of Royal Irrigation [RID], and finding out that the influx of water travelling through many Central provinces has passed its peak, and the water volume in the Chao Phraya is 4,000 cubic metres per second, far under a critical level," said Narong Jirasappakunakorn, director for the drainage information system division of the BMA's Department of Drainage and Sewerage. "I can assure you of that. It's not worrying. I guarantee it," he added. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/new/national/Bangkok-kept-on-edge-30167464.html Pramote Maiklad, a former irrigation chief, told the Bangkok Post - Given the water levels measured at Memorial Bridge at the moment, nothing unusual has been detected. Even the measurement of water inflow in the Chao Phraya River at Bang Sai Dam, the gateway to Pathum Thani, shows no signs of an abrupt change in water levels . . . The high tides are expected on Friday and Saturday when water levels in the [Chao Phraya] river should rise by only about 20 centimetres higher than the usual level , , , What people have seen happening in the three most severely flooded provinces — Nakhon Sawan, Lop Buri and Ayutthaya — has led them to imagine that it will happen next in the capital. More importantly, such a scenario is not going to happen in the next two or three days for sure. http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/260870/expert-assures-capital-not-at-risk-of-being-swamped Whilst these predictions are made with great confidence, who here trusts Thai officialdom, I wonder? Quote
Mysteryman Posted October 12, 2011 Posted October 12, 2011 Ordinarily that would be pretty straightforward, but Sisaket is an awful long way. Try and get a good traffic report. Actually we go to HuaiChan, so a bit shorter than Sisaket. What internetpages would be worth checking, in search of a traffic report? Trying to avoid being ripped off, how much can I expect to pay for rent? Lets say we rent in afternoon, leave next morning, stay at destination 3 nights, begin journey back in early morning, return car next day. 5 days as I am used to count. I know it depends on size of the car, how about a Vios automatic for example. Quote
Rogie Posted October 12, 2011 Posted October 12, 2011 Actually we go to HuaiChan, so a bit shorter than Sisaket. What internetpages would be worth checking, in search of a traffic report? Trying to avoid being ripped off, how much can I expect to pay for rent? Lets say we rent in afternoon, leave next morning, stay at destination 3 nights, begin journey back in early morning, return car next day. 5 days as I am used to count. I know it depends on size of the car, how about a Vios automatic for example. As I've been lucky in the past and never hired a car in the rainy season I haven't had to worry about road and traffic conditions. Hopefully one of our members who lives in Thailand or somebody better-travelled than me can answer your question regarding the best way to find out in advance what road conditions are like. As for hiring a car, I agree the Vios is a popular hirecar, which I have used in the past. As it is some time since I last hired a car to drive out of Pattaya I can only estimate what you may have to pay. The least I paid was in the region of 1000 baht a day and that was in low season. High season may be around 1200 to 1300 baht. Hopefully any member who's hired a car recently can update us on the current hire charges. Whoever you decide to hire from, sit down with the person you're dealing with and make sure you have adequate insurance. Accidents involving farang in Thailand, even if nobody is injured, are the stuff of nightmares. Fortunately I've never been involved in one and I actually think driving in Thailand outside of the towns and cities is very safe on the whole, but as we all know you can be unlucky . . . Quote
Moses Posted October 13, 2011 Posted October 13, 2011 Both English newspapers this morning have officials predicting that Bangkok will not suffer flooding (apart from the outer areas). It seems that the volume of water coming down river has passed its peak. they change the tone now... today BP has hews about "last line of defense of capital" Quote
Guest Posted October 13, 2011 Posted October 13, 2011 I know it's no use for this trip, but if you go to Thailand once a year, it can be a good idea to consult an average rainfall chart. As you can see November to March have low Bangkok rainfall, whilst there are often miserable winter conditions in some of Europe and North America. So these are good times for holidays. I know sometimes people are constrained by work, business or family reasons. Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted October 14, 2011 Posted October 14, 2011 they change the tone now And they call this "news"? Anyone who believes officialdom in this country needs a healthy dose of skepticism. Last night, I think around 1:30am, there was an extraordinary thunderstorm in Bangkok. Usually, we experience the crackling, ripping, crashing type of thunder that lasts just a second or two, and then keeps repeating till the storm is over. Last night is was the continuous, almost Wagnerian, rolling, rumbling type I associate more with being high up on a mountain. It seemed to last almost continuously for a good 30 minutes before the rain finally lashed down. It really did have a very eerie feeling about it. A prelude to something? There are more conflicting stories about how Bangkok will be affected in both main English newspapers today. As seen in the graphic from today’s The Nation, Suvarnabhumi is caught almost in a pincer movement of water, and officials are now raising the protective wall from 3 meters by a further 50 cms. There is even talk of contingency plans to relocate aircraft to Don Mueang and Utapao! Since Suvarnabhumi has been at risk in past years, this, of course, begs two questions: why build there in the first place - corruption, greed . . . the old story – and why was a permanent flood wall not built around the airport before it even opened? And if ever there was a reason for maintaining Don Mueang as the capital’s second fully functioning airport for domestic and low-cost airlines, surely this is it! The Nation has the Minister in charge of Flood Relief Operations once again saying Bangkok will not be “hard hit”, although he is only 70% confident!! If ever a government required a competent media affairs department through which all major statements are coordinated, agreed upon and issued to the public, this one surely is it! And it again talks about decisions being made now for canals to be dredged and expanded – apparently because this is what His Majesty has advised. I have no doubt about His Majesty’s wisdom in such matters, but why such an action should be dependent on the advice of the Head of State and not acted on in advance by the ministers and engineers in charge, absolutely beats me! "I am 70 per cent confident that Bangkok will not be hard hit," Justice Minister Pracha Promnok said yesterday in his capacity as the director of Flood Relief Operation Command. He believed only the outer Bangkok would suffer from floods. (Prime Minister Yingluck) said many canals would be dredged and expanded so as to push the runoff water out faster. To date, about 550 million cubic metres from the Central region are being drained to the sea daily. Prayut said soldiers would be responsible for digging shortcut canals in West Bangkok in response to His Majesty the King's advice. The shortcuts are intended to facilitate the water flow more efficiently. "It will involve a combined stretch of 10 kilometres. The operation will take about five or six days to complete," he said. Pracha disclosed that 1,000 boats were now using their propellers to push the water out to Bangkok faster. Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra urged people not to get panicked. "Water volume is huge but the situation as of now is not critical," he said. However, he expressed concerns for people living in Bangkok's eastern zone because their areas were beyond the protection of embankment line of key roads. The level of these roads is high enough to serve as floodwall protecting people in the inner Bangkok. As I write, it has been raining almost continuously all morning. Quote
Rogie Posted October 14, 2011 Posted October 14, 2011 What internetpages would be worth checking, in search of a traffic report? Hopefully one of our members who lives in Thailand or somebody better-travelled than me can answer your question regarding the best way to find out in advance what road conditions are like. Some while ago I registered with the British FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office). They send out very helpful alerts for any country you have specified. So for example, just at the moment I am getting ones relevant to Thailand. They do not go into sufficient detail to help with travel plans on the ground, but they give a Thai website that looks quite helpful. http://disaster.go.th/dpm/flood/news/news_eng/EOCReport13OCT-eng[1].pdf Here are some details copied from the 13th October bulletin: Highway: 62 main highways in 17 provinces are flooded and cannot be passed. For more information, contact 1568 or DDPM Hotline 1784. Rural roads: 163 rural roads in 33 provinces are not passable. Additional inquiry, call 1146. I've no idea how helpful those hotline numbers really are, I don't even know if they have an English version. Maybe one of our members living in Thailand could test it out! Quote
Mysteryman Posted October 15, 2011 Posted October 15, 2011 Thanks for all answers, now it's soon off to the first airport. In 19 hr from now, Ton and I should be in Bkk. Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted October 16, 2011 Posted October 16, 2011 I was up at 7:00 today and it was a glorious sunny Bangkok morning. En route to the airport, there was no evidence of any flooding anywhere. Yesterday afternoon I walked around part of Rama IV, the top of Silom, along Soi Convent to Sathorn and then over to Suan Phlu. Again, no evidence of flooding and not many businesses erecting sandbag defences. Quote
Rogie Posted October 20, 2011 Posted October 20, 2011 I've no idea how helpful those hotline numbers really are, I don't even know if they have an English version. Maybe one of our members living in Thailand could test it out! Copied from the FCO website: "The Thai authorities are closely monitoring the situation. To check areas affected and transport infrastructure impacted please see the regular reports published by the Thai 24/7 Emergency Operations Centre. Check with your tour operator, local media, the 24/7 Emergency Operations Centre, flooding updates from the Tourism Authority of Thailand or the Thai Meteorological Department for up-to-date information and warnings before you travel. Within Thailand it is possible to call the English language 24/7 Government call centre for flood advice and assistance on 1111 (extension 9) ." Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted October 21, 2011 Posted October 21, 2011 Flying back from central China late this afternoon, the THAI aircraft broke through the clouds close to, I believe, Korat. I simply could not believe the horrific extent of the flooding. It was basically water as far as the eye could see - and at that height, you could see pretty far to the west in the weak sunlight. We are so used to photos from the ground or a helicopter. As dramatic as these are, someone should get up to 15,000 feet and publish photos which will be far more so. Quote
Guest thaiworthy Posted October 21, 2011 Posted October 21, 2011 Flying back from central China late this afternoon, the THAI aircraft broAs dramatic as these are, someone should get up to 15,000 feet and publish photos which will be far more so. Egad, I wish you had. No camera in cellphone? Quote
