Bangkok Floods

[Guest chris121187]

We're booked to fly to Bangkok on the 23rd. Given the present condition, would you suggest that we push through with it or just cancel it. I'd hate to cancel it because the flights and hotel accommodations are all fully paid and non-refundable. We'll be mostly staying in central bangkok. And most importantly, is the go-go bar area of Bangkok affected? LOL

[Guest fountainhall]

We're booked to fly to Bangkok on the 23rd. Given the present condition, would you suggest that we push through with it or just cancel it. I'd hate to cancel it because the flights and hotel accommodations are all fully paid and non-refundable

Since you've already pre-paid and it is non-refundable, I see no point in cancelling. If Suvarnabhumi does become flooded - and most sources say that is highly unlikely given its protective wall and pumps (but you never know!) - most airlines will give you the option of alternative dates or refunds. So at least you'd get some cash back. I have a feeling that at least some hotels will also be flexibile on pre-paid bookings.

 

I am due to fly out of Suvarnabhumi on the 23rd, returning 25th. I have no plans to cancel.

 

Presently there is absolutely no flooding in Central Bangkok near the go-go bar areas. There is talk that some flooding may take place in due course, but there is so much conflicting information coming out that, again, I'd just wait and see what happens. You still have more than 2 1/2 weeks before you travel, and a lot will happen between now and then. All I can say is the weather has been great for about 2 weeks - bright sunshine, virtually no rain.

[Guest]

As the dry season must be on its way, surely the flooding must peak soon and then start declining?

 

If your flight runs and your hotel is open, then the decision is made.

Should the hotel close, then you can probably divert to Pattaya or get an onward flight to Chiang Mai, Phom Penh or whatever takes your fancy.

I suppose the worst case scenario is the flight and hotel being OK, but the gogo bars closing:wacko:.

 

In this case, isn't the liability for the hotel normally one night only?

[Guest fountainhall]

In this case, isn't the liability for the hotel normally one night only?

Not sure about chris121187's case, but when I am sure of my schedule I will often book hotels now on special advance purchase rates. That means the entire stay is paid for up front and is non-refundable.

[Guest fountainhall]

Some optimistic words from the Acting GM of Suvarnabhumi airport in the Bangkok Post this morning. He rightly slams the international media for printing photos of THAI aircraft stranded in water at Don Mueang whilst not stressing that the city

[Guest fountainhall]

Here is the map from today's Bangkok Post showing the flooded areas of the city as of last night -

 

And another example of what the powers-that-be should have been doing regularly, but especially many weeks ago - and didn't!

 

Dr Noppong Nopket noted that having toured various canals, RID and BMA accepted that canals were poorly maintained and could not function as natural pathway as efficiently as it should be. It is impossible to dredge all the canals in a few days to expedite waterflow. They should be done in an annual basis, comprehensively.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/265163/big-bag-draining-key-to-dry-bangkok

[pong]

@z909-it is not a matter of peaking-it is a matter of a giant mass of water slowly-slowly coming down (very little height diff) north to south-with BKK in its way. They try to have most of it around the inner city-but this seems feeble now. The only indeed happy fact is that rainy season has finished, so there is no more water added. And maybe-who knows, a little of it may go up in the air. I really wonder after a week of uncertainty myself too, why so many people cannot use simple logic about it.

@map BKK-post: not very useful. The average poster wont have clue of BKKs khets=districts, and it simply shows IF there is reported water in some khet/or not-yet. Even In a khet there may be water here and not there. PS: the main Silom safety zone is in Bang Rak, lower Sukhumvit in Klong Toey, both are just obelow #8=Din Daeng (=red earth, aheavy red shirts area, so maybe they now get what they wanted- a red coloured area)

For any of you thinking about somewhere else: greetings from Chiang Mai here, nice city, still plenty of empty rooms, friendly people, cheap and loads of good and abundant Thai food. Maybe a good injection of BKK-style enhanced gay life may also help here improve the standards in that respect.

[Bob]

For any of you thinking about somewhere else: greetings from Chiang Mai here, nice city, still plenty of empty rooms, friendly people, cheap and loads of good and abundant Thai food. Maybe a good injection of BKK-style enhanced gay life may also help here improve the standards in that respect.

 

While I don't know if it's true, a few Thais have told me that the hotels are "full" up here due to an influx of the flood victims. With the Loy Krathong activities starting tonight and going through Friday, you might not want to simply show up and expect to get a room this week.

 

Some of us rather like the Chiangmai atmosphere just as it is (while the "enhanced gay life" of Bangkok is perfectly fine for Bangkok, I do hope it's not exported up here).

[pong]

While I don't know if it's true, a few Thais have told me that the hotels are "full" up here due to an influx of the flood victims.

Complete nonsense-the place I stay in (a cheap guesthse-yes not up to stndd for most of you) has 12 rooms-I take 1 and yesterday there were 8 empty. By now I am getting to know the roomboy-a Burmese vendor at nightbazar staying there in exchange for cleaning daytime. And same-same for about any of the 10+ same houses in this small but quiet soi-right beside TaPae. Thai mostly have a quite limited look and tend to repeat=parrot about 1 hotel that may have been ''full'' to generalize it on the whole area. Also Thai tend to stay in other places as farang-and in fact many farang-aimed guesthss do not even take Thai.

Yesterday eve a not overlong but very nice parade-ChMai also really honours the male aspect in these processions. But the fireworks are banned in BKK-another thing ChMai might just imitate for me.

What I meant was the -what I found till now- much lower stdds for pleasing massages compared to BKK. For me they can also pack up and send the whole of Loy Kroh rd to the desert-or beyond the Burmese border.

Further to maps:

I think the follwoing is a little better: on bangkokgis.com-it is based on google , but only in Thai.

For roads in BKK-region (probably not too interesting for most of you-be assured taxi's will know and even better): maintenance.doh.go.th/bypass

[pong]

at least some relief from those eternal nam tuam on the TV: yesterday, while having lunch [excellent here-and mostly still 25 bt-though you can still eat at some places for 15 bt) ThaiTV-3, which had endless [and well praised) flood stories for weeks on end-had an item about how to cope with the floods, funny contraptions and laughable things locals in notyetwet BKK were preparing, tuktuks with raised foreforks, etc. Also much good advice about how to float, how to clean up, etc. Also today=Loy Kratong many satires on crocodile kratongs, Burberry-boots kratongs, etc. And how normal life went on in the dry places.

[Guest fountainhall]

A note for those visiting Thailand in the next few days. There is no flooding whatever at Suvarnabhumi, nor on the expressways into central Bangkok. I returned around midnight last night. Immigration was a breeze, there were taxis aplenty and with expressway tolls suspended, the time from deplaning to getting to my apartment was the fastest ever.