Thread: Thailand Floods, 25th November, 2011-Anger hits boiling point

Bang Khae residents block expressway - The Nation

Bang Khae residents block expressway

The Nation November 25, 2011 2:01 am


Demand explanation of sluice gate opening from FROC; traffic backs up on both sides of Outer Ring Road

Bang Khae residents yesterday blocked a section of the Western Outer Ring Road to demand an explanation from the government of its "unfair" floodprevention measures.

The protest, starting in the afternoon and running into late evening, caused traffic to back up for many kilometres on both north and southbound lanes.

The group refused to disperse or open a few lanes for traffic at the request of police until representatives of the government's Flood Relief Operations Centre met them on site for direct talks, but no one showed up.

Angry motorists were kept away from the demonstrators to prevent brawling after a blockade of a tollway in northern Bangkok on Wednesday ended up in a clash that resulted in injuries and damaged cars.

The group insisted on learning the details of several measures including the opening of three sluice gates on Maha Sawat Canal, as demanded by Nonthaburi residents. The group said the move could cause their district, located south of Nonthaburi, to be inundated.

Residents in Pathum Thani's Rangsit area demolished a section of a sandbag fence intended to facilitate the drying of Rangsit Market.

Around 100 people living in the Rattanakosin Bicentennial estate began their protest at 10.30am and started dismantling the sandbags after local and Irrigation Department officials failed to make a 30minute deadline to meet them.

Protest leaders said the 500rai estate has been under chesthigh putrid flood waters for five weeks without any explanations or viable measures in place, and would now face more problems with the sandbag wall, which they did not want and had torn down.

Deputy mayor Decha Klinkusum, who was not at the scene, said the protestors had sabotaged the wall without understanding the situation and he would meet with some of them later.

The temporary measure was needed to prevent flood waters from entering the market before drainage could begin and an earthen fence could be built around the market.

Another group of residents in the Rangsit area threatened to obstruct traffic on the tollway tomorrow if no FROC officials were present by today to explain floodprevention measures for the Ban Fa Lagoon estate, where they live.

Besides blocking the elevated tollway in front of Future Park Rangsit mall, the group also vowed to demolish whatever sandbag walls and big bag barriers they saw fit and thought were causing the monthlong inundation of their estate.

Pol General Pongsapat Pongcharoen, the new deputy police chief, called on all protestors to use only lawful and nonviolent means in their rallies or protests, or else police would have no choice but to deal with their crimes when they arose.

After the fight between drivers and protesters on Wednesday during a tollway blockade near the Zeer Rangsit mall, police fined the motorist who drove through the crowd.

A man who smashed the motorist's windshield agreed to pay him Bt2,700 for the damage and both sides agreed not to take further action against each other, Pongsapat said.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said her statement asking the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to work with the government and other agencies to implement floodprevention measures "as a whole" did not mean she wanted Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra to solve the problem across the country.

Justice Minister Pracha Promnok said during a House session on flood prevention that it was difficult to deal with the problem in the capital, because the flood would move on to a new area after it was drained from other areas.

Deputy Prime Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit pledged to do whatever it took to ensure that people could resume their normal way of life before December 5, "even though flood waters have not completely gone away". He did not elaborate.

Schools in heavily flooded areas to reopen later - The Nation

Schools in heavily flooded areas to reopen later

The Nation November 25, 2011 2:05 am


The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has postponed the reopening of schools in seven heavily flooded areas from December 6 to December 13.

BMA deputy governor Thaya Theepasuwan said the reopening date for schools in Sai Mai, Don Muang, Thawee Watthana, Nong Khaem, Bang Khae, Lak Si and Bang Bon districts had been delayed, but that they would prepare special classes to help students catch up.

Special classes for the primary level will be held every weekday from 2.30pm to 3.30pm and on the weekends from 8.30am to 2.30pm for 12 weeks. Students at the secondary level will be given special tutorials from 3.30pm to 4.30pm every day in addition to a sevenhour class on Saturday and a fivehour class on Sunday. Schools in the other 43 districts, which will open on December 6, will also hold special classes for students to catch up.

No running water for five hours - The Nation

No running water for five hours

The Nation November 25, 2011 2:00 am


The Metropolitan Waterworks Authority (MWA) announced yesterday that water services in the east of Bangkok would be suspended from 11pm today to 4am tomorrow.

MWA will be turning off the pumps at its Samrong station and water will not be available in buildings on Sukhumvit Road from Bang Na intersection to Bang Pu, from the Samrong pump station to Chaophu Samingprai intersection, Soi Lasalle, the old railway road, Thai Ban Road, Sai Luad Road, Theparak Road, Srinakarin Road to Bang NaTrat Intersection, Suan Som Road, Suksawat Road from Khlong Bang Chak to the Phra Chulachomklao Fort. Call 1125 for more information.

Garbage for some, gold for others - The Nation

Garbage for some, gold for others

The Nation November 25, 2011 2:09 am

Scavengers were overjoyed to find piles of damaged furniture and other discarded items in Bangkok's Bang Phlat area yesterday.

In fact, there were so many discarded items that Bang Phlat traffic police had to put up barricades to make way for Bangkok Metropolitan Administration officials to collect the garbage. However, the scavengers said these disposed items were valuable and could help them earn extra money.

Meanwhile, Pojaman na Pombejra, the exwife of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, set up a tent on Sirindhorn Road near the Tang Hua Seng Mall to hand out lunchboxes to flood affected residents yesterday.

Thailand Floods Photo,Thailand Floods Pictures, Stills, Thai residents wade through


Thai residents wade through a flooded street on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, Thursday, Nov. 24, 2011. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Latest satellite image...quite a lot of water still about...!

Rapid Response - LANCE - Terra/MODIS 2011/328 04:00 UTC

TAN_Network TAN News Network

Bangkruay, Bangbuathong, Sainoi districts sees approximately 3-5cms down in water levels , posttoday reports

Thonburi 1 residents in Rama 2 Rd soi 69 junction 3 return home after water completely dries up

Buddhamonthon in Nakornpathom water down 50-60cms but still high. Pickup trucks are passable in some roads, FM100.5 reports

Residents of Khlong 2,3,4 will meet at Big C Khlong 4 this afternoon to call for FROC to speeden drainage process by the end of the month

Temperatures dropping in the North, frost seen in high mountains

Meteorological dept warns Surat thani-Nakornsithammarat-Pattalung-Songkhla-Pattani-Yala-Narathiwat of flash floods/heavy rain for Nov25-26

Those who use other vehicle's license plates will face 5-yr jail term and fine of Bt10,000

Those who lost license plate after driving through floodwater can apply for new one at any transport office until year-end with fee of Bt100

Thailand counts cost of monster floods - Channel NewsAsia

Thailand counts cost of monster floods

Posted: 25 November 2011 1136 hrs


A woman walks through floodwaters in front of the Grand Palace near the Chao Praya river in Bangkok. (AFP PHOTO / Nicolas ASFOURI)

AYUTTHAYA, Thailand: A young couple scour a jobs board in the Thai city of Ayutthaya in a desperate hunt for work, more than a month after the factories where they worked were flooded.

They say they are willing to do any work, but with major industrial areas still submerged in Thailand's worst flooding in half a century, vacancies are scarce.

Huge swathes of central Thailand were left under water for weeks when severe monsoon rains caused massive deluges -- ruining crops, closing thousands of factories and swamping millions of homes.

Hundreds of thousands of people were put out of work when the floodwaters swept into key industrial estates in Ayutthaya, 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of Bangkok, and in the outskirts of the capital.

While many factories continue to pay wages and others handed out lump sums when they let staff go, some workers are facing acute financial worries.

"I haven't had any of my salary because I started work just two days before the floods," said Supranee Kongsomkaew at the Ayutthaya employment office.

The 23-year-old said she will probably have to wait until factories dry out before she will be able to find work.

Ayutthaya's Rojana Industrial Park, where thousands are employed by a host of international auto and electronic firms including Hitachi, Honda and Sanyo, is still deluged.

The water level was around half a metre (1.5 feet) on Thursday, down from nearly three metres in mid-October. But the waters are not expected to clear until early December, two months after the site first flooded.

Thailand's economy is predicted to take a major hit as a result of the flooding, with the growth forecast for 2011 recently revised down to 1.5 per cent, from 3.5-4.0 per cent.

Exports have taken a hit and tourism has also suffered as visitors are put off by dramatic images of buildings and temples marooned in vast pools of water.

Thanawat Poliwichai, director of the Economic and Business Forecasting centre at the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, estimates the cost to the economy will be up to 450 billion baht ($14 billion), mostly in the industrial sector.

The bill for property damage could run to $22 billion, he said.

"The damage is not just limited to this year. It will continue to cost next year as well because factories will not be able to resume production until probably February," he told AFP.

Thailand's floods have also had global effects, disrupting world production of everything from cars to computers.

Honda said it still cannot properly assess the damage to its Rojana plant, which employs 4,000 people. Aerial footage from the site shows hundreds of rusting cars covered up to their roofs by filthy water.

Hideto Maehara of Asian Honda, said the company welcomed Thai government assurances that there will be no repeat of the disaster, but said the firm was considering the wisdom of producing key parts in one place.

"Is it better to spread out production sites and make parts locally in various countries, or to continue to concentrate our production sites and export from there? We will have to engage in further discussions," he said.

Industry minister Wannarat Channukul said the government planned to exempt replacement machinery and raw materials from import duty to ease the pain for businesses.

The floods have posed huge challenges for multinationals such as Honda, but for smaller firms the road to recovery is likely to be even harder.

Workers at the Solar Power Technology plant on an industrial estate on the edge of Bangkok hoisted valuable hardware off the ground before the floods hit.

But the water rose several feet higher than expected, lifting machines off their stands and leaving them strewn and broken across the floor.

General manager Boriwat Chim Charee said damage to equipment alone will cost 30 million baht and only new machines were insured.

But he said the firm has rented another factory to fulfil urgent orders and he was determined to restore the plant as soon as possible.

"We have already sent our people to Japan to buy new machines," he told AFP.

Economist Thanawat said the recovery of smaller firms would depend on the speed at which banks release loans and support measures come into force.

But even in the midst of the disaster, opportunity presents itself for those with entrepreneurial spirit.

In the areas around Bangkok's second airport Don Mueang, the only way to traverse the stagnant green waters of flooded streets is by boat.

One man told AFP that when the floods came and his regular work in construction disappeared, he got a boat and set up a water taxi service -- and business is brisk.

- AFP/fa

StrontiumDog1 StrontiumDog

8.35 Pic, in front of TOT, Chaeng Wattana(?), flooded but passable. Laksi int. flyover ok bit.ly/sgBxaA RT [at]dadanamthip #ThaiFloodEng

Deadly new, old floods wreak havoc in Thailand - CNN.com

Deadly new, old floods wreak havoc in Thailand

By the CNN Wire Staff
November 25, 2011 -- Updated 0358 GMT (1158 HKT)


A boy cries as he stands in floodwaters outside his house in Thailand's southern province of Narathiwat on November 23.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• A 3-year-old boy dies after floodwater sweeps him away, a provincial official says
• Parts of Songkhla province, in southern Thailand, have been declared disaster zones
• High water remains a big problem elsewhere, including in the capital, Bangkok
• Flooding has hit the economy hard, including affecting about 660,000 workers

(CNN) -- Flooding ravaged parts of southern Thailand on Thursday, with residents there joining their countrymen in Bangkok and beyond struggling with the effects of high water.

Parts of Songkhla province were declared disaster zones a day after rushing water swept away a 3-year-old child, So Hemakul, a provincial disaster and mitigation official, told the state-run MCOT news agency. The child's body was found Thursday.

Heavy rains led Songkhla Gov. Winyu Thongsakul to urge residents of 16 districts to brace for flooding. Already, more than 360 people in the area have been forced to evacuate due to water as deep as 2 to 4 meters (6.5 to 13 feet) in places.

Still, though the situation threatened to worsen, the scale of personal and economic devastation paled compared to that elsewhere in Thailand, including areas in the central part of the Southeast Asian nation such as Bangkok.

Earlier this week, the government reported on its website that 17 provinces -- at that point, not yet including Songkhla -- were experiencing severe flooding.

The damage already done this season has prompted an extensive, and expensive, government effort. On Thursday, the Flood Recovery and Restoration Committee requested nearly 13 billion baht ($415 billion U.S.) for various projects to help flood-ravaged areas, according to the government's website.

This figure represents just a fraction, though, of the overall damage done. Atchaka Sibunruang, the secretary-general of Thailand's board of investment, estimated that 2,919 of his organization's corporate entities -- worth 620.8 billion baht -- had suffered.

This has trickled down to reflect Thai workers, like the nearly 3,800 workers from 14 companies laid off at flood-hit plants in Ayutthaya, that province's labor chief, Wannarat Srisuksa, told MCOT.

Earlier, Federation of Thai Industries Vice President Tanit Sorat said 660,000 workers at nearly 10,000 factories have been affected.

Meanwhile, tensions have remained high -- and, at times, have boiled over -- as residents rail against the government's action, and perceived lack of action, in flood control efforts. Some of the greatest concerns have been in Bangkok, which has been suffering from high-water woes for weeks.

On Wednesday, for instance, several residents in Pathum Thani blocked a tollway and damaged cars while expressing their discontent, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said Thursday, according to MCOT.

The Thai leader set deadlines for governors and federal officials to work together to assess priorities and reach solutions about how best to mitigate flooding, at minimal pain and expense to citizens.

That includes possibly taking down some of the so-called "big bag barriers" that have been set up around the area. Yingluck said there are more ways to drain floodwater, including installing new pumps, and thus satisfy citizens' demands.

Still, dismantling "big bag barriers" may carry risks. On Thursday, inner Bangkok was put on "high alert" due to fears that getting rid of one such barrier could cause water levels to rise significantly, Deputy City Clerk Chumphol Sampaopol told MCOT.

Bangkhen District Chief Watcharaporn Kawayapanik said, though, that water levels generally had remained unchanged. That said, water along one key road still was under 60 to 80 centimeters (24 to 32 inches) of water.

TAN_Network TAN News Network

Bkk Environmental Office visits Don Muang district to spray EM water to improve water quality in the area

Thai-ASEAN News Network

Shellfish Farmers Urged to Rush Harvest

UPDATE : 25 November 2011

The Fisheries Department warned shellfish farmers to quickly harvest their produce to avoid impact from the drainage of floodwater from the central region into the sea.

Director General of the Fisheries Department, Vimol Chantararothai, admitted that the massive floodwater being diverted into the sea might have an impact on many kinds of shellfish being raised in coastal provinces.


He noted that his department has advised shellfish farmers to quickly harvest their farm produce to save them from being affected by the drainage of floodwater from the central provinces into the sea.

Vimol added that his department has prepared relief plans for farmers after the flood subsides and will distribute fish and shellfish to affected farmers.

The Fisheries Department has also warned aquatic animal farmers living in areas prone to floods to keep an eye on the situation.

He suggested that they build barriers and arrange water pumps.

Thai-ASEAN News Network

Flood Victims Struggle to Earn Income

UPDATE : 25 November 2011

Flood victims in the provinces turned to find alternative income to after flooding forced them to leave their regular occupations temporarily.

Since rice paddy fields in Nakhon Sawan's Chum Saeng District remain reeling underwater, the farmers are struggling to earn extra income. As of now, they are collecting palm juice to produce palm sugar.


Although producing palm sugar can generate only a minimal income of around 80 daht daily, the farmers are really needing that money as the floods will likely last until mid-December.

Meanwhile, those living in Ban Chang Mor in Ubon Ratchathani's Warinchamrab District have returned to their normal lives after the Mun River flooded their community for over three months.

People have gone back to their old jobs and many of them work in the beekeeping business and making clay pottery.

The stove produced by villagers is in high demand due to its pronounced quality.

In addition, some 70 raft food vendors in Ubon Ratchathani's Muang District restored their rafts along Hat Kudue to prepare for reopening.

As of now, the water of Mun River continues to recede.

However, vendors have complained about the increased cost of construction materials, up by around 20 percent.

They urged related agencies to deal with the matter and offer low interest-rate loans to ease their suffering.

Moreover, the Chonburi College of Agriculture and Technology joined hands with Thammasat University, the Royal Thai Fleet and the Recruit Training Center to make 30,000 effective microorganisms or EM balls to help flood victims treat stagnant floodwater in Bangkok and the surrounding provinces.

Thai-ASEAN News Network



Govt, BMA Vow to Alleviate Flood Situation Prior to HM King's Birthday

UPDATE : 25 November 2011

The government and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration held talks yesterday regarding an approach to drain floodwater in areas outside the capital.

They denied having any conflict and pledged to alleviate the flood situation ahead of His Majesty the King's birthday on December 5.

Following a multi-party discussion, a government representative, the Bangkok governor, and provincial governors of provinces bordering Bangkok joined hands and pledged to work together to solve the flood crisis, especially to speed up the drainage of floodwater in areas surrounding the capital.


Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit affirmed that the government has no conflict with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration over the floodwater drainage approach and that they still work in harmony.

He also defended Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra that the governor does not intend to protect the capital alone but he did care about areas outside it too.

Yongyuth added all sides will work together to improve the situation ahead of His Majesty the King's 84th birthday on December 5.

Meanwhile, the Bangkok governor said the BMA will take into account the impact on areas both outside and inside the flood walls before it decides to open or close sluice gates.

He added the situation is starting to improve, but admitted that drainage is still slow in Thonburi areas.

As for the situation in the eastern part of the capital, Sukhumbhand said the levels of most canals, including Rangsit Canal, have receded constantly.

Provincial Governors of six provinces surrounding Bangkok urged the government to provide more pumps to siphon out stagnant flood water, especially in Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi, where flood water prolonged for months.

The water begun to stink and became a breeding site for mosquitoes.

The Nonthaburi governor expects that it will take at least 19 days to drain all the water to the Ta Chin and Chao Phraya River.

In Samut Prakan provinces, floodwater has subsided in most areas, as in Chachoengsao, which is still capable of handling runoffs of up to 100 million cubic meters a day.

In Samut Sakhon, only the Om Noi municipality is still under deep floodwater.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Preecha Somboonsuk spoke at the meeting that 1,700 more pumps has been distributed to flood zones.

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Pattani: Flooding in 55 districts, 203 villages. Disaster zones will be declared today in Pakaharung and Taluboh districts

Songkhla gov announces 5 districts in Songkhla declared as disaster zones including Sabayoi-Kuannieng-Jana-Rattabhum-Singhanakorn

Bangkok Post : BMA watches western part

BMA watches western part

• Published: 25/11/2011 at 11:21 AM
• Online news:

Bangkok governor on Friday ordered the Sewerage and Drainage Department and chiefs of Thawi Watthana, Nonmg Khaem and Phasi Charoen to assess impact of the opening of three sluice gates in Pathum Thani on communities in their areas.

Wasant Meewong, spokesman of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, said the opening of Khlong Khunsri Burirak, Khlong Kwai and Khlong Soi sluice gates as requested by flooded residents in Nonthaburi could worsen the flood situation in the western part if the draining could not be done due to high sea tide.

Previously, the BMA had managed to drain floodwater out from most areas of the western part but the opening of the three gates had raised water level by 5-10 centimetres in areas of Sala Thammasop sub-district and Thawi Watthana, he added.

Mr Wasant said the Bangkok governor had ordered BMA to keep a close watch on the water situation in the western part and to install more pumps in key points to quickly drive the floodwater out through Khlong Phasi Charoen.

StrontiumDog1 StrontiumDog

9.45 Pic Chaeng Watthana-water is still quite deep up to IT Square bit.ly/s2Z8ai #ThaiFloodEng RT [at]Artdy87

Bangkok Post : B8.9bn sought to help farmers

B8.9bn sought to help farmers

• Published: 25/11/2011 at 11:06 AM
• Online news:

The Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry wants an 8.9 billion baht allocation from the government to help farmers hard hit by natural disasters this year.

Permanent secretary Supatra Thanaseniwat said on Friday that the ministry was seeking an 8.9 billion baht budget to be spent helping farmers who suffered as a result of the landslides in the South in May and the farmers who have suffered during the present flooding.

She said more than one million farmers had suffered losses as a result of natural disasters this year.

Ms Supatra gave an assurance that the lists of farmers to be helped and the amount of compensation would be carefully examined by committees at the level of villages, districts and provinces.

The committees to evaluate the damage at the village level will comprise local community leaders, representatives of local administrative organisations, agricultural volunteers, representatives of damaged farmers and agricultural promotion officials. Farmers registered with agricultural offices will be eligible to apply for compensation .

The agriculture ministry has set rates of compensation and its limitations for different kinds of damaged farmland and farm products. For example, compensation for damaged paddy fields is set at 2,222 baht per rai limited to five rai of paddy fields per farmer, and half the set rate for the rest.

StrontiumDog1 StrontiumDog

11.35 Pic, Boromratchonnee, water is still 30cm+ deep, not okay for small cars bit.ly/tJpzGw #ThaiFloodEng RT [at]Reporter_Js5

StrontiumDog1 StrontiumDog

13.39 Pic-crowd gathering in from of Ramintra Soi 5 bit.ly/t4myGj #ThaiFloodEng

iimom eakkalak
[at]js100radio ชุมนุมหน้า ซ.รามอินทรา5 http://pic.twitter.com/9paSVGd9

StrontiumDog1 StrontiumDog

13.10 Pic, Nam Wong Wan Road, in front of Kasetsart, almost completely dry. bit.ly/scfT6v #ThaiFloodEng RT [at]mrapisit

StrontiumDog1 StrontiumDog

13.45 Pic-Samila, Songkhla, big waves and strong wind at the beach. Murky. bit.ly/s7q0mM RT [at]MuK_Man

TAN_Network TAN News Network

Uthai Thani Internal Trade join hands with blue flag operators selling low-priced goods for flood victims at Tung Kaew temple today to Nov28

Govt takes over townships,turns into water management planning center,categorize villages/communities level of urgency bfore draining begins

Locals along songkhla's seaside quickly move their belongings after being hit by strong waves , INN reports

BMA gathers water pumps to drain Eastern Bangkok dry

Nakornsithammarat governor orders all areas to prepare for flooding due to several days of continuous rainfall