Who among our forum members can shed a light on the current flood situation?

[Aussie Tigger]

Very easy to criticize as we all well know but understanding the actual reasons why the current flood situation prevails mystifies me.
Are any of our long time residents here up to speed with the actual cause of the floods or more appropriate could they have been averted.
One could hardly blame I think the new Govt as they have been in power for only a short period.
Govt feedback seems more focussed on coverups that it is so difficult at this time to believe what they are putting out.
Is there anyone out there who has really researched the history of these occurences?

[BKKBoet]

Basically Thailand was hit by a massive amount of rainfall this year starting in April/May and carrying on right through till September, this included being hit by a number of tropical storms/depressions (4-5, not exactly sure). As a consequence rivers & dams got very full. At a certain time, the dams reached a point where they were near capacity, and in some cases above capacity, and water had to be released. There is a lot of debate about this, and I will not pass judgement at this point, but suffice to say, the result is that a huge amount of water was released (roughly 12 billion cubic meters) which obviously had to find it's way to the sea. It has totally swamped everything in it's path and is now bearing down on Bangkok. It is not a good picture as every measure that has been tried at each point so far has failed, the amount of water is so great. Thailand & Bangkok will have to bite the bullet, take the pain and wait for the water to pass.

Then the witch-hunt can begin.

[English Noodles]

Are any of our long time residents here up to speed with the actual cause of the floods

Hint - it wasn't a drought.

[Boon Mee]

^^
And 'they' haven't been keeping the canals cleaned out either. W/respect to Bangkok, 'they' again, tried to block the water which obviously hasn't worked.

[palexxxx]

sensible thing to do is when the dams start to fill, prior to the wet season, is to release the water in preparation for the deluge, simple

[Chico the Fox]

My girlfriend mentioned last night that the floods can be partially blamed on the building of Survanabhumi airport. That was apprantley the natural run off for flood waters. Is there any truth to this?

[TizMe]

My Mrs told me this as well, but she gets her info from ASTV so I'd take it with a big grain of salt.

According to them, if a dog shits in the street, somehow it will be Taksin's fault.

[BKKBoet]

Here is an article that gives a pretty good explanation of events.

Bangkok Post : Biggest challenge yet to come

[Seekingasylum]

A seemingly quite candid account as to why we are in the position we are in.

His comments concerning Suphan Buri and their implication are quite damning ( excuse the pun ).

Of course, if we were in a country with a free press and the notion of accountability this serious allegation would be pursued relentlessly.

As it is we shall just have to wait until it all comes out in the wash.

[Airportwo]

My girlfriend mentioned last night that the floods can be partially blamed on the building of Survanabhumi airport. That was apprantley the natural run off for flood waters. Is there any truth to this?

I was told this years back and believe it to be true as it makes sense.....

[Mr Lick]

Having lived in Issan for the past 7 years my experience of rainfall is that it is more prelavent during the months of September and October mainly because i am a golfer and there are odd occasions when the courses have been closed and even when not it maybe advisable to bring along a pair of wellington boots if you still wish to swing a club or two.

The last few years has been no exception. Ulbonrat Dam was in overflow mode last year, villages were flooded and road inaccessable as a result.

It would seem a sad reflection on the competency of Water Mnagement teams here when they sit around hoping the rainfall will cease during these 2 months having stored masses amounts of water in their reservoirs beforehand. It just doesn't happen.

I can recall big floods in Pak Chong/Khao Yai National Park in Set/Oct 2008. Huge rainfall again last year during these months in the north and now again.

If tropical rainstorms are forecast, which they have been in recent months this year, you simply shouldn't be sitting around waiting for your dam to overflow, a gradual release during the rainy season would seem sufficient, safe in the knowledge that September and October will provide enough rainfall to return matters to a sufficient level for the needs of everyone.

I am pleased to report that the jungles of Issan have not experienced a drop of rain for 4/5 days. It's cool, the birds are singing and there are one or two fluffy white clouds above. I should be playing golf i know!

[crippen]

Why did Korat get flooded out last year,but has been ok(as yet) this year? The river near the Mall has been running high for weeks,only about 6 inches off the road crossing bridges. Me thinks the dam masters learnt from last year not to store too much water early on,and have been releasing water steadily for ages. Hope I have not spoken too soon!

[Bangyai]

Flood waters from the north have always been a problem. I'm not going to find the direct quote but if you read this book by Prince Damrong you will find several passages refering to the area around Ayudaya being completely flooded at the end of the rainy season causing the Burmese invaders either to withdraw or invade again during the dry season. At the time this flooding was regarded as a boon as otherwise the city would have been closely invested and subsequently captured.



So........... the Thais have been aware of the problem for a hundreds of years and have yet to come up with a permanent solution. Likely because when it stops raining and dries out they just forget all about it until the next rainy season.

IMO , this time things might be so bad that they might be forced into coming up with a better game plan for the future.

[liveinlos]

I don't see it the same way. First of all, if the flood was caused by rainfull, why are the rivers in Nakon Nayok not overflowing and crystal clear yesterday with 100's of people tubing?

If this was rain related, ALL rivers would be raging, muddy and overflowing

One has to remember in 2010 Thailand had the worst drought in the history of the country. This was a direct result of letting too much water out of the dams and then not getting enough rain to fill them back up

Many resevoirs ran almost completely out of water

So this year, to avoid a repeat of the 2010 drought, more water was held in the dams than required. When the rain did come it was under-estimated and caused the dams to overfill, in same cases reported 130% of the dam's capacity

Decisions to release water are all clouded politically because no politician wants to have their area flooded and could care less who else gets flooded

Case in point, even today BMA still still fighting with the prime minister to open Bangkok flood gates to drain water to the see

Nepotism and giving government water irrigation jobs to friends, relatives and other unqualied people

As we know, these same unqualified people sit around all dry season, not cleaning canals, not checking pumps, not build dykes or doing anything at all to prepare for the rain

This year, when too much water was stored, management decisions when and how to releases the water compounded all the problems

The Japanese have put a ton of pressure on the Prime Minister to drain all their factories in Ayuthaya, however that water has to drain somewhere

Recent drainage decisions to save Bangkok resulted in Pathumthani, Rangsit and Don Muang area to flood even though not flooded previously by the rains

Now the Bangkok Governor has not opened the flood gates so this new water has no where to go

By the time the PM forces the Bangkok flood gates open it will be too late and Bangkok will flood as well

The majority of this problem is all related to power struggles and politics

Thaiflood.com reported in riff with FROC that the FROC flood agency would not allow thaiflood.com to release truthful, timely, flood information

As one can see, this is a huge mismanagement and power struggle issue

There is no money or time to do anything in the dry season but once you affect the Japanese factories, 600,000 jobs, etc. new pumps and action are everywhere to be found

Find any flood area and you will see beaurocrats sitting under tents in the shade, sipping lemonade and eating cookies, while the masses are out in the hot sun filling sand bags.

This pretty much says it all.

[Mid]

canals turned into roads ,

a city built in a delta / mango swamp

and above average rainfall in a short period of time .

[Bettyboo]

^^ #15 - I agree, power, politics, money and nepotism. It's cultural...

IMO , this time things might be so bad that they might be forced into coming up with a better game plan for the future.

I doubt it. If and only if some very rich and powerful folk make sizeable loses and want to spend public funds to make sure they don't make similar losses in future; otherwise, it will go on and on because the masses are meaningless to the minority whose bank accounts and status dictate everything.

Greed and stupidity have been the causes of this problem, over many years, and specifically with the water management this year - personal incompetence that has caused the death of hundreds of people - doubtful they will be held to task, possible that it was orchestrated and political both at the local level (as per SuphanBuri/Bkk) and the national level (the dems are again calling for a national disaster and certain powers to be handed over to the army...).

[Fondles]

According to some dumb bint from the UK whom my mother was talking to at Phnom Pehn airport last night 3/4 of Thailand is under water, the problem is cause by the fact NO ONE in Thailand pay taxes and as such the government cannot upgrade the infrastructure to cope with the annual wet season, hence it floods.

[Bettyboo]

^ sounds more like the comment a yank bird would make...

[OhOh]

NO ONE in Thailand pay taxes and as such the government cannot.........

Bollocks

[OhOh]

NO ONE in Thailand pay taxes and as such the government cannot.........

Bollocks ...... You want taxes, go back to wherever you came from.

[Rural Surin]

canals turned into roads ,

a city built in a delta / mango swamp

and above average rainfall in a short period of time .

This certainly would apply to the building-up throughout a broad natural flood plain as well....

[nidhogg]

According to some dumb bint from the UK whom my mother was talking to at Phnom Pehn airport last night 3/4 of Thailand is under water, the problem is cause by the fact NO ONE in Thailand pay taxes and as such the government cannot upgrade the infrastructure to cope with the annual wet season, hence it floods.

While its wrong, it is not that far of the mark. Last I read only about 10% of the population pay income taxes. Majority of the population under the start point for tax, and the top buggers find ways around paying it. Even a some what famous ex-prime minister avoided paying taxes owed by wriggling like a fucking snake....

[Fondles]

NO ONE in Thailand pay taxes and as such the government cannot.........

Bollocks ...... You want taxes, go back to wherever you came from.

I would very much like to be not paying taxes here, unfortunately I cannot avoid it.

[Marmite the Dog]

^^ #15 - I agree, power, politics, money and nepotism. It's cultural...

IMO , this time things might be so bad that they might be forced into coming up with a better game plan for the future.

I doubt it. If and only if some very rich and powerful folk make sizeable loses and want to spend public funds to make sure they don't make similar losses in future; otherwise, it will go on and on because the masses are meaningless to the minority whose bank accounts and status dictate everything.

Greed and stupidity have been the causes of this problem, over many years, and specifically with the water management this year - personal incompetence that has caused the death of hundreds of people - doubtful they will be held to task, possible that it was orchestrated and political both at the local level (as per SuphanBuri/Bkk) and the national level (the dems are again calling for a national disaster and certain powers to be handed over to the army...).

Easy to assume, but disasters do sometimes have a positive effect, even with the lazy, corrupt pieces of shit that run Thailand.

Udon had terrible flooding a decade or so ago and it forced the local government to finally get round to putting in the ring-drain around the city and the associated spurs to feed it. So far, it has worked very well. The only flooding we seem to get nowadays is localised and temporary.

[Aussie Tigger]

Dont tell to many Marmite Udon is so good,people may flock here.I like it just as it is now.