Thread: Bangkok Floods, 28th October, 2011-Exodus in full swing

3:30pm In front of the Don Muang District Office http://twitpic.com/76wca6 TR [at]fm91trafficpro

[at]onio_o onnika
October 28, 2011


สภาพนำ้หน้าสำนักงานเขตดอนเมือง

3.33pm In front of Wat Don Muang School Evacuation Center overflowed by knee-deep http://twitpic.com/76w88a TR [at]fm91trafficpro

[at]onio_o onnika
October 28, 2011


หน้าโรงเรียนวัดดอนเมือง หนึ่งในศูนย์พักพิงของผู้ประสบภัย นำ้ระดับเข่า

Bangkok Post : 90% of Don Mueang airport flooded

90% of Don Mueang airport flooded

• Published: 28/10/2011 at 03:43 PM
• Online news:

About 90 per cent of Don Mueang airport is flooded, airport director Kanpat Mangkalasiri said on Friday.

Capt Kanpat said the water level at the country's main domestic airport was measured at 50 centimetres deep. Small vehicles could not enter the airport, he said.

Don Mueang personnel continued to drain water from the airport but the water level continued to rise, he said.

Capt Kanpat said two runways were still operational and the flood had not affected the airport's overall operations.

Officials were closely monitoring the flood situation as the water level on Vibhavadi-Rangsit road was almost equal to the height of the airport's protection wall at about 1.20 metres high, he said.

TAN_Network TAN News Network

Royal Irrigation Department opposes plan to excavate roads at Sai Mai District, saying it is not a foolproof solution to protect Bangkok.

Biz_TheNation Biz_TheNation

At 3pm: Water at end of Soi Vatcharapol, Ram Indra Rd, at 20-30cm, from overflows from Phaholyothin Rd.

Btw, from speaking to a few friends of mine...in Rangsit and Sai Mai, water has risen alarmingly today in both places. People that had previously decided to stick it out are now leaving. It has gotten a lot worse....

3.54pm The entrance of Watcharaphon Soi 54/1 [Picture] http://twitpic.com/76wjz6 TR [at]fm91trafficpro

[at]fm91trafficpro

FM91TRAFFICPRO
October 28, 2011

MCOT_Eng MCOT English News

PM negotiates with Rangsit Klong 9 residents; drilling road by tonight to move water to Klong Hok Wa

398 bank branches closed - The Nation

398 bank branches closed

The Nation October 28, 2011 4:01 am

A number of bank branches closed nationwide reached 398 as of today while the number of unplugged ATMs rose to 4,188, according to Bank of Thailand.

Of all branches closed, 158 are in Pathum Thani, 104 in Bangkok and 71 in Nonthaburi. Of total, 95 belong to Siam Commercial Bank.

Most of the unplugged ATMs are also located in Bangkok and peripheral provinces: 1,420 in Pathum Thani, 1,015 in Bangkok, and 73 in Nonthaburi.

The central bank insisted that only the clearing office in Ayutthaya remains closed. Meanwhile, the clearing for transactions in Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi - which are cleared by the central electric clearning system in Bangkok - proceeds as usual.

More than 30 cm high flood water reported on Pahonyothin Road : National News Bureau of Thailand

More than 30 cm high flood water reported on Pahonyothin Road

BANGKOK, 28 October 2011 (NNT) – Flood water in certain sections of Phahonyothin Road is now more than 30 cm high, leaving only one traffic lane usable. Military vehicles are offering their services for commuters along the way.

The water level along Phahonyothin Road has reached the height of more than 30 cm, resulting in the closure of most of the traffic lanes. Small vehicles heading from Kasetsart Intersection towards the North are able to go as far as Ying Charoen Market only; however, public transports still provide normal services including the red line two-row seat mini-buses running between Watcharaphon - Thanommit, bus no. 39, small private service bus running between Rangsit - Kasetsart, pink line private service bus between Thammasat University Rangsit Campus and Sanam Luang, euro bus, private service vans between Saphan Mai and Ramkhamhaeng 1 and GMC vehicles from the Royal Thai Army and the Royal Thai Air Force. Despite the flood, some shops around Ying Charoen Market and Saphan Mai are still open, allowing the residents to visit the shops to buy consumer goods all day.

Electricity distribution in Bangkok

Electricity distribution in Bangkok´s inner city not affected by flood

BANGKOK, 28 October 2011 (NNT) – The Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA) is confident that floods will not affect electricity distribution, particulary in Bangkok's inner city zone. Mrs Jongkolnee Tantijattanon, Director of the MEA Bang Khen office, confirmed that electricity distribution to Bangkok's inner city will not be disturbed by the current flooding crisis since businesses, department stores, hospitals and private offices have cooperated with the MEA in advance to prepare for the situation.

Underground power lines, such as those under Silom and Sukhumvit Roads, are fully equipped with an efficient protective system. Today, the MEA will lay separate electricity lines from its transformer on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road to the Flood Relief Operations Center (FROC) at Don Mueang Airport, which is 300 metres away, so that the center will not be affected in case the Airports of Thailand (AoT) is unable to supply the electricity, or the electricity is cut out for flooded zones. With the separate wiring system, the FROC will be free from electricity blackout due to floods.

Metropolitan police launches 4 urgent measures to help flood victims in Bangkok : National News Bureau of Thailand

Metropolitan police launches 4 urgent measures to help flood victims in Bangkok

BANGKOK, 28 October 2011 (NNT) – Metropolitan Police Bureau launched 4 urgent measures for helping flood victims in Bangkok area.

Police major general Winai Tongsong, acting commissioner of Metropolitan Police Bureau, called for a meeting of the police officers under his command for the first time after taking up the office. He set 4 urgent measures for helping the flood victims in Bangkok area, which are ,

1. Take care of the people's safety in both physical wellness and property

2. Traffic control and management

3. Facilitate the people in evacuation, relocating their belongings or building barriers

4. Provide Flood Relief Center

Moreover, He had teams of 10 fast moving units stationed at every police station in the metropolitan to assist the flood victims.

Police major general Winai confirmed that Metropolitan Police Bureau will take care of the people at large until the situation improves.

MRT subway operates as usual - The Nation

MRT subway operates as usual

The Nation October 28, 2011 4:09 am

Bangkok Metro Plc, the operator of MRT subway, keeps the service running as usual despite the construction works at 18 stations.

In a statement, BMCL said that all stations are open as usual.

For updates on the service, commuters can check www.bangkokmetro.co.th www.facebook.com/bmcl.mrt and www.twitter.com/mrt_bmcl.

Tulip_Oum Tulip Naksompop

4:30pm closure on Maharaj rd, Chang pier to PraChan pier, due to ChaoPraya overflow.~[at]js100radio

4.01pm Cars parked on MJETS of DM Airported must be moved out immediately,water rising up fast http://twitpic.com/76wngt TR [at]ktnews

[at]Pat_ThaiPBS

Pat_ThaiPBS
October 28, 2011


รีบย้ายด่วน! 16.01 รถใคร.. จอดหน้าลาน MJETS น้ำขึ้นไวมาก จากเหตุ..ปูนกำแพงรั้วสนามบินดอนเมืองแตก 1ม.

Evacuate before arrival of floodwater: FROC - The Nation

Evacuate before arrival of floodwater: FROC

The Nation October 28, 2011 4:09 am

The Flood Relief Operations Centre on Friday urged Bangkok residents living in high risk areas to start evacuating before the arrival of floodwater.

"In several areas of inundation, residents would not move before seeing floodwater, hence triggering chaos and other inconveniences," FROC spokesman Tongthong Chandransu said.

Residents should brace for inundation without being panic, he said.

He said preparations should be made in the face of a worst-case scenario because it was impossible for FROC to issue specific warnings, such as the prediction where and when the flood would happen at each locality.

Bangkokians Grow More Worried About Tap Water - Southeast Asia Real Time - WSJ

• October 28, 2011, 5:35 PM SGT

Bangkokians Grow More Worried About Tap Water

By Wilawan Watcharasakwet and Patrick Barta

APA Thai street vendor looks on as water from Bangkok’s main river Chao Phraya gushes into a manhole on Oct. 28, 2011.

Bangkok residents are growing more worried about the quality of the city’s water system as floodwaters spread and sewer lines overflow.

A representative at Bangkok’s Metropolitan Waterworks Authority who asked not to be named said late Friday that the area’s water still meets World Health Organization standards, but residents might still want to boil their drinking water “if you are really concerned.” She said tap water in at least one part of the metropolitan area, near Mahasawas Canal west of central Bangkok, was “yellowish and smelly” after getting mixed with raw floodwaters, but it remained safe after being treated with chemicals. She said authorities were able to increase the amount of chemicals used to treat tainted waters, which should help keep it safe.

“We still insist that the water supply we provide to households and businesses is free from toxins,” she said.

Nevertheless, the official suggestion that residents might still want to boil their water – repeated by at least one other waterworks official in recent days, according to local media – has left many people wary.
Residents continued their run on bottled water supplies Friday, with water all but gone from many stores in the city. Other residents began stockpiling boiled water in buckets and barrels in their homes in case the tap supplies become more suspect.

Writing on the Thai Visa Forum, a popular online forum for residents and expatriates, one area resident reported seeing yellow water from the tap and then deciding to add chlorine to a batch of stored water, “since I would rather use boiled chlorinated water than water filled with various microorganisms!” Another writer advocated trapping rainwater and boiling it. “In this situation, rainwater MUST be better than any other source, regardless of air pollution,” the person wrote.

Others weren’t sure what to do.

“We are in trouble big time,” wrote another member of the forum, who also reported seeing yellowish water for the past five days. “The water tastes disgusting even in tea and coffee and smells equally disgusting,” the writer said, adding, “things are going to get worse yet, it seems clear.”

Bangkok Post : Sukampol: No need to cut up roads

Sukampol: No need to cut up roads

• Published: 28/10/2011 at 04:50 PM
• Online news:

It is not necessary to cut channels across any roads to improve the drainage of floodwater out to sea because none of the targeted roads block the flow of water, Transport Minister Sukampol Suwannathat said on Friday.

ACM Sukampol said this after flying by helcopter to examine from the air the area east of Bangkok, Bang Na - Trat highway and Khlong Bang Chalong, Khlong Chorakheyai, Khlong Sanamphli and Khlong Phra-rongchao.

He was accompanied by representatives of the Highway and Royal Irrigation departments.

The floodwater is to flow into these canals before being drained into Khlong Samrong and the sea.

He said none of the five roads a private group of engineers and water management experts had proposed be cut open to improve drainage were blocking the path of the floodwater. So, it is not necessary to dig them up, he said.

The roads are Pracha Ruam Jai Road, Rat Uthit Road, Suwinthawong Road, Nimitr Mai Road and Ruam Phattana Road.

ACM Sukampol said that it is more urgent to quickly dredge the existing canals, which are shallow with accumulated sediment, to enable the water to flow more easily to the east.

He said another urgent task is to restore flooded Don Mueang airport.

Bangkok Post : Kittiratt: No shortage of essentials

Kittiratt: No shortage of essentials

• Published: 28/10/2011 at 04:29 PM
• Online news:

Producers of essential commodities have affirmed they have enough products on hand to supply consumers in flood-affected areas, Commerce Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranonga said after a meeting with their representatives on Friday.

People in flooded areas will have enough bottled drinking water, dairy products, pork and chicken meat, and eggs for their needs. Producers of those commodities in provinces unaffected by the flood can probvide and adequate supply of those goods.

They will also speed up deliveries to flood-affected areas and said they will not raise prices, said Mr Kittiratt.

Mr Kittiratt suggested people should refuse to buy eggs which are sold at inflated prices. Some retailers were selling eggs at 8 baht each. People should buy other food items instead.

Bank of Thailand governor Prasarn Trairatvorakul said the BoT has enough cash on hand to meet current demand for three months.

The BoT's banknote mint off Phutthamonthon Sai 7 Road is still operational, he added.

The amount of cash circulating in the Thai economy by is about 1.2 trillion baht. Since the beginning of the flood crisis, people have drawn out about 22 billion baht cash a day from commercial banks.

Prior to the flood, daily cash withdrawals were about 6 billion baht a day from commercial banks.

The daily demand for cash has increased almost four-fold, said Mr Prasarn.

Bangkok Post : Thonburi faces serious flood threat

Thonburi faces serious flood threat

• Published: 28/10/2011 at 05:59 PM
• Online news:

The is a high possibility the Thonburi side of Bangkok west of the Chao Phraya river might be under 50cm-1 metre of floodwater in a few days if more northern runoff is allowed to flow into the area, the deputy director of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's Drainage and Sewerage Department said on Friday.

Chainat Niyomthoon said areas along the banks of the Chao Phraya river and canals would suffer most.

He said he was afraid the worst would come because canals on the Thonburi side of the river, especially Khlong Mahasawat which is the main one, were close to overflowing.

If the northern runoff was allowed to flow into the area in a bigger volume than it was now, then the entire area of Thonburi might be flooded and the water would be from 50 centimetres to 1m deep depending on the ground level.

"What the BMA can do if that happens is tell the peple to evacuate the area immediately," Mr Chainat said.

Bangkok Post : Vibhavadi fishing pond [pix]

Vibhavadi fishing pond [pix]

• Published: 28/10/2011 at 06:18 PM
• Online news:

A Pantip.com user reports the flood situation on Vibhavadi Rd that the flood water has yet to spread to Lak Si intersection as the water is drained off via Wat Lak Si canal.



Khlong Prempachakorn still overflows its banks. The water is blackish.



Railway track is still dry.

Thai-ASEAN News Network

More Flood Walls for Bangkok Subway

UPDATE : 28 October 2011

Director of BMCL's Promotion Department, Chatchai Praditpong, said the stations where more floods walls were built include those at Bang Sue, Kamphaengphet Road. Chatuchak Park and Ladprao. The levees are designed not disrupt passengers' access to the stations.

Chatchai said MRT services are continuing in full operation despite floods in some areas of the capital. Updates on the services during the flood crisis are available at เฉลิมพระชนมพรรษา ๘๔ พรรษา

Absolutely fucking hammering it down in Lam Luk Ka now.

Tulip_Oum Tulip Naksompop

Thai Airway International (THAI) has opened city check-in counters at Airport Link's Makkasan station.