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

TAN_Network TAN News Network

Over 100 locals block Raminthra Rd entrance to soi 5 due to dissatisfaction that water level has not receded yet in their area

(see earlier pic I posted)

StrontiumDog1 StrontiumDog

14.30 The floodwater at Boromratchonnee, Phuttamonthon Sai 3 area bit.ly/tiXRAW #ThaiFloodEng RT [at]Reporter_js8

14.30น. ภาพ ถ.บรมราชชนนี ช่วงพุทธมณฑลสาย3 http://pic.twitter.com/giD88DTw

StrontiumDog1 StrontiumDog

14.35 Boromratchonnee, just off the elevated highway, water decreased 50cm, 30cm remain #ThaiFloodEng bit.ly/s3YvHE RT [at]Reporter_js8

14.35น. ถ.บรมราชชนนี ขาออก ช่วงลงจากทางคู่ขนานลอยฟ้า ,ระดับน้ำลดลงกว่า50ซม. เหลือ30ซม. รถยังผ่านลำบาก http://pic.twitter.com/DbTWOwW6

MCOT_Eng MCOT English News

Don Mueang Airport scheduled to reopen before end of January after deep flood forces its closure since October: AoT

Residents gather at Central Plaza Ramindra after BMA could not promise floodwater would decline within 7 days

StrontiumDog1 StrontiumDog

14.45 Pic- Phuttamonthon Sai 3, water is 40cm deep+ (knee height) bit.ly/sUdKub #ThaiFloodEng RT [at]Reporter_js8

14.45น. ถ.พุทธมลฑลสาย3 ระดับน้ำกว่า40ซม. (ระดับเข่า) http://pic.twitter.com/qAkcJHLx

Thai-ASEAN News Network

Water Levels in Bangkok Canals Dropping

UPDATE : 25 November 2011

Daily flood reports indicate that water levels in every major canal in both the Phra Nakhon and Thonburi areas have been decreasing.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, or BMA, and the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department reported that in the past 24 hours, water levels in the Don Muang area near the Hok Wah Canal decreased by two centimeters.


Water at the Song Canal sluice gate went down by three centimeters, the same level as the Thawee Wattana Canal sluice gate near the Mahasawat Canal.

The water levels of main canals in the Phra Nakhon area have decreased by around three to five centimeters, including the Saen Saeb, Prawet Burirom , Ladprao, Prem Prachakorn, Bang Khen, and Bang Sue canals.

Canals in the Thonburi area saw a decrease of about one to two centimeters.

Local residents residing along the Mahasawat Canal have been using boats as their mode of transportation all the way to the Bang Khae Intersection.

Smaller cars can still pass Rama 2 Road.

However, only larger vehicles must be used in the Bang Bua Thong area.

Meanwhile, in the Boromratchonnani area, small vehicles can only pass between Pinklao and Buddha Monthon 2 Road.

Bangkok Post : Recovery not easy if misunderstood

Recovery not easy if misunderstood

• Published: 25/11/2011 at 09:05 PM
• Online news:

Seri Suparathit of the Rangsit University Centre on Climate Change and Disaster, said on Thai PBS Fridday night that the government's effort to recover will not be successful if miscommunication exists.



Today Dr Seri toured Bangkok East accompanied by an Israel water expert. They talked about "Risk Decision Making Model". For example, What will happen if Big Bag is removed?

Dr Seri noted that heavy rains in the South at the moment is seasonal, not a storm surge.

Hat Yai has yet to see 300mm rain per day. So no problem there. There are problems in three southernmost provinces especially people living near canals, rivers and hills due to heavy rains for the past 4 days.

Tomorrow will be better as the influence of Northeast monsoon is lessening.

Driving along Ram-Intra Road, Dr Seri sees flood everywhere.

He was asked by the people at Soi Kubon housing estates when the situation would be better.

He did not give much hope to the affected residents, saying that they live in a low-lying area, good to receive and retain floodwater but harder to drain it off. The canal nearby which can be used to drain off floodwater is full of rubbish and still overflowing banks. Wait for floodwater receding first, declog canal and then pump excess water into the canal.

Israel expert asked why Big Bag?

Dr Seri explained that the barrier was erected to help slow waterflow during the flood peak when BMA's drainage capacity could not handle the overwhelming run-off from the North.

Today, the Floods Relief Operations Command opens 30 metres gap at Big Bag on Vibhavadi.

Dr Seri noted that this would cause little adverse effect as Vibhavadi below Big Bag is mostly dry now. In fact, Big Bag could be removed altogether on Vibhavadi side.

Dr Seri saw Khlong Phraya Suren brimming with water below the sluice gate and the situation should be carefully monitored if the gate is to be raised higher than 1m.

Good news: Water declines steadily at Chulalongkorn gate as well as at Khlong Prem Pachakorn. However, the gate cannot be opened yet as Chao Phraya river level is still higher.

Dr Seri noted about miscommunication which hampers the recovery effort.

Pathum Thani authority and Rangsit Municipality planned to recover by blocking Rangsit market and Ratanakosin village and then drain retained floodwater to Khlong Prem Pachakorn, but villagers did not understand and destroyed sandbag dyke at Rangsit market, mistaking that their village would not be helped but would see rising water from the attempt to recover the market.

Solution: Government and community leaders must explain the situation before doing anything that could be seen to adversely affect the local community.

TAN_Network TAN News Network

FROC orders dismantling of Big Bag on Vibhavadi Rd by another 20m and opens sluice gates at Rangsit canals 8-10 and Phraya Suren Canal

Govt to host flood clean up from Dec 1-5 in various provinces with ministers to join in activities

Surat Thani,Nakhon SiThammarat,Phattalung,Songkla,Pattani,Yala,Trang, Narathiwat,Satun warned of flash floods

World Bank estimates flood crisis to cause Bt1.4 trillion in damage and slash this year's GDP growth to 2.4%

Rehab committee chief Dr. Virabhongsa assures Japanes investors not to relocate because Thailand has strong infrastructure and skilled labor

All sectors of Thai property market affected by floods | Asia | News

All sectors of Thai property market affected by floods

Friday, 25 November 2011


Floods have had a vast impact on the property market in Thailand with sectors affected across the board, according to international property consultants CBRE.

In the short term, residential project sales will slow down while the city is still affected by the floods, but in the medium to long term the crisis will have an impact on multiple levels from location to product and pricing, the latest analysis says.

There will be a change in demand patterns in terms of preferred location and product in Bangkok. ‘Buyers obviously will be hesitant to purchase in areas where heavy floods have occurred. The business areas of Lumpini, Silom, Sathorn and lower Sukhumvit will continue to be the preferred locations while other areas will be assessed once the flooding is over,’ says the report.

Buyers will pay more attention to design features and flood protection measures while housing developers need to ensure that both estate infrastructure and individual houses incorporate flood protection features when launching new projects, it explains.

Post flooding, construction costs are likely to rise due to a high demand for construction materials and skilled labour, particularly qualified technicians and contractors to rehabilitate damaged properties. Projects under construction in affected areas such as Rangsit and along the MRT purple line are temporarily halted and construction can only restart once the flood subsides.

Affordability and pricing will also be affected, particularly for the entry level and middle market. ‘The crisis will directly affect the spending power of those affected who may have lost their income or face additional expenses such as repair or replacement of damaged cars. This will slow down purchase decisions and shift the focus to lower priced products,’ the report explains.

At the higher end of the market, demand for second homes from wealthy Bangkok residents will rise, notably for city or resort condominiums. Resort markets such as Pattaya, Hua Hin and Phuket will benefit.

‘Overall, the market will likely see a shift toward condominiums and away from houses or townhouses, particularly among younger buyers. The perception will be that even if condominium buildings are inaccessible if flooding occurs, possessions and furniture will still be safe. This is not to say the market will completely turn away from housing developments, but we do expect housing sales to drop in the medium term until buyers’ confidence is restored and until developers can demonstrate effective prevention measures and designs that minimise flood damage,’ the report adds.

The report also points out that the apartment and condominium rental market is benefiting in the short run with a hike in demand for temporary stays from those whose homes have been flooded. Similarly, serviced apartments, despite lost business from reduced tourism, are benefiting not only from local demand but also from demand from foreign engineers who will arrive to repair damaged factories and production lines.

‘In the medium term the rental market will remain unaffected as most tenants are on one year leases. However, the impact will be felt in the long term if Thailand cannot restore foreign investor confidence, particularly that of Japanese manufacturers who drive the expatriate rental market,’ it says.

The office sector is one of the least affected sectors. ‘While demand has been improving, concerns about the global economy will slow down decisions, but it is unlikely that companies will look to reduce space. In terms of location, it is again too early to say if a particular area will benefit as we do not yet know the full extent of the flood impact. The fundamentals of the office market remain strong. With limited supply coming online in the next three years, we are unlikely to see a dramatic drop in rents even if demand weakens,’ it adds.

The retail sector is hard hit from the closure of main malls including Future Park Rangsit and three central shopping centres in Pin Klao, Ram Intra and Lat Phrao. The supply chain has been disrupted with many distribution centres damaged or inaccessible. ‘Nevertheless, major retailers such as Tesco Lotus, Big C and 7-Eleven have managed to restock and keep goods on the shelves. While the initial impact will be negative, the retail sector will be boosted after the flooding from reconstruction,’ the report explains.

Post flooding, the major beneficiaries will be home improvement stores such as HomePro and the newly opened IKEA, and sales of white goods such as refrigerators and washing machines.

The medium to long term prospect for the retail sector will depend on overall economic performance and how quickly Thailand gets back on its feet.

Seven industrial estates have been damaged so far, with more than 891 factories swamped. ‘It is difficult to predict how long the recovery process will take, but in the short term the impact is severe with widespread disruption in the manufacturing and distribution chain. Even factories in unaffected estates face disruptions in production due to shortages of manufacturing parts from flood damaged suppliers,’ the report points out.

‘Thailand is the world’s second largest producer of hard disk drives after China and is a major supplier of drive components. Such businesses may reconsider having such a large part of their global production located in Thailand,’ it adds.

The recovery process for the industrial sector will be strongly underpinned by the government’s effectiveness, the report says. ‘Going forward, while existing operations will reopen, it is critical for the government to rebuild confidence and take effective steps to prevent similar disasters from occurring in the future. If not, Thailand is at risk of losing its credibility and foreign investment.’

‘The government’s post flood rehabilitation programme will be essential to the recovery of all sectors of the property market and will have a direct impact on the overall economic outlook and the Kingdom’s direction for the coming year,’ it concludes.

Flood-hit Thailand struggles to get back to work



Published on Nov 25, 2011 by AFP

Thailand's worst floods in decades have swamped thousands of factories and deluged homes and crops, forcing the government to slash predictions for economic growth.

AFP: Thailand counts cost of floods




Replacement machinery will be exempt from import duty to ease the pain for businesses rebuilding after the Thai floods (AFP, Pornchai Kittiwongsakul)


The cost of the floods to the Thai economy could be as much as 450 billion baht ($14 billion) (AFP, Pornchai Kittiwongsakul)


Severe flooding has resulted in Thailand's 2011 economic growth forecast being revised down to 1.5%, from 3.5-4.0% (AFP, Pornchai Kittiwongsakul)

Post-flood work to boost Thai builders, material firms | Reuters

Post-flood work to boost Thai builders, material firms

Fri Nov 25, 2011 2:10am EST

* Flooded factories need repairs to ramp up production after flood
* About 1 million homes damaged by flooding
* Strong demand seen for building materials
* Analysts like Homepro, Siam Cement, Dynasty Ceramic

By Khettiya Jittapong

BANGKOK, Nov 25 (Reuters) - As water recedes in Thailand's central provinces after weeks of flooding, construction, engineering and building materials firms are looking forward to a boom in demand for repair and restoration work in both the industrial and residential sectors.

Further out, there will be huge flood management projects from the government and smaller-scale work from companies and industrial estate operators wanting to beef up their own defences against natural disasters.

"Demand will be very strong because damaged factories need to recover and resume operations after the flood," said Phonphatra Techakanokrak, assistant vice-president for the engineering division of Berli Jucker Pcl.

Berli Jucker, a consumer products conglomerate with liquor tycoon Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi as chairman, is going to focus more on being a consultant to flooded factories and supply equipment such as power transmission systems and special doors.

"Revenue from the engineering business should grow twice as fast as in normal periods," Phonphatra said, noting that the seven flood-hit industrial estates in the central provinces accounted for 17.2 percent of Thailand's industrial output.

The Federation of Thai Industries says the cost of damage to flooded factories, both inside and outside the estates, could be at least 500 billion baht ($16 billion), but many facilities are still flooded and the cost could go far higher.

The bigger companies on the affected estates probably have insurance for business interruption, but small and medium-sized firms (SMEs), which probably don't, could face losses of about 89-143 billion baht ($2.8-4.6 billion), Kasikorn Research Center said in a report.

SMEs are estimated to need about 65-104 billion baht ($2.1-$3.3 billion) for reconstruction and rebuilding their businesses, Kasikorn said.

As for the residential sector, the state-run Government Housing Bank (GHB) says about 1 million homes in the seven central provinces including Bangkok have been damaged by floods.

"Single detached houses that were flooded to knee level should require spending of over 100,000 baht ($3,200) per unit for repairs, while town houses should need more than 10,000 baht," said Samma Kitsin, director of GHB's real estate information centre.

Demand for furniture and building materials such as cement and tile products will be strong. Prolonged exposure to floodwater can damage tile floors and make wooden doors swell until they are unusable.

All this should boost the outlook of Home Product Center Pcl , rival Siam Global House Pcl and tile maker Dynasty Ceramic Pcl, analysts said.

Analysts said the likely winners from flood management projects will be the country's top cement producer, Siam Cement Pcl, second-ranked Siam City Cement Pcl and top contractor Italian-Thai Development Pcl.
"For construction materials, we like Siam Cement and Dynasty Ceramic," said KGI Securities analyst Rakpong Chaisuparakul.

Siam Cement should benefit from increased cement demand in the first half of 2012, while Dynasty should see higher residential demand for low-end tile products, the broker said.

Shares in Siam Cement have risen 10 percent in the past month, outperforming a rise of nearly 4 percent in the main index. Home Pro rose 13 percent in the same period.

"Homepro is, in our view, the only retail name benefiting from post-flood activity," said Suchart Techaposai, head of Research at Citigroup in Thailand.

Corporate credit demand is expected to be strong in the first quarter as companies and industrial estates draw down more funds than usual to restore operations and ramp up capacity, KGI said, adding it liked banks with strong corporate business such as Kasikornbank and leader Bangkok Bank Pcl.

Once the government draws up plans for large infrastructure projects to prevent floods in the future, contractors such as Nawarat Patanakarn Pcl, a major listed construction company, should feel the benefit.

"We should see a clearer picture about the government budget on post-flood large projects in the next financial year, starting from October 2012," said Vajraput Vajrabhaya, the general manager of Nawarat Patanakarn.

Lessons to be learned from SE Asia floods | Andrew Chambers | Global development | guardian.co.uk

Lessons to be learned from SE Asia floods

Severe flooding has caused serious damage across south-east Asia, affecting around 9 million people. Thailand has been better placed to cope than its neighbours


The UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, greets flood-affected people housed in tents in a sports hall at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. Photograph: Barbara Walton/EPA

Agapot squats-down next to his green dome tent, pitched inside a sports hall in Chonburi, an hour south of Bangkok. He's a 24-year-old factory worker left with no home and no job after the worst floods to hit Thailand for more than 50 years.

"The factory announced a three-day holiday when the floods hit," he said. "But since then we've heard nothing." He has been living in an emergency evacuation centre for over a month now, after fleeing from his family home in northern Bangkok when a canal burst its banks. "The current was so strong I couldn't stand up properly," he said. They didn't have enough time to rescue any belongings, and the house is now submerged up to the ceiling. Twenty members of his family and close neighbours are camping in the gym, along with hundreds of other evacuees from the capital.

They are some of the estimated 9 million people affected by the severe flooding that has caused serious damage across south-east Asia. Thailand has been worst hit – with more than a third of provinces flooded, parts of the capital under water and nearly 600 dead. The UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) estimates that 250 people have died in Cambodia after heavy monsoon rains led to the country's worst floods in a decade. Vietnam, Burma and the Philippines have also seen more than 100 dead and hundreds of thousands more displaced.

As the waters gradually recede, attention is now turning to the post-flood effects on the countries. Thailand is better placed to cope than its neighbours. There have already been reported outbreaks of cholera and other waterborne infections in Cambodia. Many evacuees have been forced to bed down on plastic sheets laid on muddy ground close to livestock and pets – leading to serious risks of disease.

Thailand, with well-equipped evacuation centres – staffed by medical personnel and bustling with volunteers handing out regular meals – faces different challenges. Widespread urban flooding in a developed capital city like Bangkok is "pretty much unprecedented", according to Mark Thomas, Unicef's chief of communications. The floods have shut down factories, affected large numbers of small businesses, and disrupted national and international supply chains – leaving tens of thousands of workers like Agapot jobless.

The country's important tourism industry is also suffering. Arrivals to the international airport, Suvarnabhumi, outside Bangkok, are down 25%, even though the airport and tourist areas in the south have been unaffected by the floods. With damage to industry, tourism and agriculture, the Thai chamber of commerce estimates the total flood costs will be around $11bn.

The government has announced a compensation scheme for households affected by flooding. However, a Bangkok Post investigation found the process for claiming was long and bureaucratic – with families needing documents that many had lost in the floods. Mol Plungjamras, a Bangkok resident, had mixed feelings about the plan: "[The money's] not enough to renovate the house, but it's better than nothing," she said.

The UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, visiting Thailand last week, said he had, "emphasised the importance of learning lessons from this mega flooding". Ban was en route to the Durban climate change conference where he is calling for a $100bn fund to help developing countries mitigate the impact of global warming.

While individual events such as the flooding in south-east Asia can't be causally linked to climate change, they do demonstrate the impact that an increased frequency of weather extremes will have on countries in the region. With sea level rises also likely to present a serious risk of urban flooding around the world, Bangkok's experience could serve as a template for future disaster management.

Unicef's Thomas said so far he'd been impressed by the government's response. "Given the amount of water, the authorities have done a pretty good job," he said. However, the real test will begin when the flood waters start to recede and those displaced have to return home.

Agapot is currently satisfied with the evacuation provision, but he is worried about the future. "We need government support, money and jobs," he said. For a country struggling with the aftermath of urban "mega-flooding", his expectations will provide a real challenge for the Thai administration to meet.

http://focustaiwan.tw/ShowNews/WebNe...D=201111250031

Relief supplies from Taiwan arrive in flood-stricken Thailand

2011/11/25 21:21:11



Bangkok, Nov. 25 (CNA) A second batch of relief supplies sent by Taiwan's government to flood victims in Thailand, especially Taiwanese-invested companies and their employees, arrived in Bangkok Friday.

The relief supplies included first-aid packs, cans of chicken, food rations and manuals for environmental disinfection.

Henry Chen, Taiwan's representative to Thailand, said the first batch of relief supplies has already been distributed to affected Taiwanese businessmen.

A third batch will reach Thailand by the end of month to help Taiwanese businessmen there recover from the floods that have forced many businesses to temporarily halt their operations.

Taiwan's representative office in Thailand will also help Taiwanese businessmen appeal for preferential tax treatment, such as exemptions on taxes levied on imported machinery and equipment to lessen their burden after the flood, Chen said.

The final batch of aid will consist in part of detergents and disinfection agents, and the government will also deploy experts on contagious disease and medical teams to Thailand at that time

Thai-ASEAN News Network

Western Bangkok on Flood Alert after Sluice Gates Raised

UPDATE : 25 November 2011

The Bangkok governor has ordered Thawee Wattana, Nong Khaem and Phasicharoen districts to keep a close eye on the flooding situation after three sluice gates in the western part of the capital were raised.

The city is also facing another round of high tide this weekend.


Spokesperson for Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Wasan Meewong has reported that Thawee Wattana, Nong Khaem and Phasicharoen districts have been ordered by Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra to inspect various communities and residential areas affected by the rising floodwater.

The move comes after the raising of sluice gates on the Khunsri Burirak, Kwai and Soi canals plus the Chimphli floodgate by one meter.

Moreover, the approaching high tide may cause the Chao Phraya River to overflow into riverside communities and the Thonburi area of the capital.

As for the overall situation in western Bangkok, authorities have installed a number of water pumps to drain out the floodwater.

As a result, many areas are now almost completely dry.

However, after the floodgates were raised as demanded by Nonthaburi residents, the water level in some communities has risen between five to ten centimeters.

The BMA is keeping a close eye on the situation.

Moreover, the BMA will install water pumps to drain water from the Chimphli and Thung Mangkorn roads into Phasichaoren Canal.

The city administration has also reported that it has collected 9,507 tons of garbage, about 111.8 percent of the normal amount.

Meanwhile, about 12,000 liters of effective microorganism solution has been sprayed in the flooded zones in Thawee Wattana District to treat polluted water.

Authorities also plan to do the same in Don Muang District.

Thai-ASEAN News Network



Pumps Installed to Salvage Flooded Industrial Parks

UPDATE : 25 November 2011

The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, or EGAT, has installed 146 water pumps around the Rojana and Saha Rattana Nakhon industrial estates to drain out floodwater.

Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand Assistant Governor Paisal Katchasuwanmanee said EGAT is responsible for designing rafts and installing water pumps on those rafts so they can be used to drain floodwater out of the Rojana and Saha Rattana Nakhon industrial estates in Ayutthaya Province.


The project was proposed by the Energy Ministry to help alleviate the flood situation.

A total of 146 of the eight- and ten-inch water pumps purchased from China have been installed onto rafts.

Each raft carries 15 200-liter tanks fitted with a metal structure 2.7 by three meters big.

The rafts can support the weight of water pumps, additional equipment, and a fuel tank of up to 1.2 tons.

Furthermore, EGAT and PTT are supplying fuel for the water pumps. Funding for the rafts has been donated by the Thai Nippon Steel Engineering and Construction Corporation, the Thai Unit Shipyard and Engineering Company, and the C.U.E.L Company.

Thai-ASEAN News Network

Airport Flood Salvage to Cost over Bt1 Billion

UPDATE : 25 November 2011

A senior executive for the Airports of Thailand expects the flood-stricken Don Muang Airport to be fully operational by January next year.

Managing Director of the Airports of Thailand Anirut Thanombutr said the floodwater has swamped 3,000 rai of Don Muang Airport leaving its runways, taxiways, platforms, electricity systems, offices, and other basic structures unable for use.

Anirut said AOT has mapped out a two-phase plan for the rehabilitation of the Don Muang Airport from flood damage.


He said the first phase will utilize one billion baht of restoration funds to restore its eastern runway, taxiways, power systems and transmission line.

The move will support state agency aviation while handling the flood crisis.

The executive expected the airport to resume normal operation before the end of January next year when floods completely subside.

However, it must first pass a safety test from the Civil Aviation Department.

Anirut remarked that the second phase is the salvation of the airport's western runway and the revival of domestic passenger and cargo terminals.

The AOT has five commercial projects operating out of the various terminals via concessions.

He further said the AOT is considering adopting flood prevention measures implemented at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport to safeguard the Don Muang Airport against possible future inundation.

He also expressed confidence that the Suvarnabhumi Airport will not be effected by floods as preventive measures have been well designed.

However, he admitted that the number of passengers passing through the airport has dropped almost nine percent during the flood crisis.

This year, the number of passengers is expected to reach 46 million, one million less than previously predicted.

This is the last daily thread I am able to do. Too busy over the next few days (unless someone else wants to give it a go?). I will try to post photos etc to other threads. Thank you to everyone who sent me messages of thanks. It is appreciated.

The first one was the 23rd of October, so a little over a month of daily updates and a few thousand posts. It has been quite a task and yet another experience I've had here that I didn't expect. All dry here now, but dirty and dusty. I hope those still suffering get relief soon. I can't imagine what it must be like for those who have lived in metres of water for much longer than a month. My 2 weeks of 60-80cm of water was way more than enough.

I hope people have enjoyed the threads and found them useful.

Cheers!

Here are some photos from today to finish it off....

Thailand Flood Pictures November 25th - Monsters and Critics


Thai residents use large sheets of foam for transport on a flooded street in the Plai Bang district, near Maha Sawat Canal in Nonthaburi province, on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, 25 November 2011.

Thai residents walk down from the roof of their flooded home at a village of Plai Bang district, in the western of the capital, near Maha Sawat Canal in Nonthaburi province, on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, 25 November 2011.

A Thai man wade through floodwater at the Plai Bang district in the western of the capital, near Maha Sawat Canal in Nonthaburi province, on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, 25 November 2011.

Thai residents use boat for transport on a flooded street of the Plai Bang district, in the western of the capital, near Maha Sawat Canal in Nonthaburi province, on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, 25 November 2011.

A Thai - Chinese woman sits in her shop in the Plai Bang district, in the western of the capital, near Maha Sawat Canal in Nonthaburi province, on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, 25 November 2011.

Thai residents use boat for transport on a flooded street of Plai Bang district (R) in the western of the capital, near Maha Sawat Canal in Nonthaburi province, on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, 25 November 2011.

Young Thai Buddhist novice monk sits in a boat as he travels along a flooded area at a temple area of Plai Bang district in the western of the capital, near Maha Sawat Canal in Nonthaburi province, on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, 25 November 2011..

A Thai resident use boat for transport on a flooded street in the Plai Bang district (R) in the western of the capital, near Maha Sawat Canal in Nonthaburi province, on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, 25 November 2011.

Thai residents use a boat for transport at a temple flooded area of Plai Bang district in the western of the capital, near Maha Sawat Canal in Nonthaburi province, on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, 25 November 2011.

Thai residents wade along a flood street in the Plai Bang district in the western of the capital, near Maha Sawat Canal in Nonthaburi province, on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, 25 November 2011.

Thai residents use a boat for transport on a flooded street in Plai Bang district (R) in the western of the capital, near Maha Sawat Canal in Nonthaburi province, on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, 25 November 2011.