Floods

[nidnoyham 30]

We Brits talk about the weather all the time, so it comes as a bit of a surprise to me, that no one is talking about the worst floods in living memory to hit LOS.

 

Are you all away from them ? Do you go to market by boat ? Or is it all exagerated by the press ?

 

Surely some of you are near it ?

[MM 6,562]

There is major flooding all around Thailand. It's not exaggerated by the press.

 

Pattaya, where most of us are, has been relatively untroubled by high waters, except on Sept 11-12 of the year.

 

As I understand it, many of the bus routes to the North are not able to operate from time to time due to roads being impassable. I suppose that might pop up in someone's posts about "going to the village".

 

It's bad out there in the country, but not here, so you don't hear that much about it on the forum.

[davethailand 91]

I had problems.

Edited October 4, 2011 by davethailand

[MM 6,562]

I had problems.

 

Outside of the rains of the 11th and 12th of Sept?

[davethailand 91]

Outside of the rains of the 11th and 12th of Sept?

Not really as we're still sand bagged, I'm still staying in Residence Garden whilst the floors etc are being raised.

[nidnoyham 30]

I assumed there were more Expats living away from Pattaya- Gary, Dr Mick.... just wondered how it was in their neck of the woods. Assuming the worst is not over yet.

Edited October 4, 2011 by nidnoyham

[jacko 8,822]

I assumed there were more Expats living away from Pattaya- Gary, Dr Mick.... just wondered how it was in their neck of the woods. Assuming the worst is not over yet.

As MM states here around Pattaya we have been relatively unscathed, in fact other than the Sept 11th dousing (which I missed anyhow), not much rain. I would say the average rainfall in the area is down this year. Areas that are being flooded are also not necessarily in the rainy areas but in a river basin affected by rains elsewhere. I get regular reports from a few of her relatives and watch the Thai news regularly.

[Fondles 94]

We Brits talk about the weather all the time, so it comes as a bit of a surprise to me, that no one is talking about the worst floods in living memory to hit LOS.

 

Are you all away from them ? Do you go to market by boat ? Or is it all exagerated by the press ?

 

Surely some of you are near it ?

 

To label this years floods "the worst in living memory" is a bit of a stretch considering the Tsunami a few years back.

[Gary 4,119]

I assumed there were more Expats living away from Pattaya- Gary, Dr Mick.... just wondered how it was in their neck of the woods. Assuming the worst is not over yet.

 

We live in a huge flat area with the mountains several kilometers away. We have had a LOT of rain but we are 320 meters above sea level and have no close rivers. We have a couple of farm ponds and both are overflowing but other than that, no serious problems.

 

The only problem for me is I have to be careful if I leave this area because of flooded roads. It sounds like we are going to have a lot more rain later this week. As long as my favorite watering hole up on the mountain doesn't run out of beer, I'll be fine.

[Dr Mick 111]

Here in Khon Kaen we have had it lucky ,one day a very heavy down pour ,most major roads and under passes flooded ,but

as soon as rain stopped ,within 1 hour all water was clear,in last 2 years here in Khon Kaen lots of new large drainage pipes

have be installed ,back up with pump stations sending the water to the lakes.

 

Most of the bad flooding in Isaan has been where the rivers and mountains ,Korat does get bad floods ,and towns on the Meeekon river.

 

Been worse in north Thailand ,Chang Mia has had bad floods as well.

 

Should only be about 3 weeks of wet weather left ,then great weather for Nov,Dec,Jan,Feb

[grayray44 49]

To label this years floods "the worst in living memory" is a bit of a stretch considering the Tsunami a few years back.

 

isn't floods different? from rising seas that is a tsunami caused by a earthquake out in the ocean

regards

grayray

[joekicker 53]

isn't floods different? from rising seas that is a tsunami caused by a earthquake out in the ocean

 

I agree. I also agree these are not even CLOSE to the worst in living memory, not yet at least. They've been very harmful and killed 225 people and they've got a way to go yet -- but there have been worse floods in the last few years, let alone in memory.

 

.

[CheshireTom 1,377]

Should only be about 3 weeks of wet weather left ,then great weather for Nov,Dec,Jan,Feb

 

For some areas of Thailand, Oct-Jan is the rainy season. That said, the "dry" season wasn't particularly dry, so maybe the rainy season won't be particularly wet.

Edited October 5, 2011 by CheshireTom

[nidnoyham 30]

I agree. I also agree these are not even CLOSE to the worst in living memory, not yet at least. They've been very harmful and killed 225 people and they've got a way to go yet -- but there have been worse floods in the last few years, let alone in memory.

 

.

 

 

I only put the 'living memory' in for you to contradict joe. You are getting predictable mate.

 

My friend who lives near Pitchet, told me her 70+yo dad, can't remember it being so bad there, in his life time.

 

And I was genuinely concerned how the above posters were coping.

[upena 2]

We have had our fair share of rain in Khon Kaen and more is due today and tomorrow from Tropical Depression Nalgae but, unlike some other areas of Thailand we have been fortunate. Some areas are flooded up to 2 meters deep on the roads. Ayutthaya has gotten hit bad and some of the ancient capital ruins will really be ruined.

 

The nearest dam, Ubolratana, is at 102% capacity holding back water from going "downhill" to Bangkok. They are supposed to be controlling the release from the North and Northeast dams so that Bangkok doesn't sink. With that in mind, if this rain continues, the Chao Phyra river will definitely overflow.

 

We are hoping that TD Nalgai doesn't shed too much water.

 

I have read reports that this rainy season is the worst in 30 years.

 

lar

[upena 2]

This will show how serious the floods are - condoms are being airlifted

 

Thailand rushes condoms to flood victims

[nidnoyham 30]

For some areas of Thailand, Oct-Jan is the rainy season. That said, the "dry" season wasn't particularly dry, so maybe the rainy season won't be particularly wet.

 

 

I forgot to mention how worried I was about you too, Tom. I never know where you are anyway; Pattini- KUL....

 

I just read about the croc's escaping from a farm in Ayuthaia. My Lady friend tells me they are loose around Pitchet too. So no wading waist deep, wearing your kilt old son, they are very partial to a chipolata and pickled walnuts.

 

Crocodiles is one thing we Brits don't talk about very much.

[joekicker 53]

My friend who lives near Pitchet, told me her 70+yo dad, can't remember it being so bad there, in his life time.

 

Old people, aren't they great? Sharp as a tack, and the older they get, the better they remember.

 

There are really bad areas of flooding, because authorities (so far) have been able to control the water flow reasonably well. That's the good news. The bad news is that they control it one place -- no flooding in Bangkok to speak of, say -- by flooding other places two or three metres deep, Pichet and Ayutthaya, say. In Pichet, they cannot get enough boats, and they're sending truckloads of them up from Bangkok and have been for a month. In Ayutthaha, up to a few days ago, they flooded the city so that the farmers could get the rice out of the fields.

 

.

[CheshireTom 1,377]

I forgot to mention how worried I was about you too, Tom. I never know where you are anyway; Pattini- KUL....

 

 

Don't worry about me, mate - my pied-à-terre in Had Yai is on the 27th floor. Somebody gave the juristic person people a load of cash after last year's flood so that we could be better prepared next time round. They bought two jet-skis.

Edited October 7, 2011 by CheshireTom

[nidnoyham 30]

Old people, aren't they great? Sharp as a tack, and the older they get, the better they remember.

 

.

 

I agree, my dad in his 80's had great long term memory. He could tell you which year Hyperion won the Derby or Workman won the Grand National- both in the 30's, or the time in the same decade, when the pony got them home in thick fog, even stopping at the pub enroute......but ask him about last week and..... I can't believe the old boy has been gone 20 years now.

 

I can remember the great snow of '62-3 the local floods in Surrey of '68, because I had to go to work through them. Stuff like that sticks in your mind.

 

Anyhoo, the Thai Prime Minister says it is the worst flooding for decades and she is only a kid. Don't dismiss peoples assessment of the current situation, just because you feel you have to. It is worse than a few years ago and still not over. Keep you waders handy.

Edited October 8, 2011 by nidnoyham

[jacko 8,822]

I agree, my dad in his 80's had great long term memory. He could tell you which year Hyperion won the Derby or Workman won the Grand National- both in the 30's, or the time in the same decade, when the pony got them home in thick fog, even stopping at the pub enroute......but ask him about last week and..... I can't believe the old boy has been gone 20 years now.

 

I can remember the great snow of '62-3 the local floods in Surrey of '68, because I had to go to work through them. Stuff like that sticks in your mind.

 

Anyhoo, the Thai Prime Minister says it is the worst flooding for decades and she is only a kid. Don't dismiss peoples assessment of the current situation, just because you feel you have to. It is worse than a few years ago and still not over. Keep you waders handy.

Slight side track. My TGF watched Yingluck on TV recently doing a talk on the flooding situation. She was not impressed. She said when Yingluck talked it was indecisive, unclear and non-specific, unlike her predecessor, Mark, who she said spoke well in Thai (and English too of course). I would be very interested to have some fluent falang explain this to me. Has Thailand reverted to a less open style of government? Edited October 8, 2011 by jacko

[CheshireTom 1,377]

My TGF watched Yingluck on TV recently doing a talk on the flooding situation. She was not impressed. She said when Yingluck talked it was indecisive, unclear and non-specific ...

 

I'm impressed by your TGF's English skills.

 

As for Yingluck, I think that she said the next two weeks could be a bit of a bastard if you live in BKK. Or maybe not.

 

 

 

Edited October 9, 2011 by CheshireTom

[joekicker 53]

Slight side track. My TGF watched Yingluck on TV recently doing a talk on the flooding situation. She was not impressed. She said when Yingluck talked it was indecisive, unclear and non-specific, unlike her predecessor, Mark,

 

Was this the Friday night speech? I thought it was relatively good, really -- her first crisis speech at all. I thought she got across quite well that there's not much more that authorities can do, and it all depends on the rain gods and the tide gods so far as Bangkok is concerned. She advised people to stock some food -- which on Saturday they started to do. I thought it was a good, not great, "be prepared but don't panic" effort, frankly.

 

Meanwhile, Fatso, the governor (mayor) of Bangkok clutches his Buddha and rushes down to the sacred pillar at precisely 3:09 to pray to the goddess of rains, I shit you not. He's Mark's guy, for what it's worth. Mark was seen traipsing around in the water last week. At least he wasn't riding in a boat and making prai push him this year, that's an advance. Anyhow, it's Thaksin's fault, apparently.

 

.

Edited October 9, 2011 by joekicker

[MM 6,562]

The PM was preparing the nation for the likely flooding of Bangkok in the next few days.

 

Here is a video of what flooding in Bangkok in 1942 was like. It's interesting to see so many of the present day monuments surrounded by water.

 

Let's hope it's not as bad as these scenes, though the people do look like they are handling it well.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1t4TDyixsI

 

[Montydog 135]

The PM was preparing the nation for the likely flooding of Bangkok in the next few days.

 

Here is a video of what flooding in Bangkok in 1942 was like. It's interesting to see so many of the present day monuments surrounded by water.

 

Let's hope it's not as bad as these scenes, though the people do look like they are handling it well.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1t4TDyixsI

 

Good find MM. What a great bit of old film