Recovery after water and storm damage

After the huge rain showers of recent times, it has now become quieter in Thailand. Time to repair the many damages to the infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, but also to the many private individuals.

It is difficult to predict how much time will pass, especially when it comes to individuals with few resources and income in this Covid-19 time. Whether the government has learned something to better estimate or prevent flooding and the like, the future will tell. So far, there has been little evidence of this, given the magnitude of the floods in a number of areas. What is special about this is that the water reservoirs still show a shortage.

It is interesting to take a closer look at the various parts that belong to a concrete pile after the storms. At the top are the porcelain insulators, along which the power lines run. In case of a wrong connection to another network, I saw a huge short circuit with a bright flash of light and flying razor-sharp pieces of insulators, life-threatening if someone was hit.

It is remarkable that a 'wild trap' has been installed at some poles against snakes or other animals, which damage the cabling and thus cause malfunctions. Why this was not applied to every post remains a mystery to me.

All posts are provided with holes at regular intervals. Iron bars fit in it, which the employees use to climb up. In this way ladders are not necessary. Handy in places where there is not much space. The poles remain a vulnerable part for the power supply, possibly due to the heavy cables attached to them. In case of heavy gusts of wind, they can swing and are able to pull the poles over.

Above-ground power supplies can quickly supply many areas with electricity, but it remains a fragile solution. In the event of rainfall, power failures are therefore to be expected.