Thailand floods 2012
We are now another year further but also in 2012 Thailand to deal with flooding.
Last year's flood disaster was the worst of the past 50 years and is still etched in our memories.
Rain
The weather forecast for the next few days is unfavorable. Until Sunday there will be a significant amount stir traps. A flood warning has been issued for residents near waterways in Chiang Rai, Lampang, Phayao, Phrae, Nan, Uttaradit, Trat, Chanthaburi, Ranong, Phang Nga, Phuket, Krabi and Satun.
Floods expected in five provinces
There is again a lot of water on the way. Dick van Lugt wrote in the 'News from Thailand' about the floods of the past few weeks. Five provinces along the Chao Praya are at high risk of flooding given the amount of water coming from the North. The Royal Irrigation Department expects the water level in the river to rise by 25 to 50 cm in the coming days.
The water comes from the Chao Praya reservoir in Chai Nat province. Extra water will be discharged from it to drain Nakhon Sawan province and to prepare for heavy rain showers that will continue until Monday.
On Thursday, the river already overflowed in the provinces of Ang Thong and Pathum Thani and Bang Ban in the province of Ayutthaya has been under water for a week.
Flooding Bangkok
On Friday evening, a number of streets in Bangkok were flooded (see photo). This caused a lot of traffic nuisance for commuters. This caused traffic jams and congestion, especially on the major through roads such as Vibhavadi, Phahon Yothin, Sutthisan Winitchai, Ratchadaphisek, Ramkhamhaeng, Ngam Wong Wan and Charan Sanitwong.
Surajit Khunthanakulwong, head of Water Resources Engineering at Chulalongkorn University, expects the water from the north to reach Bangkok within 7-10 days. If it continues to rain from today until Monday, problems may arise.
The Bangkok municipality has instructed all districts to install water pumps in areas prone to flooding. The 1200 residents of 27 neighborhoods outside the flood walls of the Chao Praya have been advised to be ready to take their belongings to a safe place.
More information about flooding
If you want to stay informed about the 2012 floods in Thailand, follow Dick van der Lugt's news on Thailandblog.nl or sign up for our free newsletter.
About this blogger
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Known as Khun Peter (62), lives alternately in Apeldoorn and Pattaya. In a relationship with Kanchana for 14 years. Not yet retired, have my own company, something with insurance. Crazy about animals, especially dogs and a lover of good music.
Enough hobbies, but unfortunately little time: writing for Thailandblog, fitness, health and nutrition, shooting sports, chatting with friends and some other oddities.
My motto: "Don't worry too much, others will do that for you."
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I brace myself for the deluge of conflicting information, speculation, and politically tinged messages (flood = federal aid = pocket money for local politicians). If we learned one thing in 1, it is that the Thai media, on which TB regularly relied, simply takes over matters that are thrown at them by various government officials. It's been raining a bit and there's been some flooding, like every year around this time, and I've already seen 2011 posts on TB about this including reference to how to stay up to date on 'the 2 Thailand floods'.
The only document that had absolutely factual and correct flood information in 2011 came from the joint foreign embassies and chambers of commerce. If the '2012 floods in Thailand' reach such a level that they really deserve the name 'the 2012 floods in Thailand', then I think it is best to get information there.
Oh well, if you live in Thailand then I'm used to conflicting information, so that from TB can be added. The information from the embassies only came in the final phase before it was deafeningly silent.
And yes there are floods in Thailand every year and yes there are deaths every year. I know it's not interesting news for the (HiSo) Bangkokians. They are generally not affected by the floods, otherwise they will flee to their second home in Hua Hin or something.
I have been informed that generalization is not allowed on this blog.
@Kees, I received an e-mail from the Ned during the floods last year. Embassy with the advice to “keep a close eye on the newspapers and television”. No more. I laughed my ass off. Those people at the Dutch Embassy live in a parallel universe, just like the Thai politicians. Oh wait a minute, ambassadors and consular officers are TOO politicians. The circle is round again.
Beats. I read that email too and it was laughable indeed. I also had no idea that the information I refer to came from the NL embassy. It was distributed every 2-3 days by the Netherlands Thai Chamber of Commerce and it was damn good information!
It doesn't look any nicer on those stacked sandbags and/or brick walls at the entrance of shops, restaurants, hotels, bars, massage parlors and the like.
It takes some flexibility to enter it, but we over 50s have no problem with that. 😉