In Bangkok they wait for the calf to drown
The authorities are only now realizing that water is flowing from north to south Thailand?
It seems that the Bangkok city council only ordered the dredging of seven canals in two districts on Tuesday. Also only yesterday a start was made with closing three 'holes' in the protection of Bangkok on the north side.
And then there are the many sewers, drainages and canals that urgently need to be cleaned. Somporn Tapanachai dedicates into it Bangkok Post a quick comment. She points out that each district office is responsible for keeping it clean.
'In my area, residents have to unite to ensure their district offices arrange to clear the drains. With Bangkok on the brink of flooding, is really shows that problems could arise from the ignorance of officials who fail to carry out their routine jobs. If the drains are cleared regularly, we can say that we have done our best to prepare for the situation. Trying to get people to clean the drains and canals now is almost too late.'
The most important news facts:
- The residents of Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Prakan and Chachoengsao (provinces bordering Bangkok) received a warning on Tuesday to watch out for more flooding.
- Between Friday and Monday, Bangkok will be spoiled for choice: A dot of water is coming from the North, it is high tide and there is stir predicted.
- The army and navy close the three 'holes' on the north side of Bangkok with sandbags. Soldiers have brought 150.000 sandbags from Phitsanulok to Bangkok. They wouldn't be needed there anymore.
- Residents living along khlongs 1-6 in Rangsit should prepare for evacuation.
- Suvarnabhumi Airport is well protected [When have we heard that before?] with a 3 meter high flood wall for 23,5 kilometers around the airport, a drainage ditch that drains water to six storage areas with a capacity of 4 million cubic meters of water and four water pumps with a capacity of 1 million cubic meters of water per day.
- In Pathum Thani, the Chao Praya in Sam Khok district broke through 11 flood walls. Houses and fields were flooded. In the district of Muang, a dike collapsed: two temples were flooded.
- In the Bang Bua Thong District hospital in Nonthaburi there is 1 meter of water; 23 patients have been transferred to other hospitals.
- Days of rain and a breach in a flood barrier flooded many parts of Nonthaburi province. Three thousand families are the victims of this. The water is 1,2 meters high.
- According to government spokesman Wim Rungwattanajinda, flooding is inevitable in Khlong Samwa, Min Buri, Nong Chok and Lat Krabang, four districts in Bangkok.
- After part of the Rojana industrial estate (Ayutthaya) was flooded on Saturday, the rest of the area was also flooded on Tuesday. The site has 198 factories with a combined investment of 60 to 70 billion baht. The damage has not yet been determined.
That's what you get when favoritism, indifference and political corruption prevail over capabilities. The top characters are often talking costumes and uniforms, without any idea of the real goings-on. And oh, what am I doing?
I have the same problem from time to time from HH. It is remarkable that all NL sites open quickly, except for the blog. It's quite difficult.
If you see the news in the Netherlands, where they report about the flood, it turns out that it is much worse in Cambodia than here in Thailand.
http://nos.nl/video/303530-thaise-bedrijven-steeds-meer-last-van-overstromingen.html
GerG – Phew. Now we are at ease because in Cambodia it is MUCH worse. Problem solved.
Now seriously – this isn't a game for the worst or anything.
It is well known that Cambodia is ALSO a disaster area with MANY fatalities (currently 207) but this is THAILANDBLOG.
Parts of both countries are, sometimes literally, up to their ears in water misery, but let's not start comparing for which country this is worse….
Let us only hope that the misery for both countries will soon be over.
Strange reaction to my mention on the Nos news. The news is about Thailand and Cambodia is also mentioned. It's just an observation.
GerG – I understand you and probably it was not your intention, but comparing disaster areas on the basis of some TV images in the way “it is worse there” is a pity. Especially towards the people in the affected areas, both in Thailand and Cambodia
I myself live in Bangkapi – Bangkok (currently dry) but my family who lives in Ayutthaya has to contend with a water level of 1-2 meters. You should not tell them that someone else is “worse” because that is of no use to them.
“Cambodia has ALSO been badly affected” would probably have been a better statement.
I'm not mad at you GerG but just wanted to let you know.
Also recommended the analysis of Smith Dharmasajorana. See: http://www.dickvanderlugt.nl/?page_id=12404
Yhai won't start until it's too late. Many examples abound. Foresight is a gift that one does not possess.
In addition, the authority structure is fragmented. If you only see the number of phone numbers you can call. Each “toko” stands on its own. Little coordination, no central authority structure. In short, one just does what and the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing.
And if one is going to do something, it is amateurish. It is not mentioned anywhere that Thailand has asked foreign countries, read countries that understand water management, for advice and help. Thais think they can do it themselves. And every year there are floods and every year the government now promises to do something about that flooding.
For a Governor of Bangkok to hold a ceremony to propitiate the Water Goddess shows an unparalleled ignorance of water management.