Thailand is considering evacuation of residents from ten provinces
Residents in ten Central Plains provinces, including the hard-hit province of Ayutthaya, must prepare for evacuation. The authorities in those provinces decide when necessary. The city island of Ayutthaya was hit hard on Sunday because the water broke through the flood walls in several places. The ten provinces are Ayutthaya, Ang Thong, Chai Nat, Chachoengsao, Lop Buri, Nakhon Sawan, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Sing Buri and Uthai Thani. Ayutthaya Provincial Hospital,…
Bangkok governor swallows his words about flooding
Bangkok Governor Sukhumband Paribatra has backtracked on his promise that the capital would escape major flooding. "I never promised the city wouldn't flood," he says. 'Flooding could happen anytime but the important thing is preventive measures and how to drain the water.' Breaking news: Authorities have been ordered to set up 80 evacuation centers in nine eastern districts of the city. They can house 8.000 to…
Floods do not affect tourism
The widespread flooding in many Thai provinces has not affected the tourism industry. The Thai Minister of Tourism and Sports, Minister Chumpol Slipa-Archa, informed the Bangkok Post today. Mr. Chumpol stressed that the current situation has been discussed extensively with tour operators. The travel industry, in turn, says that the numbers of foreign tourists are not affected by the disturbing reports. As an example, the Japanese tourists are mentioned, the visit of the Japanese to …
Belgian ambassador warns compatriots about flooding
The Belgian embassy in Thailand has warned all compatriots by e-mail about the current floods and what may come. The editors of Thailandblog have taken over the message in full.
Bangkok prepares for floodwaters (video)
Bangkok is preparing to protect the Thai capital against flooding. Thousands of people in Thailand have fled their homes as floods threaten to engulf entire towns and cities. More than 260 people have been killed by the heavy monsoon rains of the past two months. Authorities are working around the clock to stop the water coming towards the capital. In the areas around the capital of Thailand, sand traps and flood walls have been placed. The army is…
Thai industry asks for support
Deferred payment for electricity and water, tax measures, such as a deduction for repair of machinery, and low-interest loans. The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) is asking for these three support measures for the companies affected by the water. Minister Wannarat Channukul (Industry) has already made a suggestion: scrapping the duties on the import of machinery by the Board of Investment. He also says that the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Bank will receive an amount of 2 billion baht …
Flood damage in Thailand could reach 90 billion baht
It is crisis in Thailand. The floods in large parts of the country continue and the capital Bangkok is also experiencing flooding. The death toll has already risen above 270 and this number is being revised upwards daily. Shortage of sandbags Yesterday the Bankokians started hoarding rice, water and noodles. Today, people are also preparing for what may come. In this way, for…
Bangkok, concerns about a flood are increasing
The residents of Bangkok start hoarding food and park their cars on safe ground. Heavy rainfall Saturday night flooded parts of the city. Concerns are increasing, especially since Prime Minister Yingluck admitted in her TV speech on Friday that the government is 'almost at its wits' end. The situation in the capital becomes critical between October 16 and October 18, when the tide is high, large amounts of water arrive from the North and heavy rains fall, …
Floods 2011 in Thailand: the balance so far
The floods now sweeping large parts of Thailand are the worst in recent years. The damage is enormous, thousands of people have fled the rising water. The end is not yet in sight due to a low pressure area with persistent rain. The balance so far: 30 provinces in the entire country with the exception of the south have been affected. 2,34 million people and more than 760.000 homes have been affected by the…
Thailand floods mapped
The editors of Thailandblog receive many questions about the floods in Thailand. Unfortunately we cannot respond to every individual question, that takes too much time. Please understand this. There appears to be a need for maps showing the flooded areas. These are of course available, some in Thai and others in English. I've just listed them. The editors cannot guarantee that the information shown is correct and up to date.
Bangkok is ready: bring on the water
Although flooding is wreaking havoc in 30 provinces, Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra thinks the misery in the capital will be limited. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is well prepared for possible flooding of the city. How does Bangkok cope with the water? A 75,8 kilometer long tidal wall along the banks of the Chao Praya. A small piece of 1,2 km has not yet been constructed. 6.404 kilometers of sewerage, of which 3.780 km have been cleaned. 1.682 channels with a…
Widespread flooding is reaching crisis levels, the worst in decades.” Prime Minister Yingluck acknowledged yesterday that the government is almost at its wits' end as the amount of water is more than estimated, exceeding the storage capacity of reservoirs and floods have damaged a number of weirs.
She left no doubt that Bangkok and neighboring provinces are facing grim times.
FLOODS AND WEATHER FORECAST IN THAILAND
Thailand is experiencing its worst floods in 52 years. The death toll has risen to over 250 and the economic damage is enormous.
At least 2,6 million people are affected in 28 provinces. It is estimated that the floods destroyed 7,5 million rai of agricultural land. More than 180 roads are impassable due to flooding.
The situation in Bangkok will become tense in the coming days. On Thailandblog we will keep you informed, with an update several times a day.
Flood impact continues in 2012
The floods will only have a limited impact on economic growth this year, but damage to farmland and property could weigh heavily on Thailand's economy next year, economists expect. The current floods are the most serious in 50 years. Although mainly crops have been damaged, the flooding in Ayutthaya this week led to factory closures. As a result, manufacturing and exports will be affected in the coming months. Damage estimates vary widely. The…
Ayutthaya flood worsens; export: minus 30 pc
The province of Ayutthaya will get it this year. The situation worsened again on Friday: the Asian Highway was flooded and detainees had to be evacuated from the provincial prison. Hundreds of cars, interliners and trucks got stuck on the main connecting road with the North, leading to a traffic jam of 10 kilometers. Train traffic to the North does not go further than Ayutthaya; the trains to the Northeast run via Chachoengsao instead …
Floods claim 83 lives; more water coming
The number of fatalities from the floods rose to 83 and the number of affected counties increased from 14 last week to 23 yesterday. The province of Sukhothai has the highest number of deaths: 23. The provinces on the lower reaches of the Chao Praya, including Bangkok, must expect more flooding. The flow rate of the Chao Praya is now 3.700 to 3.900 cubic meters per second, the same as during the 2002 floods. A body of water…
Floods and crisis slow down agricultural production
The sluggish global economy and flooding are the main causes of limited growth in Thai agricultural production. Previously, 4 percent was expected, now 3 percent. Rubber and other staple products are suffering from reduced demand and lower prices, the Agricultural Economics Office said. While exports remain healthy, especially in the food sector, the crisis in the US and Europe will drive demand for Thai products, which are in competition with products…