FLOOD IN THAILAND

Overlooked by most of the World because of the EC crisis and Earthquake in Turkey, this deserves a mention.

The floods have been raging for weeks, now threatening Bangkok. Over 400 people dead, vast swathes of land used for rice growing under
water and Tourism, the lifeblood of Thailand severely affected.

Just as Thailand had recovered from the Tsunami, this crisis happens, Thailand is a beautiful Country and its people Friendly and always
smiling.

Thanks Panda. I saw this on the news last night, torrents of flood water rushing through Bangkok.

AnnaEsse wrote:Thanks Panda. I saw this on the news last night, torrents of flood water rushing through Bangkok.

It"s quite heartbreaking to watch, they are vainly trying to stop the flow with sandbags but the waters are so high they are flooding the
Temples as well. Add to this the rice paddies awash ruining their economy even more and you wonder how much more they can take. It"s
a bit like the Japanese Nuclear Plant tragedy, yet Japan has recovered and doing well.

The flood in Thailand has swamped the Grand Palace.

Thai Hopes For Floods Reaching Their Peak

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7:03am UK, Saturday October 29, 2011


Millions of people affected by massive flooding around the Thai capital are
expected to find out today if high water levels have finally peaked.


Bangkok is on heightened alert because of threats on two fronts - a seasonal
high tide this weekend that was expected to coincide with the arrival of a mass
of water from the flood-stricken central plains.

The floods have sparked an exodus from the city of 12 million people as water
crept closer to the city centre and the government considered cutting through
roads blocking the path of the water.

Tens of thousands of residents have already left after a special five-day
holiday was declared, flocking to rail and bus stations in the city and jamming
roads as they head to areas out of the path of the water.

Although many outskirt areas of the capital are under water, central Bangkok
has only seen minor inundation in areas along the swollen Chao Phraya River,
including near the Grand Palace, with the water receding after high tide
passes.


A man walks over sandbag defences on the outskirts of
Bangkok



Tourists walking through ankle-deep water near the Grand Palace appeared
unfazed, despite travel warnings.

Britain's Foreign Office has warned against visiting Bangkok or the 26
affected provinces, but some visitors are not allowing the inconvenience to put
them off their holidays.

"It's adding to our experience," 32-year-old British honeymooner Melanie
Willoughby said.

"They all seem to be coping well. The only thing we found is that it's been
hard to get (drinking) water."

Friday's high tide was lower than expected, raising hopes that the flood
barriers on the Chao Phraya - the city's main river - would prevent a major
overflow this weekend.

"The walls can still hold it back, despite flooding on the river banks which
is usual during high tide," an official at the city's drainage and sewerage
department said.


Water levels have encroached on the royal palace in
Bangkok



The three-month crisis - triggered by unusually heavy monsoon rains - has
left at least 377 people dead and damaged millions of homes and livelihoods,
mostly in northern and central Thailand.

Some areas in northern Bangkok have seen waist-deep flooding, leading to the
shutdown of the city's second airport, Don Mueang.

The US has provided helicopters to help with aerial reconnaissance missions
over flooded areas.

Meanwhile, the massive flooding is disrupting global supply chains, including
hard disk drives (HDDs) for the world's personal computer makers, according to
companies and market intelligence firms.

Around 40% of all hard disk drives worldwide are produced in Thailand, making
it the second-largest exporter of HDDs after China.

John Rydning, research vice president for hard disk drives at technology
consultant IDC, estimated that factories in Thailand currently affected by
flooding account for some 25% of worldwide HDD production.

"There's definitely going to be an impact on HDD customers this quarter and
next quarter," Mr Rydning said.

"It's going to take several months for the HDD industry to
recover."

Gushing Waters Flood Bangkok's Neighbourhoods

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A Thai family pushes a raft through floodwaters in Bangkok on October 30





11:03am UK, Sunday October 30, 2011



Holly Williams, Asia correspondent






Thonburi is just 20 minutes from the heart of Bangkok. Its narrow streets are lined with blocks of flats and small shops.


Now, many of those streets are under 3-4ft of water.


Rubber dinghies and small motor boats ferry people from their inundated homes to safety.


Army trucks cruise flooded neighbourhoods picking up those who have been left stranded by the rising water.


:: Bangkok on high alert over water levels


Bua Khao was hauled to safety along with her three dogs and two pet cats.


"Some people are leaving their animals behind," she said.


"But I couldn't do that. People are leaving their homes very quickly, because we didn't realise it was going to be this bad."












Bangkok residents have seen water gush over sandbag barricades





High tide on the Chao Praya River, which meanders through Bangkok, again saw it overflow its banks.


In the Mahanakorn neighbourhood in the heart of the capital city,
residents and soldiers struggled in vain against the gushing water. The
water coursed over the top of sandbag barricades, immersing a local
market in 2-3ft of water.


Thailand's worst flooding in nearly 60 years has already displaced more than 100,000 people.


In Bangkok around 2,000 evacuees are taking shelter inside the Rajamangkala Stadium.
Maungthong Pauthaung was evacuated from her home in the badly-affected
north of the city along with her 94-year-old, paraplegic father.


They now camp on thin mattresses, and eat at the stadium's communal kitchen.


"My home was waist deep in water," she said. "I'm so glad we got my father out in time."

Bangkok Floods: Thais Defy Crocodile Warning

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4:57pm UK, Monday October 31, 2011

Holly Williams, in Bangkok


Residents of Bangkok's northern suburbs have been reluctant to leave their
flood-hit homes despite the risks to their safety.


People in Luangphukhao have seen their homes inundated by floodwaters over
the weekend but have chosen to stay.

They have been wading to the local store to buy supplies and ferrying small
children around on makeshift rafts.

One man cleared debris from around his house while seated in a floating
bathtub.

The water is stagnant and murky and authorities are warning it could harbour
escapees from crocodile farms that operate on Bangkok's outskirts.

"Of course I'm worried about the crocodiles," said one man as he pulled his
son along on a foam mattress through waist-deep water. "What we have to do is
remember to tell others if we see one."

Local resident Napaporn Chainiwat said: "I'm scared of crocodiles... so if I
hear of any in this area, I'll leave."


About 500 people who have left their homes have taken
shelter in a Buddhist temple



The nearby Laksi Temple is also partially submerged but Saffron-robed
Buddhist monks are floating around in small boats.

Sandbag walls protect the temple's most valuable Buddhist artefacts.

Its main hall is on higher ground and the monks have taken in 500 evacuees,
including three water buffalo and several pet dogs.

Volunteers provide hot meals of rice porridge and vegetables and the Thai
military has pitched in with free haircuts for flood refugees.

But life in an evacuation camp is boring and crowded, and because the flood
waters may take several weeks to recede there is little prospect of going
home.

The Thai government now says 80% of Bangkok may escape inundation, but that
is little comfort for those who have already lost their homes.

"I'm glad that many people won't be flooded," said Nongkran Phonjanpreuk, who
has been camped out in the temple for two weeks with her young
granddaughter.

"But that's what the government said to me and now my home is under
water."

Elsewhere, tensions erupted when angry residents scuffled with security
forces as they tried to force open a floodgate to stop their homes being
ruined.

The clash at the Klong Sam Wa floodgate showed the rising anger in some
neighbourhoods that have been sacrificed to keep Bangkok's central business
district and historic heart dry.


THAILAND

the death toll is now 503 and although the flood has subsided a bit, people still have to have b oats to get around in Bangkok.

The Rice crops all over the Country are ruined and rice is one of Thailands biggest exports. Tourism is also affected......so sad.

The flood waters in Bangkok have abated but still people are using small boats to get around.

Parts of the Japanese car Honda are manufactured in Thailland and Honda have lost a lot of money because production has been halted. another Japanese
car Manufacturer is also in the same position. Apparently Bangkok is susceptible to flooding but there has been nothing on this scale for many years.

Bangkok flooded again, Japan is to move it"s business to Indonesia because all the parts made for Honda and other cars have been unable to be manufactured because of the Floods and severely affected production in Japan. Since Thailand is prone to flooding there was no option
for the Japanese Manufacturers.

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A local resident tries to control his makeshift raft


A local resident tries to control his make-shift raft through the floodwaters in Rangsit district on the outskirts of Bangkok on November 15, 2011. At least 562 people have been killed across the country in Thailand's worst floods in half a century, which have inundated parts of the capital, although the downtown area remains dry after authorities' efforts to divert the waters.
Credit: SAEED KHAN/AFP/Getty Images