Thailand: Worst flooding in decades

Heavy rains in the past weeks produced flooding disasters in the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. This post will focus on Thailand which recently experienced its worst flooding in many decades.

Since October 10, flooding hit 13 provinces of Thailand. The most serious flooding was seen in the rural northeast. Agricultural crops were destroyed, hospitals were evacuated and even second storey homes were flooded.


View Thailand Flood in a larger map

Aside from the google map showing the flooding in various parts of Thailand, a map of flood risk areas in Bangkok is also available online. Check the Thai Flood Situation and Thai Flood for disaster updates.

Tweet Yourself Thai didn’t expect a flooding disaster this year

Well, what I thought was just going to be a rather exuberant wet season has turned into one of the biggest environmental disasters of the last few years. The rains have not ceased over the past number of days and weeks and this has meant tribulation for many, particularly rural, residents of Thailand.

Ladprao 64 notes the worsening flooding even in Bangkok, the country’s capital

This seems to be a particularly bad year for natural disasters and the monsoon season is far from over (the rain goes on and on even here in the sheltered central part of the country).

Here in Bangkok we are waiting to see if the river banks will burst ad inundate us too – the level of the Chao Phraya is rising and floods have been reported as close as Ayutthaya.

The long-term trends, of course, re for Bangkok to be under a metre of water by the time I finish paying the mortgage. This is because of a combination of rising sea levels and sinking city as the underlying levels are being extracted.

A Postcard from Thailand writes that the flooding in Thailand is the worst in half a century

It’s been raining almost non-stop for the last five days, the result of Typhoon Megi. In Isaan the flooding has been the worst for half a century.

Mens Asia writes how stranded passengers were evacuated

This is a Video of us trying to get out of Nakornratchasima Thailand during the current flood. My Visa was going to expire and we had been trying to get out for days, this was the last day I had to get out cause my visa was going to expire on this day. We went out thinking we were going to have to wade through the water for hours to meet our driver waiting for us on the other side of town. What we found was The Thais had organized a truck ferry back and froth trough the flooded area. Thanks to all the Truck drivers, Thai Army and the local Thai government who planned and organized all of it cause without the truck driving us we would have never been able to get out. It was well organized and planed, great job!!

Mens Asia also uploaded this youtube video

Thai netizens are using the #thaiflood hashtag on Twitter. Here are some twitter posts, reactions,tips and news stories

seacorro: RT @juarawee: Flood situation: Nakhon Ratchasima, Chaiyapoom, Lopburi provinces are facing critical disaster/@ThaiKhuFah
juarawee: Taksin tweets: Thaicom Foundation donated 5Mln Bht to Thai Red Cross to help flood victims. Asks all sides to leave politics behind & help (Author’s note: Thaksin is former Prime Minister)
igeorge_heroes: RT @TAN_Network: INN: Flood waters have caused temporary suspension of train services from Bangkok to Northern Thailand
fishmyman: RT @MCOT_Eng: Chaiyapum, Lop Buri still face severe floods; flash flood at Kamphaeng Phet; Northern region -Bangkok train services suspended
bicphotographer: recalled that there is no warning of flood in thailand …. only heard that thailand will be colder, longer winter.. #thaiflood
Kaite_Sasa: Morning Thursday, wake up with hope and will pray for all us … Thais help thai flood ♣
pracob: Thailand needs more natural & realistic flood control, distrbuting water for agriculture, better road & rail designs to be more flood-free.

Donations and relief efforts are also announced online

wondergoffie: ☂ Another easier way to relieve flood victims by typing “Namjaithai”& send to 4567899 ฿10 each SMS no matter what network are you in. Pls RT
cloc67: RT @tulsathit: Flood donation point at Dusit thani will still receive “packing” volunteers till midnight, and will reopen tmmrw. – via @aunonline

And a Facebook event:

Fundraising Party in Aid of Flood Victims in Thailand

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