Flood Update for Bangkok and Central Thailand.
 

From many requests by emails from friends on Fodors I have been ask to start the report again due to confusing information being pass around. I ask that I be allow to post the report without disruptions or distractions.

Flood Update for Bangkok and Central Thailand.

For inner or central Bangkok.

I now feel that there is little chance of flooding beyond the current frontline of floodwater. Many, many water pumps have been installed in Klong Bang Sue(spl) and they have been hugely successful in draining the floodwater into the main river(Chao Praya river). If this fails then there’s a giant drainage tunnel that can handle any overflowing water a few kilometers South of Klong Bang Sue.

The rest of Bangkok.

The floodwater have now spread out surrounding Northern(severe), Eastern(moderate) and Western(severe) Bangkok. For South West Bangkok the water have not reach there yet but there’s an effort to try to force the water through there so that it can be drained into the sea.

Roads and transportation.

The roads going North from Bangkok, to destinations like Chaing Mai, Ayudhaya or Sukhothai, have partially reopen and traffic can only move slowly through shallow flood.

Roads going East to destination like Pattaya are still fine for now and in the future due to elevated tollway from Bangkok to Bang Pakong.

Roads’ going south, one remaining dry highway, is still not flooded as the floodwaters have spread out sideways due to the relatively flat grounds or topography. Alternative routes are being urgently prepared but have not been finished. This is significant for tourists going to destination South of Thailand by road. You will either not be able to go or stuck there if the remaining highway is flooded.

Suvarnabhumi airport, located in Samut Prakarn province East of Bangkok, is safe and now with the strengthen flood defenses will IMO remain under all circumstances.

Provinces immediately surrounding Bangkok.

Northern and Western provinces are still flooded but the water has begun to recede. This is mainly due to the topography flattening out and the floodwater is now more spread out.

The Eastern province of Samut Prakarn, where Suvarnabhumi airport is located, is partially flooded with a big industrial estate just north of the airport beginning to see floodwater. As I’ve mentioned earlier, even if the rest of this province flood the airport defenses have been strengthen to handle it and the roads are mostly elevated going back and forth from the city.

The Southern provinces are mostly dry as the floodwater have still to make their way through Bangkok. Pay close attention to the Southern highway if you have interest going to destinations that require driving Sought to and from Bangkok.

Current state of the flooded areas.

The flooded areas of Bangkok and the affected provinces is still in desperate condition for the people who have chosen to remain or have nowhere to go. Floodwater is very polluted and several diseases and illness have been reported from people who are in the area and especially those having to wade through the water. Many areas are seeing reduction in flood height but not significant enough to claim that the water have gone. Most likely best scenario is that the areas will remain flooded for many more days.

The floodwaters after initially passing to lower grounds from an elevated topography have now reached the flat areas. The floodwater volume is still there, estimated at around 10,000,000,000 cubic meters but the grounds have leveled out. From this volume an estimated 35% must pass through Bangkok to the sea and the rest will dissipate into the floodplains and rivers.

Latest satellite photo from November 8, 2011: http://www.gistda.or.th/gistda_n/Gal...S1-central.jpg

Thank you. I have missed your updates. We are now getting more coverage on the radio.

Thank you so much for this valuable update, Hanuman.

Thanks! Very nice of u to continue to do these updates.

Thanks for posting again Hanuman. Are you still in Bangkok?

as always you are our most up to date and reliable source..

K&B

Your updates are always appreciated and reliable, thanks Pook

Aloha!

Pook,
Does that make road journeys to Hua Hin difficult? ( my geography is poor) would HH be classed as south or in the general direction of Pataya?
Hope the family are all ok?
N

Thanks everyone.

Nicky,

Yes Hua Hin uses the main highway going South which is Highway 2 when it's near Bangkok. Right now the floodwater is brimming by the Doa Kanong area of the highway or by the big bridge crossing the Chao Praya river. The authorities will allow the water to flood the highway once it's there to expedite the flooding in western Bangkok.

For Pattaya you will have to take the eastern route, roughly passing by the general area of the airport from Bangkok.

Some water flooding over from the Chao Praya river around Klong Toey(the Bangkok port) at moment from broken flood barriers but these type of flooding are usually dealt with quickly.

Oops I meant to write "The authorities will allow the water to flood the highway once it's there to help reduce the flooding in western Bangkok."

Thanks to the update Hanuman. Do you happen to know whether the train route to the North has reopened? the Thai rail website no longer displays the "closed until further notice" warning but does not seem to mention that the line has re-opened

Rerouted...

crellston,

Not sure but Zeer probably got it right. I will check for you on Monday but what they have done in the past is to bus people around the flooded area before boarding the train.

Yes, a huge thank you, Hanuman!

You're welcome Cattail.

crellston,

Zeer has posted the update link for the rail status. I think your travel date to Thailand is next month so I would check regularly with the SRT(State Railways of Thailand).

Flood update:

Local TV is reporting many residents from northern Bangkok and Pathumthani, numbering over 10,000, will be protesting against the flood barriers put up around the old airport. They will gather and block the Don Muean tollway in a few hours and a few might attempt to dismantle the flood barriers. If this happen then more water will enter Bangkok from the North but as I've said before the Klongs or canals plus the giant drainage tunnels around Din Dang will be able to handle it.

Elsewhere around Bangkok:

The floodwater is slowly coming down in several flooded areas around Bangkok. A few new districts or areas along a canal(Klong San Saep) is seeing rising water and might flood. The flooding along this canal should not spread pass the mid Ramkamhang road area.

Most flooded area are still not navigable by cars and the water is very, very polluted.

IMO it will take another month at least for the water to completely go away.

Pook, thank you for the updates. I'm really hoping your predictions are spot on. The month for water to completely go away... will it hamper clean up in other areas? We are not changing plans for December/January, and that is just over a month from now.

Many thanks Hanuman & Zeer. As you say Hanuman our travel from Chiang Mai to Bangkok is towards the end of Dec so I will keep checking but it does seem that it will be ok.

You're welcome crellston.

Carol I really hope it will be over by then and if it's not then there will be protests on the streets.