Thanks for the helpful link Sandra.

pook--watch out those HI people play tricks amongst themselves..

This has been cancelled this year

or post poned????

We are very disapointed that we will miss this event. This will be the 2nd or 3rd time we have missed by a day or more.

Cancelled until next year but there will be some kind of celebration for the king in December. No dates announced yet.

his official birthday is dec 5

There is always some kind of celebration for the king's birthday. We'll be in Bangkok for the celebrations.

It has not been cancelled but rather postponed to a later date. 2 days ago there was a general announcement on TV that the ceremony will be postponed to a later date. Yesterday the government sent a letter to the royal household requesting the ceremony be move to next year and royal household have not reply or given a new date yet.

As of today most of the viewing stands or areas have sandbags flood barrier hurriedly constructed in it's place. The river is also flowing too fast for the royal barges at the moment as well.

The water level will start to drop from today onward so it will depend on the royal household when they will reschedule the event. Could be within this year or early next year but definitely not cancelled.

Here's a link from the National News Bureau of Thailand: http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255410140010

Thanks Pook....Any pull in getting it rescheduled while we are there?

LOL Karen! If the event is held on schedule then the barges will be racing down the river, kind of like the dragon boat races.

so they would need heavy duty motors plus the rowers to get back up the river..

Pook, there is a very 'busy' thread on TA about the flooding. Have you noticed any major problems getting around the city?

No problem at all getting around Bangkok. Just North of Bangkok there are some flooding, the low areas around where I live, but not too bad. Further up North part of the highways, notably route 1, are still flooded so is part of Ayudhaya, Nakorn Sawan and other towns which the CP flow through.

If you are here today you will not be affected with your usual routine :)

Thanks, Pook. Is the standing water receding slowly because of so much of it trying to escape via the sewer lines all at once? I saw pics of standing water along Sukhumvit, in the curb lanes.

And yes, with my usual routine, I'll be fine.

How's Chatuchak?

The flood water around Sukhumvit is from the regular heavy rainfall this time of year and when it rains, it pours! Usually drains away within a couple of hours. The flooding that you see on the news is totally different as that was a result of mismanaged water flow from various dams.

JJ market is fine and vibrant as usual. Dang picked up some Canadian lobsters from Or Tor Kor for me the other day and she said it's not affected by the flooding.

were the lobsters in the flood water or in a tank for sale... i was thinking it would be a long swim from canada to thailand for any lobster...

On that note (lobster), my Canadian friend (Nova Scotia) says that "MAINE lobsters" really come from Canada!

Pook, I've been there for the monsoonal type rains and I've seen that flooding that disappears quickly. Hoping that will be the case once again. Thanks.

Carol...don't even go there about Canadian Lobsters vs Maine. You will start an international confilct. It is a sore subject around these parts. But , boy are they both good!

A posting on TA says that the barges are cancelled until next year. K, tell Bob he has a year to get his strength built up again for rowing!! haha