Tag Archives: Water

Flooding in Thailand

10 November 2011

The flooding situation in Thailand is mainly affecting the central provinces along the Chao Phraya River including Bangkok. Flood waters are subsiding in Ayutthaya. Other popular tourist destinations in the central region including Pattaya, Hua Hin, Kanchanaburi and Ko Chang have not been affected by the floods. Tourist destinations in the south of Thailand including Phuket, Krabi, Surat Thani, Ko Samui, Hat Yai and Phang-Nga; and in the north including Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Sukhothai, also have not been affected by the floods.

Flood waters in Ayutthaya and some other central provinces have begun to subside, although many areas are not yet fully accessible. Tourist attractions in Ayutthaya will reopen once they have been restored.

In some areas, tourists may find that there are occasional shortages of consumer products that are in high demand such as local brands of water and locally-bottled beer. These products are replenished periodically. Imported products including beer and bottled water are widely available.

The Transport Ministry is preparing alternate routes between Bangkok and the southern provinces in case some parts of Highway 35, a major road to the south also known as Rama II Road, is affected by the flood waters draining to the west of the city.

Situation in Bangkok
Areas flooded in the Bangkok Metropolitan Area include suburbs in the east and west, the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, and districts in the northern part of the city.

In central Bangkok, businesses, hotels, shops and tourist attractions remain open as per normal in areas including:

Khao San Road Ratchaprasong (Central World area)
Phetchaburi Road Sathorn
Ploenchit/ Chidlom Siam Square/ MBK/ Siam Paragon
Pratunam Silom/ Surawongse
Rama 1 Road Sukhumvit Road/ The Emporium
Rama 4 Road Yaowarat (Chinatown)

Given the rapidly changing nature of the flooding situation in Bangkok, visitors should check multiple sources of information to make an informed decision about whether they should visit central Bangkok at the present time.

The BTS Skytrain and MRT subway are operating normally at this time. Some MRT stations have closed certain entrances as a precaution. Visitors are advised to check with the BTS and MRT regarding the current status of their operations. Taxis and tuk tuks are available although the number in service is reduced. Many BMTA bus routes have been rerouted or suspended due to the flooding. Express boat services on the Chao Phraya River have also been suspended, as have most water-related tourist activities.

Transportation

Airports:
Bangkok is served by two airports. Suvarnabhumi Airport, the main international gateway to Thailand, remains open. It has considerable flood protection measures in place. Suvarnabhumi Airport is the main connector for international arrivals to domestic flights serving tourist destinations throughout Thailand such as Phuket, Chiang Mai and Surat Thani. Domestic flights are operating as per normal between Suvarnabhumi Airport and other airports in Thailand.

Transportation to and from the airport into central Bangkok including taxis, buses and the Airport Rail Link have not been affected by the floods and are operating normally. Highways from the airport to tourist destinations southeast of Bangkok such as Pattaya, Rayong and Ko Chang are open.

Don Mueang Airport, the old international airport, is closed due to flooding. The two domestic airlines operating from Don Mueang have temporarily switched their operations to Suvarnabhumi Airport.

A “Tourist Assistance Center” is set up on the 3rd floor of Airport Rail Link’s Makkasan Station to facilitate tourists’ transport from hotels in central Bangkok to the airport. The TAT and the Thai Hotels Association (THA) are providing free transportation from hotels to Makkasan Station. The Tourist Police will assist tourists at Makkasan Station and at the airport. Tourists who would like to use this service can contact the Tourist Assistance Center via the TAT Call Center at 1672, or the Tourist Police at 1155.

State Railway of Thailand and inter-provincial bus services:
State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and inter-provincial bus services are operating as per usual in areas that are not affected by the floods. In Bangkok and other areas affected by the floods, the SRT and inter-provincial bus service operators are adjusting their routes to best serve passengers given the disruptions caused by the flooding. Inter-provincial buses from Bangkok to southern provinces are leaving from a temporary station with shuttle services to and from the Southern Bus Terminal, also known as Sai Tai Mai.

Train services to northeastern Thailand are operating as per normal. Train services to the northern provinces are operating between Hua Lamphong station in central Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Trains to the north are being rerouted around flooded areas, adding approximately two hours of travel time. Train services to the southern provinces are operating mainly from Nakhon Pathom due to flooding in Bangkok’s western suburbs. The SRT is providing shuttle bus services between Hua Lamphong station and Nakhon Pathom. Travelers are advised to check in advance with these operators and may want to consider flying to their destinations within Thailand.

In deep… water

470 places in Bangkok truly ‘under water’

07/11/11

A total of 470 spots in Bangkok are now under 80cm of water or more, affecting more than 800,000 people, Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra said on Monday.A survey by district offices of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration showed this was the case at 95 places in Sai Mai, 81 in Nong Khaem, 71 in Bang Phlat, 48 in Khlong Sam Wa, 34 in Bang Khae, 31 in Min Buri and the rest in other flood-hit districts.”The BMA has ordered the district offices and their agencies to pay special attention to these places because a large number of people, especially the elderly, have not evacuated the area,” MR Sukhumbhand said.

“The BMA will have to give them food, drinking water and other items for survival,” he said.Bangkok authorities today declared Bang Chan sub-district of Khlong Sam Wa district and more sub-districts of Lat Phrao evacuation areas because of heavy flooding.

The entire district of Khlong Sam Wa is now an evacuation area.
The sub-districts of Lat Phrao that have been declared as evacuation zones are the whole of Chorakhebua sub-district and parts of Lat Phrao sub-district (along both sides of Khlong Lat Phrao to the east to Lat Pla Khao road, both sides of Lat Phrao-Wang Hin road, north of Prasert Manukit road, and both sides of Sena Nikhom road.)
The people in the two sub-districts are advised to seek refuge at a BMA evacuation centre.
The administration also declared more areas under special watch in Huay Khwang district.
They are communities along Khlong Bang Sue, Khlong Lat Phrao, and Lat Phrao road.This morning, the water level along Phahon Yothin Road from Kasetsart University to Ratchayothin and Lat Phrao intersections was 50 to 80 centimetres deep, reports said.The road was impassable to small vehicles and commercial buildings, shops, offices and banks along the road have been closed.The Bangkok Transit System (BTS) skytrain and Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) underground trains are still operating as usual although the floodwater around Phahon Yothin and Chatuchak stations was over 50cm deep. They are the fastest modes of transport for people travelling to and from the city.The floodwater was creeping toward Saphan Khwai intersection, in an inner district of Bang Sue.The flood this morning inundated the Kampaeng Phet intersection near Chatuchak market. The water was 30 to 40 centimetres deep, impassable for small vehicles.

Shops in Saphan Khwai area were reinforcing their floodwalls, placing more sandbags.
On Vibhavadi Rangsit road, the runoff from Lat Phrao intersection arrived at headquarters of the country’s largest local daily newspaper, Thai Rath, flooding all lanes of the main road outside the building.
The water was reported at 50cm deep and impassable for small cars.

From: Bangkokpost (online)

 

FLOODING IN THAILAND: SITUATION UPDATE

(27/10/2011)

The flooding in Thailand is mainly affecting the central provinces along the Chao Phraya River including Bangkok and Ayutthaya. Other popular tourist destinations in the central region including Pattaya, Hua Hin, Kanchanaburi, and Koh Chang have not been affected by the floods. Flood waters in several provinces in northern Thailand have begun to subside. Provinces in the south of Thailand have not been affected by the floods.

Most areas of central Bangkok where tourists normally go are not flooded. The Chao Phraya River, which runs through Bangkok, is at a higher-than-normal level. This is causing some flooding at tourist attractions that are close to the river.

In the greater Bangkok Metropolitan Area, several suburbs and areas adjacent to the Chao Phraya River are experiencing flooding. As these areas are largely residential and industrial zones, they are not normally visited by tourists.

The TAT advises visitors to contact the TAT Information Line at 1672; check the latest reports in the local media; or get an update from the staff of the accommodations where they are staying if they are planning to visit tourist attractions that are located close to the Chao Phraya River.

Transportation:
Tourist destinations in the north, such as Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and Sukhothai, are best accessed by air as some roads and railways in the central provinces are closed due to the floods. Provinces in southern and eastern Thailand remain fully accessible by road and train.

Tourists planning to travel to areas affected by the floods are advised to check the latest weather forecasts for their destination and confirm arrangements with the transportation providers with which they will be travelling. Tourists can call the TAT Information Line at 1672 to check local conditions, or visit the Thailand Meteorological Department web site at http://www.tmd.go.th/en for updated weather forecasts.

In & Around Bangkok: 
–Transportation from Suvarnabhumi Airport into central Bangkok including taxis, buses and the Airport Link have not been affected by the floods and are operating normally.
— Transportation in most areas within central Bangkok including taxis, tuk-tuks, the BTS and the MRT are also operating normally.
— In the areas affected by flooding, public transportation is being rerouted in some areas and the availability of taxis is limited.

Airports:
— Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok has not been affected by the floods and is operating as per usual. The airport has considerable flood protection measures in place and officials are monitoring the situation closely.
— Don Mueang Airport, which is located in a northern suburb of Bangkok and handles domestic airlines serving a small number of provinces, has been closed until November 1st due to flooding.
— All other airports in Thailand are open and operating normally.

Roads:
–Highway 32, also known as The Asian Highway (AH-2), in central Thailand is partly affected by the floods. Inter-provincial buses between Bangkok and the north and northeast of Thailand are operating, but subject to detours and extended travel times.
— Inter-provincial buses to eastern, western, and southern Thailand are operating as per normal.

Train services:
–Train services from Bangkok to northern destinations are suspended due to the tracks being flooded. The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is offering full refunds on tickets for travelers who want to cancel their trips to destinations where train service is suspended.
–Train services to other parts of Thailand are operating as per normal.

Useful Contact Numbers: 
TAT Call Center: 1672
Thai Airways: +66 (0) 2356 1111
Bangkok Airways: +66 (0) 2265 8777
AirAsia: +66 (0) 2515 9999
Nok Air: 1318 or +66 (0) 2900 9955
Orient Thai Airlines: 1126
State Railway of Thailand (SRT) Call Center: 1690
Transport Co.,Ltd. Hotline:(Inter-provincial bus service) 1490

Major tourist destinations not affected by the floods include:

North:
Chiang Mai
Chiang Rai
Lampang
Sukhothai

Northeast:
Loei
Ubon Ratchathani
Nakhon Ratchasima
Udon Thani

Central:
Hua-Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan
Pattaya, Chonburi
Kanchanaburi
Ratchaburi
Ko Chang, Trat
Rayong

South:
Chumphon
Phuket
Krabi
Ranong
Nakhon Si Thammarat
Songkhla
Narathiwat
Satun
Pattani
Surat Thani
Phang Nga
Trang
Phatthalung
Yala

English-language sources:
The Government Public Relations Department
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA)

Thai- language sources:
Flood Relief Operations Center 
BMA Flood Control Center 
Airports of Thailand
State Railway of Thailand

English-language newspapers offering continuous updates on the flooding situation:
Bangkok Post
The Nation

Source: Tourism Authorithy of Thailand (TAT)