Bangkok Cleans Up

Residents of Bangkok pitch in to help begin a massive clean up effort in their city from the major flooding they've been experiencing since this summer. Over 600 people were killed in these floods, mostly from drowning. Business and homeowners say that their efforts in clean up and rebuilding will be centralized around more "flood-friendly" buildings, using different materials such as bricks to resist mold build up, etc. These efforts are costing citizens anywhere from $400-6,000 US dollars.

For more on this story, http://blogs.wsj.com/searealtime/2011/11/21/bangkok-begins-post-flood-clean-up/

Thai Declares Public Holiday for Flood Victims

The Thai Government declared October 27-31 a public holiday for flood victims to get everything in order, and prepare for predicted high tides in the near future. Bangkok city officials are concerned that nearly 13 districts along the Chao Pyraya River (the city's largest waterway) will not be able to escape the flooding that is expected to occur and warn victims to be prepared. Over the last three months, the Don Muang, which has drowned nearly a third of the country and killed 366 people in the last few months.

The airport has been home to nearly 4,000 displaced citizens and has quickly run out of room. Citizens are very concerned for what the future brings.

Image found: http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/news/photos/2011/10/25/mi-thai-water-cp-rtr2t627.jpg

More on this story can be found: http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2011/10/25/thailand-flooding-bangkok-airport.html

Bangkok Prepares for the Worst Flooding in 50 Years.

As Thailand is experiencing the worst flooding in nearly half of a century, officials are quick to blame human activity for increasing the intensity of the usual monsoon season and making it a disaster. Monsoon season has claimed nearly 300 lives from the Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand, and displaced several thousands of citizens. As the flooding continues to spread through Thailand, officials warn that Bangkok could experience the worst (heavy rains, high tides and flooding from elsewhere)--so residents are taking several precautions, stripping stores of their food, water, and candles. Soldiers are frantic, trying to lay out hundreds of thousands of sand bags and protect dikes from boundary battles as people take any measure necessary to keep themselves and their families safe from mother nature.


Director of the National Disaster Warning Center, Cpt. Somsak Khaosuwan, says that Bangkok is simply not prepared for a disaster of this magnitude and blames it on the never-ending increase in population. “This is the sign that we should preserve the forest,” he said. “We’ve hurt nature for a long time, and right now it seems that nature wants to pay us back.” 


More on this, http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/14/world/asia/a-natural-disaster-in-thailand-guided-by-human-hand.html