No home, no work, no money for water....families in Ang Thong devastated by floods

[webfact]

No home, no work, no money for water....families in Ang Thong devastated by floods

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Thai Rath reported that 17 families were forced from their homes by floods in the central Thai province of Ang Thong.

 

One meter high flood waters meant people in one story homes had fled with all the possessions they could grab to shelter in a the pavilion of a local temple last night.

 

Busaba Ornsaengthong, 52, said that people had no where to live and no prospect of working right now. They didn't even have money to buy drinking water.

 

The latest flooding that has devastated much of Thailand this year was in the Si Roi area of Wiset Chaicharn district.

 

Source: Thai Rath

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-10-25

[AGareth2]

sadly the focus of the govt is on other matters at the moment

[hansnl]

4 hours ago, AGareth2 said:

sadly the focus of the govt is on other matters at the moment

Which isn't really true.

[pattayadon]

I believe I read earlier this morning that the PM has said some farms/lands had to be "sacrificed". It didn't sit right with me when I read it but now,  it sounds even more of a ridiculous statement.    

[YetAnother]

6 hours ago, AGareth2 said:

sadly the focus of the govt is on other matters at the moment

and what a great opportunity for a good-governing government to help these people;

if there is an effort, it will likely be show,photo-ops

[Beryl123]

1 hour ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

Sacrificial lambs to the junta mismanagement.

 

It must be so frustrating, knowing these clowns in charge have you held hostage, and you can't even complain about it, lest you be taken away for 're-education'.

 

What a disgusting place 21st Century Thailand is turning out to be. 

Id  give you 1 million likes for that comment if I could.

[Bullie]

20 minutes ago, pattayadon said:

I believe I read earlier this morning that the PM has said some farms/lands had to be "sacrificed". It didn't sit right with me when I read it but now,  it sounds even more of a ridiculous statement.    

It should not be a problem if people are properly compensated for their loss. Let them move to higher ground, deepen and broaden the waterway, and use the remaining land for overflow. Easypeasy.

[Jimbo1964]

What makes this all worse is that when Thailand had the last major floods. Experts from the Nederland came across to help develop their plan for the future and they were told to go home. Didn't want their help. 

[BangkokNicky]

but have some new tanks from china ..

[zakk9]

Oh, come on. Ang Thong is one of the most flood prone provinces in Thailand. Historically, the government has always "sacrifised" land in Ang Thong and Ayutthaya to avoid flooding in provinces further down. If the families in question live in one story houses in Ang Thong, it's most probably because they don't have enough money to build houses that are suitable for the area they live in. They are probably very poor, and it's a sad story, but it has little or nothing to do with the water management of the government.

 

Thailand actually has a lot of expertise on water management. Unfortunately, cronyism and corruption affect the process, and those in charge don't always follow their own advice.

[lvr181]

12 hours ago, zakk9 said:

Oh, come on. Ang Thong is one of the most flood prone provinces in Thailand. Historically, the government has always "sacrifised" land in Ang Thong and Ayutthaya to avoid flooding in provinces further down. If the families in question live in one story houses in Ang Thong, it's most probably because they don't have enough money to build houses that are suitable for the area they live in. They are probably very poor, and it's a sad story, but it has little or nothing to do with the water management of the government.

 

Thailand actually has a lot of expertise on water management. Unfortunately, cronyism and corruption affect the process, and those in charge don't always follow their own advice.

"Thailand actually has a lot of expertise on water management."

 

Begs the question, why are they not doing anything?   Perhaps 'mitigation' does not translate into the Thai language?

 

'Expertise' is one thing, putting it to successful proper use is another. And that, in my mind, is very poor governance that has been going on for years and the current Government is perpetuating that same scenario. 

[mikebell]

15 hours ago, BangkokNicky said:

but have some new tanks from china ..

And the police have their expensive new speed guns.

[steve187]

17 hours ago, Bullie said:

It should not be a problem if people are properly compensated for their loss. Let them move to higher ground, deepen and broaden the waterway, and use the remaining land for overflow. Easypeasy.

you should be PM, with that quick easy fix to the flooding problem

[overherebc]

Start by going back to building on stilts as was always done before and a lot of flood damage to homes will be much reduced. One and a half metres above the ground level would be plenty and in the vast majority of cases would be enough.

[zakk9]

1 hour ago, lvr181 said:

"Thailand actually has a lot of expertise on water management."

 

Begs the question, why are they not doing anything?   Perhaps 'mitigation' does not translate into the Thai language?

 

'Expertise' is one thing, putting it to successful proper use is another. And that, in my mind, is very poor governance that has been going on for years and the current Government is perpetuating that same scenario. 

The extreme fertility of the Central Plains of Thailand is to a large degree based on the annual floodings. The fact that people have decided to build factories there and live in houses unsuitable for the climate are decisions the government aren't always able to control. The only realistic countermeasure would be more and/or larger dams, but there are serious negative consequences. That will place thousands of forests, wildlife habitats and farmland permanently under water.

 

Interestingly, in Cambodia, a much less developed country, people handle the floodings much better, but then they live in houses on stilts and most people have a boat in the affected areas.

[lvr181]

12 minutes ago, zakk9 said:

The extreme fertility of the Central Plains of Thailand is to a large degree based on the annual floodings. The fact that people have decided to build factories there and live in houses unsuitable for the climate are decisions the government aren't always able to control. The only realistic countermeasure would be more and/or larger dams, but there are serious negative consequences. That will place thousands of forests, wildlife habitats and farmland permanently under water.

 

Interestingly, in Cambodia, a much less developed country, people handle the floodings much better, but then they live in houses on stilts and most people have a boat in the affected areas.

Never say 'die'.

We must never accept reasons why something cannot be done, we (in this case Government) should find ways that something can be done to improve the situation for the long term and ultimate benefit to the Kingdom. 

[Prairieboy]

On 25/10/2017 at 8:36 AM, AGareth2 said:

sadly the focus of the govt is on other matters at the moment

Sadly Thailand outside of Bangkok doesn't exist in the eyes of the government.

 

[robblok]

19 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

Sacrificial lambs to the junta mismanagement.

 

It must be so frustrating, knowing these clowns in charge have you held hostage, and you can't even complain about it, lest you be taken away for 're-education'.

 

What a disgusting place 21st Century Thailand is turning out to be. 

I was one of those lambs in 2011 under YL.. seems nothing much has changed besides that this time we are still dry here.

[impulse]

Wow.  If they keep the water in the reservoirs for those extra annual rice plantings, they get slammed.  If they let the water out and there's not enough for the farmers, they get slammed.  Not only do they have to forecast the rains down to a gnat's ass, they have to forecast how much water is going to be siphoned off at night by farmers.

 

I'm sure glad I don't have their job.   I have a hard time wrapping my head around managing the water for a crop (rice) that takes 2,500 liters of water to raise a kilogram that sells for a few pennies.  Rubbing up against the desire to raise more and more of it for export.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2013/jan/10/how-much-water-food-production-waste

 

Edit:  On an aside, I have become pretty much convinced that the focus on rice for export is a sure fire way to keep the majority of Thailand's people in perpetual economic peril, if not in perpetual poverty.

 

[melvinmelvin]

2 hours ago, overherebc said:

Start by going back to building on stilts as was always done before and a lot of flood damage to homes will be much reduced. One and a half metres above the ground level would be plenty and in the vast majority of cases would be enough.

 

Maybe 1.5 meters would do in AngThong. don't know.

But way more is needed in Nonthaburi, Pathum Tani and Ayudaya.

(Probably also Samuth Prakan I would guess)

 

[melvinmelvin]

2 hours ago, impulse said:

Wow.  If they keep the water in the reservoirs for those extra annual rice plantings, they get slammed.  If they let the water out and there's not enough for the farmers, they get slammed.  Not only do they have to forecast the rains down to a gnat's ass, they have to forecast how much water is going to be siphoned off at night by farmers.

 

I'm sure glad I don't have their job.   I have a hard time wrapping my head around managing the water for a crop (rice) that takes 2,500 liters of water to raise a kilogram that sells for a few pennies.  Rubbing up against the desire to raise more and more of it for export.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2013/jan/10/how-much-water-food-production-waste

 

Edit:  On an aside, I have become pretty much convinced that the focus on rice for export is a sure fire way to keep the majority of Thailand's people in perpetual economic peril, if not in perpetual poverty.

 

 

Agree, they have a challenging job.

 

Good water management always involves predicting crops and consumption and precipitation

almost a year up front.

However, I would assume that they have a far amount of collected statistical data that could

be used to develop fairly sturdy models.

Added complexity here is that there are conflicting interests in managing the same water.

 

What is water used for?

Public utility supply, recreational activities, rice farming, vegetable farming, fruit farming,

seafood farming, some hydroelectricity.

And its kept stored to avoid flooding of industry and peoples' homes.

These usages have different requirements re optimal management.

 

Problem is that several of the big dams cater for all these usages.

Not so easy to sort that one properly.

It doesn't help that the sorters do not have any direct financial interest in the outcome of their management.

 

[Stargeezr]

Traveling around Thailand has made me realize how flat the country is and why the flooding

happens every year In some areas. There is just no where for the water to go when the river

floods over its banks. Sorry to the poor people who do not build the houses on stilts

in the flood prone areas.

Geezer