Where is the flood? Not in Bangkok, at least not yet. Government officials say that Bangkok will not flood, but they've said that about a lot of other places that are now flooded in the last week.
The Chao Phraya River is normally 200-300 meters wide. In places it is now 200 kilometers wide.
Here's a map showing where in Thailand there is currently flooding.
And here's a the status of flooding in the greater Bangkok Area
The flood prevention plan for Bangkok involves re-directing water around the east and west sides of the city through the many irrigation canals. I'm skeptical to say the least.
This weekend could get interesting as the peak flow of water starts reaching Bangkok. Ocean tides will also be at peak levels this weekend (Bangkok is only 2 meters above sea level). This will slow the rate at which water is flowing out out to sea. And of course, it still has not stopped raining...
Thanks for posting the maps. How is the situation now? Is the international airport still open? I'm flying in in 10 days.
ReplyDeleteInner Bangkok is still dry with exceptions of some small pockets near the river which get flooded when the high tide of the river is at it’s peak. When the river level goes down they pump the flooded areas dry. The international airport is open and over there still no flooding to be seen.
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