Floods surrounded Bangkok

People in Bangkok are living in fear when a large amount of water comes close, because the Thai government has failed to regulate flood discharge on the east and west sides of the city.

Bangkok Post said about 4 billion cubic meters of floodwater from Ayutthaya city is expected to flow into Bangkok tomorrow, while the government can only discharge 400 million cubic meters of water per day.

Flooded water on the road opposite Pata shopping center,
Bang Phlat district, Bangkok afternoon. (Photo: Bangkok Post)

This huge amount of water will flow from west Bangkok, through Nakhon Pathom province, Nonthaburi and into the canals. The flood level can be as high as 3 meters. However, Bangkok's deputy governor said there is a 2.7-meter high railroad barrier in Thawi Watthana district that will be used as a western flood barrier.

Yesterday, the Chao Phraya water level reached its peak at 2.3 meters, higher than the 2.27 meter level in 1995. River water overflowed and flooded the residential areas on both sides of the river. Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said flood waters were besieging Bangkok from all sides. A flood gate could not be closed because the flood water was too fast and strong.

"The government has no intention of hiding information. We update information for the people regularly, but there are so many new factors that make information overlap , " she said.

She said that in western Bangkok, three more flood discharge channels have been dug and dredged for drainage. However, flood water does not flow into these canals because the surrounding areas are quite flat. The flood discharge to the east of the capital also failed because of the lack of pumps to pump water from low places to higher places.

Defense Minister Yutthasak Sasiprapa said yesterday the army has set up evacuation zones in the capital. A coalition commander was set up to protect the palaces. There are 27 districts of the capital located at risk of flood attacks and have prepared evacuation. Sai Mai and Don Muang are the first two districts affected. Yesterday floodwaters flooded into Don Muang airport, one of the capital's two major airports, leaving thousands of people staying here to evacuate.

Thousands of people temporarily stay at the university's sports ground
Thammasat, Pathum Thani province. (Photo: Bangkok Post)

Another danger threatens people is that reptiles rearing in farms such as poisonous snakes and crocodiles escape through flood waters. In addition, the disease situation can also be triggered by prolonged floods.

The historic flood in Thailand has been going on for the past three months, affecting three quarters of the country. At least 356 people were killed and nearly 9 million people were directly impacted on life. This flood situation will last for at least another 6 weeks.