How to prevent floods in Bangkok?
"Since Bangkok is facing more floods from rivers overflowing due to rising sea levels, Bangkok's riverine floodwalls need to be strengthened and extended to cover all riverside flood-prone areas. More water gates are also needed at the mouths of canals to prevent floodwater from pushing deep into the city."
Why does it rain so much in Bangkok?
This is partly due to the city’s geographic location at the southern end of the Chao Phraya River Basin, as well as its low-lying terrain of around 1.5 metres average elevation above mean sea level. The city normally experiences six months of rainy season every year from May to October.
Which areas of Thailand are affected by the floods?
The first areas to be affected by the floods in August and September were the Central plains of Thailand. Then the central region and towns such as Lopburi, Nakhon Sawan and Ayutthaya, which are located in a river valley, were affected in mid-October.
Is Bangkok in danger of being hit by land subsidence?
A World Bank report entitled ‘Climate Risks and Adaptation in Asian Coastal Megacities’ identified Bangkok – as well as Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City – as having experienced nearly a two-fold increase in damage costs between 2008 and 2050 due to land subsidence.
What causes floods in Bangkok?
Floods in Bangkok and surrounding provinces, therefore, were caused by a combination of four factors, i.e., high discharges from the upstream Chao Phraya River, releases from the mainstream reservoirs, high sea levels in the Gulf of Thailand and high intensity rainy in the city, exceeding the drainage network (World ...
Why is Thailand prone to flooding?
Main cause of flooding in Thailand is heave rain in monsoon season, overloaded capacity of dam, river. Geographical of Thailand, Northern Thailand is hill side, when there is heavy rain the water flow from northern river such as Ping, Wang, Yom, Nan to Chaopraya river, flood-plain area which is central area.
Does Bangkok flood?
Bangkok witnessed a catastrophic 2011 monsoon season, when it experienced its worst flooding in decades. A fifth of the city was underwater and more than 500 people died. In the past, farmland and rice paddies in low-lying areas absorbed flood water, but the city's expansion has seen much converted into real estate.
Is Bangkok a sinking city?
In Southeast Asia, Jakarta and Bangkok are sinking fast. In fact, Bangkok, located 0.5–2 metres above sea level, is sinking at a rate of 2–3 centimetres each year. It is predicted that a large part of the capital city will be underwater by 2030, 2050, or the conservative estimate of 2100.
Will Bangkok go underwater?
Rising seas could affect three times more people by 2050 than previously thought, according to new research, threatening to all but erase some of the world's great coastal cities including Bangkok.
Why is Thailand prone to natural disasters?
Due to its surficial geologic setting, the more than 1,400 tall buildings (12 stories or more) in the metropolitan area and surrounding provinces, and the ability of regional sources to cause a major earthquake, Bangkok is susceptible.
Does Thailand flood?
Floods in Thailand are regular natural disasters in Thailand which happen nearly every year during the monsoon season. The monsoon seasons in the country are distinct by region, the southern part mirrors the Malay Peninsula and monsoon begins in Oct and ends in March.
Where does it flood in Thailand?
Thailand – Over 50,000 Households Hit by Floods in South Floods and landslides have struck again in southern Thailand, affecting the 4 provinces of Songkhla, Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani.
How high above sea level is Bangkok?
4.921′Bangkok / ElevationBuilt on the Chao Phraya River delta in Thailand's central plain, Bangkok is a low-lying city with an average elevation of 1.5 metres above sea level. Sea level rise alone, expected to reach 1 to 2 metres, will submerge most of the city by the end of the century.
What city is sinking the fastest?
JakartaJakarta, shown here, has been called the fastest-sinking city in the world.
Which city in Asia is sinking?
Flooding in Manila in 2012. The capital of the Philippines is one of the cities in Asia rapidly sinking.
How much is Bangkok sinking every year?
The capital of Thailand is sinking by up to two centimetres (0.8 in) each year, threatening this city of nearly 10 million. The Chao Phraya River has become prone to regular flooding, most critically in 2011, when heavy rains swelled waterways in the north, overflowing levies and swamping Bangkok for months.
Where are the floods in Thailand?
The floods this year in Thailand have been unprecedented. Floods have now entered parts of Bangkok, the country's capital city, and the fate of the rest of the city hangs in the balance. An extraordinary volume of water – more than 10,000 million cubic metres – somehow needs to get from Thailand's central plains to the sea, ...
How much did the floods cost in Thailand?
So far, over 400 people have been killed in flood-related incidents, and it is estimated that the economic cost of the affected industry and agriculture is at 186 billion baht (around USD $6.2 billion), which could double if Bangkok is badly affected. Thailand’s flood crisis began in July ...
How high is the Chao Phraya river?
But the situation is critical as the Chao Phraya river confronting Bangkok’s flood walls has already risen to the new record high of 2.5 metres above sea level during the recent high tides, while the water flooding the north of the city continues to flow in towards the inner city.
What happened to the factories in Ayutthaya?
Ayutthaya and Pathum Thani, a huge industrial zone with many factories producing goods such as cars, electronic parts and clothes, were swamped, causing thousands of people to temporarily lose their jobs as factories were forced to end operations.
How long does it take for factories to open after the flood?
It will take at least 45 days after the floodwaters have receded for factories to begin operating again – in the meantime, many of the factory workers, who were mostly migrants from other parts of Thailand or from Burma, Laos and Cambodia, have been forced to return to their homes in order to get by.
Does Bangkok have floods?
As a consequence, the Bangkok Metropolitan Region, and the cities of the central plains to the North of Bangkok, are prone to regular flooding almost every year. While Thailand usually experiences some floods during the rainy season, this year has seen far more than the usual amount of rain.
Is there a balance between releasing too much water and risking shortages later on?
Every year, there is a fine balancing act between releasing too much water and risking shortages later on if there is little rain, or releasing too little water and being over-capacity when a heavy monsoon hits. This year, the rain was heavier than usual.
What was the BMA's plan for the 2011 flood?
After the 2011 flood, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) launched its "Flood Prevention Masterplan". The BMA had envisioned man-made structures such as tunnels or underground water reservoirs for inner-city areas in the capital which would carry floodwater to outer sectors where natural reservoirs and ponds could hold the excess.
Who is the governor of Bangkok?
People who live in the area, who wish to see the project materialise, are now worried and since May, many locals have lodged petitions with government agencies, Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang and the Ombudsman.
Did the Kaem Ling drainage basin plan materialise?
However, four of the six "Kaem Ling" drainage basin plans in Bangkok did not materialise as the land they were supposed to be developed on had been sold for real estate and commercial purposes.
What river is responsible for flooding in Bangkok?
Chao Phraya River Development has narrowed stretches of the river contributing to flooding in Bangkok. Floods in Thailand are regular natural disasters in Thailand which happen nearly every year during the monsoon season.
When does Thailand have monsoons?
The rest of the nation has monsoons and/or frequent thundershowers from April/May through October , but often lasts beyond October. Thailand cycles yearly between drought and flooding. Breaking this cycle was the subject of the "Sustainable Water Management Forum 2016" in Bangkok.
Human and Financial Cost of The Flooding
Unprecedented Flooding
- These unprecedented floods in the central plains and Bangkok are due to a variety of factors. Firstly, the geography of Bangkok and its surrounding areas make it prone to flooding, being situated on natural flood plains near the mouth of the Chao Phraya river delta in to the Gulf of Thailand with many networks of canals used for irrigation and tran...
Water Management: Sensitive Political Matter
- Combined with these natural and water management problems is the fact that the last few months have been a time of change for the Thai government – general elections in July brought in a new Phuea Thai government (the red shirt side), promising populist policies and measures. This change in government meant a change in most of the country’s top officials, combined with the …
Confusion Reigns
- It could take until mid-November for the biggest volume of water to pass through Bangkok. In the meantime, those who have been affected have had to be evacuated from their homes to temporary shelters, many doing so without any support from the authorities. Where flood relief is provided, it is sometimes used for political gain by politicians, with MPs being a source of distrib…
Community-Led Responses to The Flooding
- In response to this disaster, urban and rural community networks have linked together to organize support for affected communities in 22 provinces. Activities range from: 1. surveying the affected areas 2. organizing relief and food centers 3. providing emergency supplies, tools and food 4. linking up communities that can help each other. Members of the national network of low-incom…