Large parts of Thailand has been flooded since August. It's said to be the worst flood in 70 years, and affected millions of people including those living in the densely-populated low-lying Chao Phraya river valley, including the country's most fertile farmlands, and most of its factories. In the past month it has crept slowly but surely towards the capital city, Bangkok, home to 15 million people, at the mouth of the river. People are trying to drain the floodwater through the city's centuries-old canals; unfortunately many of them have been filled in in the past three decades as the city expanded. More than 500 people have been killed, including some who were electrocuted in their flooded homes.
The Thai Red Cross and other organisations are accepting donations.
The Prime Minister (who was elected in July) before the crisis:
The Prime Minister now:
Flooded cars at a car factory in Ayutthaya:
Part of the flood barrier in central Bangkok:
Some more (large) photos
The center of Bangkok and the city's main airport has been sealed off by high walls to keep out the floodwaters, but the suburbs have been devastated, with many areas under 1-3 meters of water (the ground floor of the house I grew up in is under 1.5 meters of water). Those affected had to evacuate, either into other provinces (that is, before all the roads out of Bangkok were cut off), or evacuation centers, or retreat into the second or third floors with limited supplies. Think New Orleans after Katrina, except in a city ten times as big, with worse infrastructure, and a government with far less resources than the US, and with more snakes and leeches and tropical disease. And crocodiles.
Political conflict reared its ugly head once in a while; like the idiot who suggested that the floods were divine retribution for electing the Paur Thai government at the last election, or the moron who said it was a conspiracy to bring down said government. For the most part though, people are helping each other through this crisis, from distributing aid, sheltering refugees, to hunting crocodiles, and inventing flood-proofing methods for cars. It's only now that the flood is beginning to subside, but slowly, and recovering will take months, if not years.
Thailand is not the only country affected. Cambodia has also been particularly hard-hit. Hundreds have also been killed there, and flood relief and assistance is arguably less organised than in Thailand. As in Thailand, the flood affected the best farmlands, and also threatens the capital, Phnom Penh.
The Thai Red Cross and other organisations are accepting donations.
The Prime Minister (who was elected in July) before the crisis:
The Prime Minister now:
Flooded cars at a car factory in Ayutthaya:
Part of the flood barrier in central Bangkok:
Some more (large) photos
The center of Bangkok and the city's main airport has been sealed off by high walls to keep out the floodwaters, but the suburbs have been devastated, with many areas under 1-3 meters of water (the ground floor of the house I grew up in is under 1.5 meters of water). Those affected had to evacuate, either into other provinces (that is, before all the roads out of Bangkok were cut off), or evacuation centers, or retreat into the second or third floors with limited supplies. Think New Orleans after Katrina, except in a city ten times as big, with worse infrastructure, and a government with far less resources than the US, and with more snakes and leeches and tropical disease. And crocodiles.
Political conflict reared its ugly head once in a while; like the idiot who suggested that the floods were divine retribution for electing the Paur Thai government at the last election, or the moron who said it was a conspiracy to bring down said government. For the most part though, people are helping each other through this crisis, from distributing aid, sheltering refugees, to hunting crocodiles, and inventing flood-proofing methods for cars. It's only now that the flood is beginning to subside, but slowly, and recovering will take months, if not years.
Thailand is not the only country affected. Cambodia has also been particularly hard-hit. Hundreds have also been killed there, and flood relief and assistance is arguably less organised than in Thailand. As in Thailand, the flood affected the best farmlands, and also threatens the capital, Phnom Penh.
