12 September 2012: Thai Flood Map

It is that time of the year again when we need to report on the flooding situation in Thailand. Of course, people are more focused this year because of the devastating floods in 2011. However, just because we have floods now, it doesn’t mean that there will be a repeat of last year’s disaster. When reading the news, you need to be careful and read between the lines. A quick read might lead you to think that floods are more widespread than they really are. Some media outlets are also posting pictures of last year’s floods which add to the confusion.

All indications so far is that there won’t be a repeat of last year. Of course, there are no guarantees as we don’t know what storms lay ahead for us. But so far, we have had less rainfall than this time last year. In addition, the dams are not so full and are also discharging less water downstream. There will undoubtedly be floods as, after all, Thailand is a monsoon country. If you live in a flood plain then you should be prepared. However, there is no reason to panic. The  map above is from today’s copy of the Bangkok Post. It will give you an idea of where the flooding is taking place at the moment.

For the latest flood updates and other breaking news, you can follow me on Twitter @RichardBarrow and @191Thailand.