27 September 2012: Bangkok Flood Map
Last year, Bangkok was severely flooded due to a run-off from up north. Floods continued for several months. This year the city is going under due to some severe storms. The problem is that the drainage system is having trouble in dealing with so much rain in a short period of time. This means that some areas of Bangkok will flood in less than 20 minutes. Once the rain stops it will then take about 2-3 hours for water to recede. Luckily for Bangkok, it doesn’t usually rain continuously day and night. Southern Thailand gets the real monsoon rains.
Before you get the impression that the whole of Bangkok is under water, let me say that just as many places around the city don’t flood at all. On the stretch of Sukumwit Road near my house, we are getting at the most an inch or so of rain on the road during the storms. It then drains quickly once it has stopped raining. In my book, an inch of rain on the road is hardly a flood. The Thai police have now come out with a list identifying 21 flood hotspots around Bangkok . These roads are prone to sudden flooding. With more big storms forecasted, you should be aware that there are more floods ahead.
Graphic: Bangkok Post
Randy, did you read the same article as me as I didn’t get that impression. I think Richard’s point was to emphasise that not all of Bangkok is flooded and that police are only highlighting 21 spots.
@Randy, I think that is exactly what Richard is trying to say. In that it is not the whole city but certain areas which he lists.
From the writings in the article it makes it sound like the whole of Bangkok was flooded on Tuesday. Some of us know better but it does leave the wrong impression. It would be more correct of the author of the article to say that certain parts of the city received heavy rainfall and flooded, then name those areas. The road breakdown which shows the areas prone to easier flooding at least helps in that regard. It won’t matter to me as I don’t have a car. A boat might be better though. 🙂
Which article? I thought I was being clear that only “some areas” were flooding and that we were lucky because in Bangkok it “doesn’t usually rain continuously”. Then I say again in the second paragraph that there are just as many areas in Bangkok that are not flooding.