Floods in Thailand

Photo by Greg Rodgers

As expected, the floods in Thailand have reached Bangkok and the city is preparing for a crisis.

Although the flooding in Thailand has become an almost annual event, this year's deluge is the worst in over 50 years. To date, at least 252 people have died, mostly because they refuse to leave their houses for fear of looting.

The Thai army has been deployed to various parts of northern Thailand to quell looting, including Ayutthaya - the ancient capital just north of Bangkok.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who has only been in office for a few months, warned Bangkok residents to expect the worst as the new government struggled to deal with the crisis. Already water pumps have been strategically placed around the city, and new canals for channeling water are being dug. The airport car park was opened for free to anyone wishing to protect their cars.

The floods in Bangkok are exacerbated by the fact that Bangkok - only six feet above sea level - is actually a sinking city. The Chao Praya river is slowly reclaiming the delta on which Bangkok is built.

As if the situation wasn't problematic enough, a new typhoon known as "Nalgae" is adding more rain to the equation, and high tides between October 15th to October 17th will slow the draining of water into the sea.

The floods will have a detrimental economic impact, not just in Thailand, but on the world. Thailand is the largest rice exporter in the world; an estimated ten percent of the rice farms are now damaged by the flooding. Honda, Sony, Cannon, and many other big manufacturers here have either shut down, or their production has stopped due to supply issues.

Indorama ventures - the largest producer of polyester in the world - closed its plants in the north.

So what should travelers expect from the floods in Thailand? Transportation is becoming a problem as many north-south roads shut. The remaining transportation options are becoming more difficult to book due to overwhelming volume.

Although a fascinating place, now may not be the time to enjoy ancient Ayutthaya or the other sites around the north of Thailand.

Fortunately, there is no need to delay your visit to Thailand entirely. I've been happily enjoying sunshine here on the island of Koh Tao for the last week. I'll be back in Bangkok in four days and will keep everyone posted!