| Filipinos Amidst Thailand Flooding | ||||
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 Relying on the media or the good intentions of friends who offer advices and suggestions on what to do or how to prepare for the imminent flooding in Bangkok, as has been the case for most of us, can only result to confusion, stress and difficulty in terms of deciding on how to act in anticipation of what’s to come. To give a picture of what is the state of Minburi, parts of Romklao and Lat Krabang (among the 7 areas of Bangkok included in the high-risk zone) once authorities start opening the flood gates to drain water into the Gulf of Thailand within the next few days (or hours), Siam Pinoy is sharing some photos taken on a drive taken early this afternoon, Friday, the 21st. The Minburi market (which was rumored a few days ago among some circles to have knee-deep flooding) was high and dry. Ubiquitous during the whole drive however, were the parked private vehicles lined up on the sides of fly-over’s and bridges, some of them were double-parked even, making it difficult (and very slow) for motorists to pass through. Entrances to the parking areas of Fashion island along Ram Inthra road were packed, as people scramble for parking spaces on the upper floors of the department store. Not too many cars were seen exiting the place early this afternoon. The same is true with the free parking spaces at the Suvarnabhumi airport. “Full”, many parking areas have put up, as more cars make their way to free parking spaces around the area, which people feel could render their vehicles safety from the floods. Pictured is part of the more than 3-meter dyke protecting the airport from flood water, if ever overflow came its way. Some low-lying parts of Romklao are indeed flooded, probably due to rains earlier. The water that’s almost overflowing from the klongs, however, is what seems to be drawing attention from residents. Some were seen standing by the sides, looking at the water. Before the flood: What we all should be anticipating, especially for those in the 7 areas declared to be at risk of flooding include: 1. moving stuff to higher ground/upper floors. 2. stocking up on drinking water and some dry goods; a few days’ supply won’t hurt. 3. flashlights and candles (matches/lighters included) in case of power supply being cut in the area. 4. a reserve of tap water in buckets or other large containers won’t hurt in case tap water supply is cut. 5. fully charged phones and emergency numbers (Philippine Embassy’s hotlines: 08 4360 8405) 6. some people prepare plastic bags in extreme cases when toilets are decommissioned because of the flooding. 7. have some cash with you; don’t rely on ATM machines near where you live because the water level might hamper you from getting to them when you need money. 8. stay out of the flood water as much as you can. Their might be some electric posts knocked down while waters rush out of the capital into the sea, leaving the waters unsafe and you at risk of getting an electric shock. (Also, some 290 crocodiles that have escaped from the farms in Ayutthaya – with each a bounty of 1,000baht when caught dead or alive – could still be in the flood waters). When flood water comes in, there’s no telling how high it will be. Some areas had it ankle or knee deep, while others had water up to their chest. So prepare for the worst but hope for the best. And when the worse does hit, be prepared to evacuate in a matter of minutes, with the most basic of your necessities ready; everything else locked up at home before you leave, all power supply switched off. After the flood:  After the flood waters subside, one needs to anticipate prices of every commodity to rise, for Thailand’s manufacturing estates have been inundated. 300,000 hectares of farm lands have been affected by the flooding all over the country, which could have an impact on the prices of rice. There are factories in Nakhon Sawan, especially, that manufacture plastic bottles, water and food items/ingredients, such as Namthip and Malee. Some of them may take months to re-open, and though they have factories outside the flooded areas, their production could ultimately be affected. Siam Pinoy, in its bid to inform and raise awareness, wishes for all our readers to be alert and rely on common sense in the next few days and the weeks that follow. We grieve with all the 320 lives lost and the families who have outlived them. We sympathize with a government that’s newly instated in August, and now, has to face loses ranging from 100 billion baht (3 billion USD), and has to support and revitalize 61 of its 76 provinces, some of which are almost fully submerged in water. Finally, we hope for everyone to gain a bit more awareness of what is going on in the Kingdom, to refrain from getting involved in conversations bordering on the political, but rather, to extend a hand where we can. If anybody wishes to volunteer, you can call 1111 (dial 9 for English), or contact the Flood Relief center in Don Muang airport. The Philippine Embassy also accepts donations for the flood victims who they help. What’s happening with those in flooded areas: Maybel Diopenes of AIT (Asian Institute of Technology), Rangsit area: The Filipino families (78 adults and children altogether) who were evacuated by big buses, AIT has lodged them in hotels in Bangkok, while some other families who have cars, like Maybel’s, opted to drive to Pattaya or seek refuge in other places. Upon hearing that the dykes near AIT has been breached by water, those with small cars left, as they were told that once evacuation is issued by the army, they could not take small cars with them anymore. To date, there are still some students left at AIT, mostly of other nationalities. Igam Tajonera, Rom Klao area: He has been monitoring both sides of Romklao road, and so far, he has not seen cause for alarm yet. The klongs, though, he says, are mostly filled up with water, with only around 50 cm left before they overflow. Most Filipino families living in the area have a second floor in their homes. In Lat Krabang area, however, he says there is a school there that’s almost flooded, and roads there flood easily when there’s a heavy downpour. Rey Collantes, Nakhon Sawan:  Rey’s residence and school were spared by the heavy flooding in Nakhon Sawan. He has been dong volunteer work in the relief efforts there since the day the province was inundated with water from the north. Other Filipinos based in Nakhon Sawan left for higher ground when water started coming in. The good news is - water seems to have stabilized, and the Big C branch in his area, which closed during the flooding because water got in, is now open and back in operation. Joeven Godilano, Nonthaburi, Eastern side: Joeven’s family (a wife, a child and a nanny), together with some other Filipino families are still dry in their mooban (village) in the east side of Nonthaburi. Supplies will last them for about a week more, but bottled water is a problem. They have only about 3 days more supply of drinking water. They are now in contact with the Philippine Embassy to seek help in case they can’t find any more water to last while they wait for the water that has come from the Chao Phraya river to recede. Monitoring the water level from the flood source in their area, as well as monitoring what’s happening in other areas nearby which could cause more water to come in are what occupies them at the moment. Some Cordillerans from Ayutthaya, Nakhon Sawan, Pichet and Chachoengsao: According to the president of the Association of Cordillerans in Thailand, Mitzi Balacdao, 27 Cordillerans altogether from Kamphaeng Phet, Nakhon Sawan, Pichet, Ayutthaya, 1 from Chachoengsao are affected by the flooding. Two from Ayutthaya have gone home to the Philippines for a planned holiday; they will come back next week, with the hope they still get their regular salary despite the calamities that have been beset Ayutthaya. Others are in Bangkok, with one toddler rom Ayutthaya seeking refuge in Onnut. In Kamphaeng Phet, one Cordilleran has accommodated a few others. 400 baht for each Cordilleran affected was handed out from the ACT charity fund and others are donations from members and friends of the ACT. For more updates about flooding in Thailand visit http://www.siampinoy.net/forum.html or follow us on Twitter @SiamPinoy
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