Floods lapping at heart of Thailand's capital

With Thai government officials saying there was nothing more they could do to protect the capital,


Bangkok, from flooding, tens oBANGKOK — With Thai government officials saying there was nothing more they could do to protect the capital, Bangkok, from flooding, tens of thousands of people were fleeing Thursday, jamming train and bus stations and clogging the southern highways out of town.

Water rose in outlying neighborhoods and rippled across the banks of the Chao Phraya River, but the streets of central Bangkok remained dry and unusually quiet. Government offices, schools and a number of major shopping malls had shut down or were closing early.

People stowed their cars in high garages or triple-parked on highway overpasses, and crowded onto the city's elevated train and subway. Hastily built walls of sandbags and cement guarded the entrances to shops, homes, hotels and hospitals.

Grocery shelves were stripped of essentials; some shops imposed a rationing system on shrinking stocks of items such as instant noodles, rice and eggs. In many places, food vendors and their carts had disappeared from the sidewalks.

The floods, the heaviest in Thailand in more than 50 years, have drenched one-third of the country's provinces, killed nearly 400 people and displaced more than 110,000 others. For weeks, the water has crept down from the central plains, flowing south toward the Gulf of Thailand. Bangkok is in the way, and it is literally surrounded by behemoth pools of water flowing around and through it via a complex network of canals and rivers.

By Thursday, flooding had inundated seven of Bangkok's 50 districts, most on the northern outskirts. There, roads have turned into rivers and homes and businesses are swamped.

The flooding started three months ago with heavy rain and what seems to have been a badly timed release of water from dams, and has been moving south toward the capital, inundating cities such as Ayutthaya.

As floodwaters approached Bangkok, the government seemed overwhelmed by the threat. A series of contradictory official statements in the past two weeks has coalesced into predictions of high water that could disrupt city life for weeks. Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has warned of a worst-case scenario in which water could rise in some areas to about 6 feet, and remain for a month or more. On Thursday, Yingluck said the flood had overwhelmed all efforts to contain it.

"It seems like we're fighting against the forces of nature," she said. "The truth is, we need to let it flow naturally out to the sea, and what we can do now is to manage it."

A young and inexperienced politician with an untried Cabinet of sometimes competing ministers, Yingluck has become the target of criticism in this severely polarized nation. Cartoons, doctored photographs and false derogatory rumors have spread on the Internet and social networks.

The coming weekend is of particular concern, when the enormous runoff from the north could combine with high tides to overflow the Chao Phraya River.

On Thursday, Bangkok residents who had not fled moved with their belongings to upper floors of their homes, or took refuge in Buddhist temples, some of which were already surrounded by water.

The river has overflowed, sending ankle-high water lapping at the white exterior walls of Bangkok's gilded Grand Palace, a treasured complex that once housed the kingdom's monarchy and is a major tourist attraction.

The water has receded with the tides, slightly flooding the area in the morning and evening, but leaving it dry in the afternoon.

After visiting the Grand Palace on Thursday, U.S. tourist Kathy Kiernan said she wasn't too concerned about flooding in the capital.

"We were a little worried when we got in to see sandbags around our hotel," said Kiernan, 47, of Salt Lake City, Utah. "But so far it's pretty normal."

Though flooding shut down Bangkok's Don Muang International Airport on Wednesday, it was operating as usual Thursday.

Several foreign governments issued advisories urging citizens against all but essential travel to Bangkok. The U.S. Embassy cautioned Americans that ground travel around Thailand was difficult and the situation should be monitored closely.fthousands of people were fleeing Thursday, jamming train and bus stations and clogging the southern highways out of town.

Floods hit Bangkok

On Thursday, October 20th, the Thai government announced that the capital Bangkok could no longer be protected from flooding due to the massive volume of water built-up at the north of the city.


On Thursday, October 20th, the , the Thai government announced that the capital Bangkok could no longer be protected from flooding due to the massive volume of water built-up at the north of the city. Consequently, sluice gates have been opened allowing the water to flow through the city. According to authorities, Central Bangkok is protected by flood barriers which have been reinforced by security forces over the past days. The government is trying to save inner Bangkok diverting the water in the eastern suburbs. The most affected districts should be Sai Mai, Klong Sam Wa, Kannayao, Min Buri, Lat Krabang, Bang Khen and Nong Chok. Several suburbs in northern Bangkok are already under water. On Wednesday, October 19th, authorities urged the population to stay on alert and move to higher ground in preparation of flooding. Severe road transport disruptions are expected in coming hours due to flooding and landslides.
Thailand is facing its worst flooding in decades. Since July, heavy rains have triggered severe floods in most of the country, killing at least 320 people, affecting thousands others and damaging seriously the country’s infrastructures. In most of Thailand, the monsoon runs from May to October, with September and October being the peak of the rainy season. In the south-eastern part of the Thai peninsula, the monsoon runs from November to March.
People travelling to Thailand must listen to local and international media in order to get updated information. Stay away from flooded areas and obey to all recommendations given by local authorities. If you are told to evacuate, do so and follow specific routes. Confirm all your travel arrangements and allow more time for travel. Travellers must be aware that several western embassies advise their citizens against all but essential travel to the southern provinces of Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and Songkhla, where an Islamic insurgency is going on.

Official Statement Situation Update:Flooding in Thailand

 

 

 

Kind to be noted, The Royal Barge !!

The Royal Barge Procession rehearsal on Oct 13 & 18 has been postponed till get further notice.

Bangkok voted Asia's best food and wine destination

Edging out Hong Kong, the street food mega-city clinched top spot on Tripadvisor.com's Traveler's Choice list

Given how popular Thai cuisine is around the world, it's not at all surprising Bangkok would be voted the top Asian food destination.
Travel website Tripadvisor.com has announced the winners of its "2011 Traveler's Choice Food and Wine Destinations" awards, with Bangkok beating out Hong Kong to claim top prize in the Asia category.

But though Bangkok might be making great strides where wine appreciation is concerned, it's definitely the food and not the drink that earned this street food mega-city the top spot on the list.

Here are the full lists of Asia, United States and European winners.

2011 Travelers' Choice Food and Wine Asia Destinations

1. Bangkok, Thailand
2. Hong Kong
3. Seminyak, Indonesia
4. Singapore
5. Sapporo, Japan
6. Hoi An, Vietnam
7. Kyoto, Japan
8. Seoul, Korea
9. Osaka, Japan
10. Koh Samui, Thailand

2011 Travelers' Choice Food and Wine U.S. Destinations

1. New Orleans, Louisiana
2. Napa, California
3. Chicago, Illinois
4. Charleston, South Carolina
5. San Francisco, California
6. New York City, New York
7. Savannah, Georgia
8. Santa Fe, New Mexico
9. Las Vegas, Nevada
10. Asheville, North Carolina

2011 Travelers' Choice Food and Wine Europe Destinations

1. Florence, Italy
2. Paris, France
3. Rome, Italy
4. Sorrento, Italy
5. York, England
6. Siena, Italy
7. Bologna, Italy
8. San Sebastian, Spain
9. Barcelona, Spain
10. Edinburgh, Scotland

TripAdvisor says its inaugural Travelers' Choice Food and Wine Destinations award winners were determined based on traveler ratings and TripAdvisor reviews.

Karen people in Northern Thailand

Karen children wearing multiple brass rings around their necks pose at a village

Thailand’s ethnic Karen minority are facing a crisis due to encroaching modernization and misunderstandings about their way of life and livelihood. Their lands have been made National Parks, thus destroying their traditional rotational farming system. Moreover, many do not have citizenship even though they were born in Thailand.
The recent burnings of the homes of some 50 Karen families in Petchaburi province is a case in point. Destruction of Karen homes has also taken place in other parts of the country.
Karen people in Thailand are found along the western border area, from Mae Hong Son province in the north down to Ratchaburi and Petchaburi provinces west of Bangkok. They live in forest and highland areas, mostly doing subsistence rice farming.
The Karen have been accused of causing deforestation due to their rotational farming practice. In fact, they respect the forest as something divine and do not cut down big trees. Their houses are made from bamboo rather than wood. There’s also a traditional practice of tying the umbilical cord of a newly born child to a big tree, so that tree spirit would protect the child as it grows up. It is forbidden to cut down such a tree.
The rotational farming system actually encapsulates the Karen people’s wisdom in protecting the forest and natural resources.

Karen people were originally from Myanmar but wars have resulted in them seeking refuge in Thailand in the 18th century
A Karen family typically cultivates between six and seven rai of land with rice for a particular year. The following year, another piece of land of similar area is cultivated, and this is repeated for seven years before coming back to the same piece of land.
This rotation of farming land allows the soil to replenish itself without the use of chemical fertilizers. In this system, seven fixed pieces of land are used by the family on a rotation basis. Thus, there is no invasion of new lands.
The Thai government passed a resolution in August 2010 saying it recognizes the wisdom and way of life of the Karen people, including the rotational farming system. Academic circles have also stated that they accept the wisdom of the Karen’s rotational farming system, and are pushing for it to be recognized as a world heritage.

In spite of this, there have been many problems and conflicts. A major factor is the declaration of several national parks across the country since 1961 by the Forestry Department. Many areas that have been declared national parks are in the traditional lands of the Karen. As they have no land titles to lands that their ancestors have settled on for decades, many Karen have been forced to move out of the forest.
National parks are created because huge parts of the country have suffered serious deforestation, resulting in other calamities such as heavy flooding. It needs to be noted that deforestation is not caused by the Karen people’s traditional lifestyle but by logging activities of investors.
Sometimes Karen people are hired as laborers by logging companies, and so are accused of destroying the forest. Even though logging concessions were stopped in 1989, illegal logging still takes place.

Saeclee dance," a courtship dance common to the Karen people
New land provided by the government for the Karen that have been evicted from national parks is insufficient. Moreover, they need to use chemical fertilizers to keep the same piece of land fertile year after year. Needless to say, they cannot practice rotational farming. Some have even been arrested for even collecting bamboo shoots for food in forest areas designated as national parks.
This change in lifestyle has forced many to become daily-wage laborers in towns, which leads to another problem: They do not have Thai ID cards. This opens them to exploitation by employers. They are not protected under Thai law and don’t have access to social welfare programs.
The process of applying for Thai citizenship is complex and takes time. This is because the Thai government is wary that ethnic minorities from across the border in Myanmar might also be trying to apply for Thai citizenship. Often the Karen are accused of being illegal migrants, even though they and their ancestors have always been on the Thai side of the border.
In this context, the local Church has been working to empower the Karen to maintain a livelihood and preserve their culture, and also bring about greater understanding between them and government authorities.
The Diocesan Social Action Center of Ratchaburi diocese, for instance, has been working with Karen communities in 100 villages in Ratchaburi, Petchaburi and Kanchanaburi provinces for some 20 years.

Karen refugee camps along the Thai-Myanmar border, focusing on refugee camp education
We encourage them to preserve their culture, try to keep them in the forest and help them to be self-sufficient by introducing farming of other crops such as chili and fruits. We also do surveys on their land use and report these to the government. We show the government that their activities are not the major cause of deforestation, and in fact help preserve the forest. We try to build mutual understanding between the government bureaucracy and the Karen people.
We also provide vocational training and set up micro-credit financing, especially in the towns. Recently we started a program to educate them against being trafficked, which they are vulnerable to in the towns.
On the citizenship issue, the Church center is helping the Karen to get ID cards. For example, one needs a birth certificate to get an ID card, but normally they don’t have these because they were born in the forest area far from any district office. We try to find witnesses, such as midwives and elders, to testify that one was born at a certain date at a certain location, in order to get a birth certificate. We try to get school certificates for those who went to school, as added evidence that they grew up here.
The other two Catholic diocese covering the areas where the Karen are, in Chiang Mai and Nakhon Sawan dioceses, have implemented similar programs.
Sornsak Pornjongmun has worked with the Ratchaburi Diocesan Social Action Center since 1994. The ethnic Karen layman now serves as field staff under the center’s ethnic minorities cultural restoration for project

กรมการท่องเที่ยว (Department of Tourism)กระทรวงการท่องเที่ยวและกีฬา (MOTS.)

กรมการท่องเที่ยว (Department of Tourism)
กระทรวงการท่องเที่ยวและกีฬา (MOTS.)

The Colour of Thailand

The Colour of Thailand

Phi Ta Khon Festival – Loei

Once every year, the small community called Dansai in the hills of Loei Province is the epicenter of ethnic festival activity in Thailand – it's "Phi Ta Khon" time again and enthusiasts come from near and far into this one-horse-town. The ghost festival is being held in mid-summer once yearly and the spectacular event lasts 3 days. Parted well into a timely schedule most activity but the initial one are in daytime. The awakening every year is a nightly merit making ritual. The Tourism Authority of Thailand started to promote this festival, so foreigners do came in greater numbers every year. The website: www.tessabandansai.com has a schedule, Dansai is about 450 KM north of Bangkok.




Remark : The prettiest ghosts are often done by female actresses
(check the fingers!) Ha Ha Ha !!

I Love Thailand