The Rains Came Down as the Floods Came Up

Nam Tuam

Flood

The Thai holiday Loi Krathong is November 10 this year.  This is the holiday that marks the end of the rainy season in Thailand.  The Thais make beautiful little floating rafts out of banana leaves, flowers, candles, and incense and set them afloat in bodies of water to pay respect and thanks for the rain that has kept the rice fields wet.  It is hard to imagine how a person who has lost their home, all their possessions, or worse a family member is going to be able to be thankful for what has been the worst rainy season in 50 years.  Yet the Thais are steeped in tradition, they will go out next Thursday and will float their beautiful krathongs and make three wishes for the coming season.

Pattaya is about 69 miles southeast of Bangkok.  We have been fortunate that we have not experienced the flooding that has hit portions of Bangkok.  However, we are having some issues as a result of the high waters.  Many people have fled Bangkok to relocate in Pattaya for a month.  The already strained infrastructure of Pattaya is now beyond its limits with the additional cars and motorbikes on the roadways and more people needing everyday services provided by the city.  The addition of so many people has cleared the shelves in local grocery stores and 7-11s.  Rice, ramen, eggs, oil, and bottled water are rationed items now.

Many people have left their cars parked on the elevated motorways to keep them out of high water.



Lanes of cars are parked in the drop off and pick up area of the airport.  The parking garage is filled anyone going to the airport needs to be dropped off as there is no parking for the air passengers.




Sandbags have been a common sight for over two weeks now.



Thank you for you notes and inquiries as to how we are doing.  We are all doing well, we have our health, and a dry home. 

On a lighter side, today when I was in Chinatown in Bangkok a street vendor was selling swim rings, life jackets, and other miscellaneous swim toys while sporting some nifty purple 2012 New Year sunglasses.  Even though the troubles The Land of Smiles people still continue to think ahead.