Southeast Asia flood updates : Oct. 27, 2011

Urgent Bangkok Update: October 26, 2011 

From Jeab, Thailand Country Director, based in Bangkok 

Yesterday I was walking around Grand Palace  and it was accessible, but they just got more water when it’s high tide.  In the evening today the PM has announced that Bangkok will be unsafe in about 3-4 days and they confirmed that won’t be higher than 70 cms maximum but I would advise that we move all guests out of the city to prevent any safety issue that might arise.”
Subsequently Journeys Within is rerouting all Bangkok Tour unless guests specifically request to remain in the city. At this point we will reassess on November 1st to determine the best plan for tours in early November.

It seems that mainstream media is starting to pay attention to the terrible flooding we’ve been experiencing across the region for the last month. The Wall Street Journal showed the below map of areas affected by the flooding and it clearly is impacting the entire region. With that said, here on the ground is often a different experience and while we’ve seen the worst flooding in a decade we also have been able to continue living, working and traveling in the region. Below are updates from each office highlighting the flooding situation in their country and outlook for travelers heading this way in the next month. At the moment Journeys Within is not cancelling any tours, there will be some changes as highlighted below, but we feel with close monitoring we are able to still run excellent tours!

 

Thailand:

At present the flooding is affecting Ayutthaya, Phatumthani and the outskirts of Bangkok, not the main tourist area. The Center has no flooding and the North, which saw flooding a couple of weeks ago, currently has no problem. For now we feel it is safe to travel in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and to the Islands, but  we will have to wait and see the sea level, as high tide is scheduled in the next week we don’t know how this will affect the Chao Praya River through Bangkok. The government is saying that 13-18 October is the crisis period and once we get past this week we will have seen the worst of it.

For all our tours in Thailand we are continuing on as scheduled, the only changes being that we will not run the Klong tour if the guide feels it’s dangerous, and we will recommend alternate ideas if and when it becomes necessary.

Update : Oct. 16, 2011

We can still run the tours as scheduled because today is supposed to be the day that we get the very highest tide of the year, but we are still okay. The government confirmed that Bangkok is going to be okay and they are trying to save the businesses and main attraction areas from the flood. There are 2 things that we need to monitor: the water that flows from the north of the country and heavy rain, so this weekend until Monday is the crisis period. If we’re safe after that Bangkok will be okay. Any serious news I will keep updating you

From Asia World:

The situation remains largely unchanged since yesterday, with Ayutthaya the only place with significant tourist attractions which is flooded.

Central Bangkok hasn’t been seriously flooded, with only some suburbs on the outskirts being affected, but these areas are very far from Bangkok’s tourist attractions and hotels.

All trains from Bangkok to the north of Thailand are cancelled until further notice. There is no disruption to any airports in Thailand, including Bangkok’s main international airport.

Update: October 25, 2011

From Asia World:

Ayutthaya is still flooded, but the water level there is reducing slowly, and is as low as 30cm in some places. The town still can’t be safely visited, though, so all sightseeing tours to Ayutthaya are suspended until further notice.

Some suburbs on the far north outskirts of Bangkok have been flooded, including Don Muang, the district where Bangkok’s “old” airport is located, and where domestic flights on some airlines, including Nok Air and Orient Thai Airlines, fly from. As of 12:00pm Thai time today, water was beginning to encroach onto the airport’s grounds, so all flights currently on their way to Don Muang will land at Bangkok’s main Suvarnabhumi Airport instead, and all Nok Air flights scheduled to leave Don Muang are cancelled until 1 November. Bangkok’s main international airport, Suvarnabhumi, is currently not flooded and is operating as normal.

So far the only flooding which has been seen in central Bangkok is in some low lying areas near the river bank on the west side of the river. No tourist attractions or hotels are affected by this though. The authorities are doing their best to manage the flow of water so that it drains safely into the sea through Bangkok’s extensive canal network, and during this process it is possible that some canals and some sections of the Chao Phraya River may overspill and cause some flooding. However, at this stage it looks unlikely that the central business district and the areas where most tourist attractions and hotels are will become seriously flooded.

Vietnam

Currently the Mekong Delta has urgent flood warnings and is heavily flooded in most areas. The most affected areas are from Vinh Long down to Chau Doc, where it is 4.28m under water today. The latest reports show that the flooding is expected to recede from the 15 Oct 2011. We are monitoring the situation daily from our office in Saigon.

Update: Oct. 17, 2011

The Mekong is still under heavy floods, particularly in Dong Thap, Long Xuyen, Chau Doc and Can Tho. There is a small reduction in the water level since last week and official reports state that the flood will continue to reduce slowly over the next 5 days.

Update: October 27, 2011

All is looking good for your travels right now. I have also just returned last night from the Mekong Delta on an inspection visit and have seen first hand the status on the current water levels on the families that live there and what it means to you as our guests.

The good news is that the flood water is receding and we seem over the worst. I didn’t see or hear of any impact on your travels and everything is operating as normal.

The Mekong Delta is tidal with September and October (especially at lunar cycle peaks) normally giving the highest water levels of the year. At the moment at high tide low-lying gardens are roughly ankle deep in water still, with the pathways and roads remaining mostly clear. Fields are retaining higher levels of water in some areas and the main rivers appear to have stronger currents.  None of these observations are presenting significant problems to local communities.

The advantage of the higher water tables for you right now is that you have greater access to the smaller waterways that cannot be navigated the peak of the dry season.

Happy travels!

Laos

Laos is currently having amazing weather throughout most of the country.   The south still has a little bit of flooding, but is clearing quickly due to no rain in the last week. As you can see by the picture below the skies are electric blue and the sun is shining brightly. Their is even a cool breeze that chills you off from the beaming sun. The Mekong river is still mighty but has dropped  a few meters in the last two weeks. Honestly, the weather couldn’t be any better at the moment. It’s PERFECT!

Update: October 17, 2011

The sun continue to shines brightly with  no rain storms throughout the country. The end of the rainy season is officially upon us as we head into the dry cool season. Those coming to Luang Prabang from now until February make sure to pack a light jacket. The cool breeze is turning  into a chilly one in the mornings and evenings, the Laos winter is approaching!

Update: October 25, 2011

No tours being affected at the moment. No rain at all, very dry. Completely perfect weather!

Cambodia

Siem Reap town has been hit with its 3^rd flood in about 4 weeks. Last month was the worst, but this latest flood is still causing a lot of damage. Old Market and Pub St. areas are in about a foot of water, and anything along the river is a bit deeper than that. Across the bridge from Old Market has gotten it the worst each time, and this is no exception. Knee-deep water in some areas, but most businesses are still open. There is so far no flooding at the temples this time, and all tours are running normally. The only thing that has been cancelled is the boat from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh and back. No one can access the boat ramps! The damage is going to be very long term here, as it is ruining rice crops and hurting a lot of businesses. Most places in town are still open, you just have to be willing to get wet and trudge through a bit of questionable water! There are plenty of restaurants outside of town that are far from the rising waters though, and still very open for customers.

So far Phnom Penh has not suffered too badly from this flood. The river is slowly rising, but the city is still high and dry. No tours have been affected and all is running normally!

Update: October 17, 2011

Siem Reap is still under water, and it does not seem to have an end in sight. Rain is forecast for most of the week, and town is in about a foot of water already, some parts more. Getting around town is difficult, and most tuk tuks will not take you into Old Market area because it is too deep. However, there are still businesses open and the temples are still accessible. Again, you just have to have an adventurous attitude and walk through the water if you want to see town. Tours are still going on pretty normally, with minor changes being made if areas are flooded. All boats have been cancelled between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, so guests are advised to fly instead.

JWOC has sent out and emergency appeal for funds to help those affected by the floods. Check out their blog to read about the appeal.

Update: October 25, 2011

Siem Reap seems to have finally risen from the waters and as Brandon predicted (annoying, but true!), the rains seem to have stopped, or at least slowed, and things are starting to dry out. Our emergency relief project last week was a huge success and we are so glad we were able to offer this to the local community. They too seem to be heading home now and while there is still a lot of mud, they no longer have water in their homes. We no longer need to do a day care center for the children, but our focus will now shift to more remote villages.

Driving from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap on Saturday we were amazed at the amount of water covering the countryside. Travel was slow as villagers and cows are using the main road as a dry area to live. Flying into Phnom Penh you could see islands of homes on high land, but much of the country remains under water. Bottom line, tourists can come and go to temples and hotels and the effects of the flooding are not impacting travelers anymore, but the effects of the flood are still being felt by more rural communities and the long-term damage is yet to be tallied.