Give Bangkok a wide berth, says travel newswire
The following is reprinted from an article published in the Bangkok-based Travel Trade Report daily bulletin.
Tourists planning a trip to Bangkok during the first two weeks of November should either postpone their visit or switch to a destination in Thailand’s South, North or eastern seaboard.
That’s the only sensible and credible heads up on the Bangkok situation. TTR Weekly’s evaluation is that the capital will not be much fun due to flooding in most of the city’s suburbs.
Inner Bangkok and all of its touristy spots – Siam, Sukhumvit, Silom are safe from flooding now and city authorities are working around the clock to divert floods through suburbs to save what they call the commercial heart of the capital.
Fine as long as the traveller is insensitive as one international travel association that publishes feeble statements that flooding is localized based on their limited knowledge of the city.
Tourist sites around the Chao Phraya River such as the Grand Palace and the Temple of Emerald Buddha are vulnerable to flooding as they are next to the river.
Visitors may have to wade through filthy floodwater swilling through sewage pipes and drains to get to the tourist sites. It’s a health hazard.
River cruise and boat trips have been cancelled due to fast currents and the lack of clearance under bridges.
Even if flooding is less than one metre deep there will be inconvenience for people staying at smaller hotels that do not have back-up electricity supply.
When districts are evacuated tourists will have to leave along with residents, as buildings will lose power, water and toilets facilities.
Food will run out for those who stay and in most cases the authorities will be adamant that when a red alert is sounded everyone leaves the area at the same time.
This is not applicable to five-star hotels that have their own back-up power supply.
Fortunately access to Bangkok’s main airport is easy either on the overhead rail link or on the elevated expressways from all the tourist districts in the inner city.
Suvarnabhumi Airport is flood-free and fully functional.
Surrounded by 3.5-metre dykes and 23 km of canals to drain off the water it has one of the best flood prevention systems in the country.
However, the best advice is not to cancel the holiday, but to give Bangkok a wide berth in November.
Ian Jarrett
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