Chao Phraya, Singburi Thailand - Flood 2011

Singburi lies along the Chao Phraya river, one of the largest in Thailand. Tributaries from all over the north converge into the Chao near Singburi.  The river continues south through Bangkok and empties out in to the gulf.  But, Bangkok is well protected from flooding because massive damns have been built up north (around where I live).  The result is every year during the rainy season the Chao Phraya overflows its banks in to towns like Singburi (and many others around here) causing a lot of destruction in order to save Bangkok.  Here are just a few (poor) pictures I caught of the begining of the flooding, and some of the preparation the community is putting in to action (with no governmental support) to try to save their homes.  Things are about to get much worse as the river is now rapidly rising, and I will post some more here as they come in.

This is the entrance to the temple near where I live.  You can see a monk there on the right getting in to a little boat to try to make it back to his home (hopefully it isn't totally underwater).  


This used to be a street between the river and the temple.  Now it's just part of the river.  Cars and motos have been replaced by small boats to get around.



Here is a photo not far from the river. You can see the house in the background must be totally destroyed.  The house on the left might be luckier as they have a couple of stories to move their valuables upstairs.  Notice in the bottom right they had placed sand bags to protect there home, which now have totally overflowed.



These homes are riverfront.  They used to have long stairs leading down to the river to go fishing.  Now the river has surpassed those stairs and entered there homes, and I'm pretty sure these people are now living in the tent villages set up in higher ground.



This is a street in front of the temple where boat is now necessary to travel.  You can see the temple in the background, now also underwater.



This is inside the temple, now abandoned.



Here I am giving my students and their family a hand trying to sandbag so they may be able to save their homes.  Looking at the pictures above, I hate to think how futile it may have been.





Though far luckier than those living closer to the river, my house did get a little damaged.

This a view outside my living room at what used to be my yard.



This is a picture a snapped just before the water came through this door in to my house.  Underneath that water was a patio where I used to cook and clean dishes (outdoor kitchens are pretty common here).



Water several feet deep here next to my house.  I'm hoping these banana trees are not lost.



Another picture of the no-more outdoor kitchen.



This is a picture of the school ground where I work.  The water was remarkably deep. School is now closed for a week.



Things have calmed down now (for me). The water has receded from my home.  But the worse seems yet to come for those living closer to the river.  If that's the case, and people end up living in these tents who had to evacuate their homes, for longer than expected, I may begin to take up a collection to bring those 'tent cities' some basic necessities.  I need first to look in to what the immediate needs are, without being an asshole American trying to 'save these poor people".  But, I have lots of friends in America...and the dollar goes incredibly far here.  A small donation from you can go a long way in Singburi, and other towns even worse off than there.  If you have the means at the moment and are interested, let me know.