As any of you who know me are aware, I have an interest in anything and everything to do with my favorite country in the world (outside of the US & Canada, that is), being Thailand. This comes from the 2 years I spent there from 1969 to 1971. I speak Thai quite fluently, and can read/write the language after a fashion. Thailand is the greatest country in the world to visit - BUT not at this moment. If you've been following world news, you may have heard about severe flooding that has lasted for over 2 months now, covering over 40 out of 70 provinces. You should look at the link below, to see the devastation for yourself.
http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2011/10/worst-flooding-in-decades-swamps-thailand/100168/
I know this is the time of the rainy season in Thailand, but this is taking it to an extreme. Is it possible that Al Gore, with all his talking about Global Warming, just might be correct?
I must mention that one of the worst hit areas is Ayuthaya province (around 50 miles north of Bangkok), and this caused me to phone one of the daughters of a special family (plus her husband) whom I have known for over 40 years to find out more. They live in Sena (see the first of the pictures in the above link), and told me that they are OK. However, they have to remain on the second story of their 2-story house, and cannot get out to go to work. Streets can only be navigated by boat, and if you don't own a boat, you're out of luck in terms of trying to buy perishable goods (if you're lucky enough to find a place that is open). To make things worse, the rising waters in their area are inhabited by crocodiles and various and sundry snakes! I wish there was something I could do for them (and the folks who live in single-story houses/shacks, who are homeless for the time being), but from a distance, that is out of my control. All I can do is pray for them, and hope that the water will recede soon!
And by the way, the above-mentioned special family will be the subject of a future blog posting.
Take care of yourselves, and let's be glad we do not have to go through what folks in Thailand are going through.
B
Horrendous. And so sad. It has reminded me that I have a colleague in Thailand and should write and see how he is. I was going to do it a couple of days ago and then got distracted. Glad you reminded me.
ReplyDeleteJenny, you are so right. It is horrendous, and it's not going away quietly. In fact, the flood waters are now hitting Nontaburi (on the Northern end of Bangkok), with talk of it spreading throughout Bangkok itself. And, Suvarnaphumi Airport could eventually be affected. Where is your friend lodated?
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