UPDATE: Floodwaters begin to seep into Bangkok’s outer districts

Thailand’s prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra has urged all Bangkok residents to move their belongings to higher ground as floodwaters inch towards the capital’s outer districts. The warning comes a day after opening several floodgates for a controlled release of water through the city’s canals towards the sea. Some progress in steering the floodwaters around the east and west of the capital have been reported, but the prime minister has ordered the military to protect the city’s two international airports, power plants, the water authority, and royal buildings. The Thai government’s public relations department warned on October 20 that floodwater levels could be “higher than the floodwalls of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration” (see story here). As stated on their website, plans to begin short- and long-term rehabilitation plans through four phases to assist flood victims have been rolled out after a meeting on October 20. The first phase aims to provide immediate assistance to victims and will last for an approximate two months. Subsequent phases will provide long-term assistance during periods of high water levels, when floodwaters recede, and during the adjustment of permanent infrastructure. In a bid to assist flood victims, Thai airways has special flights between October 17 and October 23 on its Bangkok-Phitsanulok route to assist government officials and individuals who need to travel to the lower northern and upper central regions of Thailand that have ceased to be accessible via land travel. Singapore Airlines has also released a statement to waive administration fees or penalties for refunds, re-bookings or re-routing of flights for its customers holding confirmed tickets issued on or before October 12 for travel to Bangkok until November 1. This waiver also applies to KrisFlyer redemption tickets. The floodwater currently covers a third of Thailand’s provinces, which amount up to 1.6 million hectares in the north, northeast and centre of the country. Heavy rain forecasts are in for the country next week, raising the risk of intensifying the damages of the crisis. To date, the death toll has risen to more than 300 lives with more than 9 million people affected. For the latest flight updates, visit www.suvarnabhumiairport.com or your carrier’s website. For more updates and information on the floods, visit thailand.prd.go.th. Tiffany Sandrasageran