Thailand & Pattaya News, from Fabulous 103fm (8 September 2022)

Thailand & Pattaya News, from Fabulous 103fm (8 September 2022)

In Bangkok , the heaviest of storms for years continued this morning to douse the capital, seeing street flooding in numerous areas and reports that nearly 50% of the drainage pumps have broken down. Drainage canals are said to be overloaded and with the governor, having previously said that the city wouldn’t flood,  in some areas vehicles have been abandoned  by drivers as engines took in water after they were driven into flooded streets, and traffic at a standstill in other areas .  Thai media reports on a number of schools and universities staying closed due to floods.

In addition to flooding through Bangkok, lawmakers posted photos from the new parliament building where, despite orders to repair months ago, roofs leaked and the ground floor was soaked with rainwater too. 12 billion was the build cost, an extra few thousand might have added extra gutters but it is certain that the construction company will be hauled in for MORE repairs… once the rain stops.

All thirteen provinces have reported major flooding since tuesday night, warning of more storms through to the weekend have been given by the MET office, and the teams that manage reservoirs report that whilst Bumpion and Sirikit reservoirs are below the maximum water levels, others have reached their peaks will see dams having to be opened, adding more water to the heavily loaded rivers through the nation. The warning remains in place throughout the whole of the gulf for small boats to remain on the shoreline as waves of up to 3 metres are ported with a storm covering the whole of the gulf.

 A state run university where a 19 year old student doctor was run over and killed by a bus operated by the uni, has rejected her mothers claim of 66 million baht to compensate for the earnings her daughter would have gleaned over the course of a life, that was stopped short through negligence. Using an OUT, the uni claimed that because it was state run she would have to claim through the court system and not in an appeal to the board of governors. No counter offer was reported.

Amid all the water woes, the news of an 81 year old grandmother falling into the swollen Chao phraya river hit the newswires, clinging on to her fish basket that she had had with her when she fell.  20 km downstream, a local fish farmer spotted what he assumed was a corpse, but granny she was still alive,  and has recovered despite her four hour ordease.

Meanwhile, let’s all make 200K baht! If reports are correct, an Indian tourist who’s drunken behaviour way after midnight in walking street saw him squeeze the derriere of a local national, led to HER filing charges, the police processing her claim and HE shamefully being persuaded to part with 200K baht in compensation.  Whilst bottom pinching is not decent behaviour by far, as numerous expats have pointed out to us, this could be the best money maker ever for visitors, as most, if not all of us have, at some time been approached in the street and touched inappropriately by body sellers of all descriptions.   NOW, then it appears we too could complain and reap a couple of hundred thousand baht from professional PREDATORS.  No word on whether Pattaya police station will need to set up a new disk to deal with minor assault,  but the case count could be epidemic. Reality is, of course, that the Indian man apologised profusely but HAD behaved VERY  badly, assuming all ladies out at night to be, ladies of the night. She had every right legally to press charges, which could have seen a 5-10K baht fine.  Instead, its expected that those who offer services, of whom there appear to be many in Walking Street, will saunter the sois, with their hands firmly in their own pockets. No photos of the bruising were released to the media, however for those planning to make similar claims, it’s worth noting that ladies of the night may or may not be able to get their hands on that type of cash to compensate you.

The latest reason for delays in the multiple road repairs in the Pattaya region –  Rain.  Despite much of it due to new drainage, in many cases deep holes dug to bury pipes are now ponds, pumps are running but as soon as they empty out, well, it rains again. Despite the rain, soi 15, behind the Avenue mall is finally seeing concrete laid which will soon see the soi completed after months and months of closure. Flooding continued in some areas yesterday, albeit at a lower rate, but predictions are for more storms throughout the day. The city has now organised teams that will STOP small cars from entering flood areas, allowing trucks and SUV, in some cases to pass but in doing so creating congestion on the major roads as the small cars… have nowhere to go.

Amid all the city water woes, one soi of business owners is complaining that, despite flooding, their soi hasn’t had enough water, at least through the taps. Soi 7 businesses, mostly bars, are complaining that tap water has been at best at a trickle, at worst nothing for over a week. No word on what the water company will do, quickly, to fix the problem  but no doubt there is a major leak somewhere underground, and impossible to track down amid the storms, leaving all in the soi reliant on water trucks.

For more of the latest local & national video news updates, subscribe to our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqqv5O_uGcm-BdVXfgrZyWg
For more news: https://alwayspattaya.com/news/
Listen to the radio online from our homepage!: http://www.alwayspattaya.com