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Suvarnabhumi  Airport flooding

Suvarnabhumi Airport is still only flooded with parked cars.

“Nam tuam!”

“Water high,” exclaimed my taxi driver as we headed into town from Suvarnabhumi Airport. “Water. Up, up, up!” A middle aged and overly excited gent, he used his hand to show the water levels. Just in case I didn’t get it.

“Your hotel,” he added, with a bit too much glee in his voice to my way of thinking. “Water. Up, up, up!”

Huh. Damn. About time.

They postponed the Royal Barge procession that had been scheduled for last week (thanks to the flood); they postponed Tawan Bar’s silver jubilee celebration that had been scheduled for this week (thanks to the flood); hell, even my hotel postponed their Loi Krathong celebration and that wasn’t scheduled to occur until late next week (thanks to the flood). And so far flood-wise: Nada. Zip. Zilch.

Chiang mai airports' flood center for travellers

Chiang Mai erects a flood info center for travellers. No one working the center has a clue of what is happening in Bangkok. No problemo, one of the guys is cute and willing to flirt with me instead.

Maybe I was finally in luck. According to my taxi driver, my hotel was under water. That made sense. The prime minister had finally admitted that the government couldn’t control Mother Nature and that all of Bangkok could expect to be flooded. She even declared a five day holiday to celebrate the event. It’s probably the only celebration planned that won’t get postponed. Fortunately I was travelling light. And looking forward to wading through knee high water to get checked in to a hotel a block away from the Chao Phraya.

The flood dominates the news on TV. Pictures of helpless locals knee deep in water are a constant. Predictions of just how bad it will be for Bangkok come fast and furious, each becoming more dire as the high tides approach. At the airport in Chiang Mai a special flood alert area has been set up to provide travellers with the latest news. And yet, finding out what really is going on where it matters is impossible. Yes, I feel for the thousands of locals whose homes have been overrun by the water the government diverted their way. But I’m on holiday. And the world revolves around me. So will someone tell me if I’ll be able to drink my way through the bars on Soi Twilight over the next few nights?

taxis parked to avoid flooding in bangkok

Taxis safely parked along the tollway, just before the Silom exit.

Rumor has it that any place in Bangkok will be flooded soon. All of the bars, not just Classic Boys, will have shows with boys swimming under water. Tourists are changing their plans. Many yet to arrive have cancelled their trip. Bangkok Airways is even issuing vouchers for those who wish to reschedule their flights. With a smug smile Air Asia’s only response is an insincere, “Sorry” while they count all the additional baht they’ll make over interrupted travel plans. Expats in Pattaya report, with glee, that the residents of Bangkok are fleeing to their little town, proud that they can finally act like that cesspool has a purpose beyond cheap sex.

But little evidence of the flood waters is on hand to greet me as I land at Suvarnabhumi Airport. Only a taxi driver spreading the same alarm everyone else has settled on. Flying out a few days earlier the airport looked like a parking lot as locals planted their cars for the duration, high above the expected flood levels. That hasn’t changed. But now, coming into town more and more elevated roadways are being used for vehicle storage. The long lines of taxis safely parked along the tollway seem to announce it really is serious. My driver’s non-stop mantra of “Water, up, up, up,” convinces me I’m finally going to be blessed with a travel tale to tell for years to come.

bangkok from the 26th floor

A room with a view; but no view of flooding.

But turning onto Charoen Krung Road I find it is still dry. The sandbags stacked to the side of the lobby entrance are still basking in the sun. I get assigned a room on the 26th floor, the highest in the building. Maybe management is filling their rooms from the top down in order to keep their guests dry? I’m happy to have scored a great view until I consider if the flood hits and is as bad as everyone seems to think it will be, a power outage will mean 26 floors of stairs to climb. Maybe I’ll just hang out at the third floor bar for the next few days and watch the river run through it.