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A sharp-eyed regular reader just emailed me this photo taken by French Photojournalist Saeed Khan. The shot is from 11/9 and was taken in the Mo Chit area of Bangkok, close to where the Weekend Market is held.
Hearththrobs and beefcake aside, Khan has taken a number of excellent shots of the disaster that put a very real face on how the flooding is effecting locals. I’m sharing them on his behalf below (I’m sure he’d be thrilled).
All of these photos are from the area around the Chatuchak market and were taken yesterday, Nov. 9th. Bringing the expanse of the flooding problem home, the stairs to the right in the last photo are those leading up to the Mo Chit BTS station, a spot many of us are familiar with.
I’m back home now; when I left Bangkok earlier this week the touri areas around Silom, Patpong, and Sukhumvit were still high and dry. Locals seemed to be still expecting the worst as more and more sandbags and retaining walls appeared daily. Food and water shortages were sporadic; one 7/11’s shelves were empty while a block away you could find anything you were looking for.
The riverboats along the Chao Phraya River were still not running, the newest date for operations to resume is posted as 11/15. Loy Kratong festivities (which would have begin today) have been cancelled by the government, though I’d expect that locals will still be out floating lanterns. This year they’ll just have more places available to do so.
Meanwhile, officials can’t seem to make up their minds on whether the flooding will spread further or has already reached its peak.
Glenn said:
I arrived last night. I have never seen the airport so empty. There were no lines at immigration. Zero people there at all when I arrived around 9:15PM. It was eerie.
The papers continue to report conflicting info. The city could be dry in 11 days. Or 2 weeks. Or 6 weeks…
dropdeadguys said:
Thanks for the input Glenn.
When I flew out this week, there was 0 wait at immigration. I had two lines to choose from with only the visitor at the desk in front of me.
Hope you have a wonderful trip!
Stry said:
It’s hard to imagine what it would be like to have to face such flooding on a daily basis. I mean I can see the photos and I know what it is like to walk down the street here, on a very, heavy rainy day. But to wake up to such flooding as they are having in Thailand, everyday, day after day…….it just shows that the human spirit really can endure if it has to.
It’s not hard, however, to imagine what I would like to say/do to the wonderful samaritan in the first photo, tugging the boat. My, my what a gorgeous dude (great body). Even in tragedy, it is possible to find beauty.
dropdeadguys said:
Yup, Stry. amid all that tragedy, not only a hunk of beauty, but it’s amazing how upbeat the people impacted are. Still smiles everywhere.
Al said:
Good post !
dropdeadguys said:
Lol, thanks for the inspiration Al!
Al said:
Ha haha, inspired me too, I knew you’d run with the ball.
dropdeadguys said:
Ballsy of you to be tossing out bad puns Al . . .
served.