Bangkok’s “Special Flood Holidays” Should Not Be Extended

The BBC’s Rachel Harvey, who must be driving round all day trying to find flooded areas – pity she doesn’t show the 95% of Bangkok that still isn’t flooded.

The Thai government of Yingluck Shinawatra is apparently considering extending the “special flood holidays” in Bangkok, which were initally meant to run from Thursday until this Monday (October 31st), for a few more days.

That alone seems a little odd, particularly as high tide ends on Monday and, as inner Bangkok still isn’t flooding (except for a few small areas).

Obviously too, her government likely isn’t considering the longer these “special flood holidays” continue the worse Thailand’s economy gets and the more problems several million Thais in and around Bangkok will have when it comes to making money and paying bills.

People like street stall food vendors, motorcycle taxi drivers, taxi drivers and a whole slew of other people who depend on foot traffic on the streets to make money are losing millions of baht per day, the longer these “special flood holidays” go on.

Khun Yingluck. It is a nice idea, but the last thing Bangkok needs is yet more “special flood holidays”.

Update – Sunday, October 30th  – Thailand’s government has just announced the “special flood holiday” will not be extended as they do not expect the situation to worsen but, instead, to improve.

We think they made the right decision.