On a boat NW of Pak Kred

Hanging out at pak Kred

Via a friend Samojae who is a journalist I had the honour of meeting Kei Sato, a professional photographer whose exhibition in Bangkok was cancelled due to the flooding.  Instead he is spending his time travelling in flood hit areas.

For once I was on time, I even rushed my noodles in a popular but rather small noodle shop just north of Pak kred pier.  Kei's group was stuck in traffic though so I spent time wandering around the market area photographing the flood defenses whilst listening to the constant din of 2 commentators trying to raise funds for flood relief.  As the only farang in the vicinity I was soon spotted and talked about, I kept a low profile after that :)

f2.8 2011-11-04 13:43:56

Many shops near the pier in Pak Kred have high wal

At a heavily flooded Pakkred Pier I sat watching relief supplies being loaded very slowly onto a 2 boats before heading out to those more in need west of the river.

f2.8 2011-11-04 13:51:10

Pier under Rama 4

The first batch were carried by people from pickup to pier edge, whereas the second pickup truck load was carried in a more orderly line of people passing bags, a much more efficient procedure.  The bags had a note to the effect of 'something like "fund for Natural disaster victims.... office of Prime Minister"'

f2.8 2011-11-04 14:41:29

14:40 One of many relief bags at Pak Kred pier. Wh

f2.8 2011-11-04 14:42:41

14:45 A line of people transferring goods from van

f2.8 2011-11-04 14:51:37

14:47 Goods being moved from pier to boat #thaiflo

After the 2 boats were loaded, one was then unloaded, the relief bags replaced with boxes.  When I returned to Pak Kred pier 3 hours later the releif bags were still there.

f2.8 2011-11-04 14:58:15

14:57 With typical thai efficiency 1 of the 2 boat

The boat finally left at 15:13, around an hour after the boats had originally arrived.  Some photos were taken, I even saw a large HD video camera taking images of the bags and relief workers.  There did not seem much in the way of organisation and more importanly urgency in the 1.5 hours I was waiting at Pak Kred pier.

f7 2011-11-04 08:12:26

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f7 2011-11-04 08:13:18

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I have subsequently seen other non govt relief efforts where urgency and efficienty were the order of the day, as it should be in this situation.

Boat Trip

Approximately 90 mins late due to traffic Kei and Samojae arrived, with others whose names I have now forgotten :(  The toilet at Pak Kred pier was out of action so we ended up paying to use a toilet in a local shop nearby.  I was very surprised the shop vendor spoke good English.

f2.8 2011-11-04 15:16:08

View from newsagent near the pier, note the high w

We took the ferry across the river under Rama 4, a mere 2 baht, and landed on the pier there.

f7 2011-11-04 08:32:12

Flooded housing looking north from Rama 4

f7 2011-11-04 08:31:55

Two people on a boat near the Chedi at the north e

Looking west along the roads under Rama 4, one could see only boats, not cars.  Many of these people were offering taxi services for a fee, and indeed 2 of our 3 boatsman can be seen in this picture.

f7 2011-11-04 08:33:32

Boats under Rama 4 U turn, west of the Chao Phraya

There was only room for 2 people per boat, so we split into 3 boats.  They were quite narrow and not particularly stable when stationary, I was quite nervous getting in, especially as I was carrying camera gear.  As were the others.

f2.8 2011-11-04 15:33:32

Boat the west end of Rama 4 road

f2.8 2011-11-04 15:34:21

Boat the west end of Rama 4 road

We headed along the Rama 4 route for 200m or so then turned right following the route to Wat Toei.  I know this area from having cycled here, it was quite horrifying to see the state the area was in now.

f2.8 2011-11-04 15:39:59

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f7 2011-11-04 08:45:37

Broken bank machine outside a 7/11

Wat Toei was still dry, the only dry premises in the area, providing a haven for dogs and humans alike.  

f2.8 2011-11-04 15:41:14

Dog sleeping on sandbags at Wat Toei

f7 2011-11-04 08:46:59

The ads for housing seem very out of context in th

Children could be seen playing in or by the floodwater, too innocent to understand the health dangers that lurk.  However the water was flowing here, less dangerous than stagnant pond water.

f7 2011-11-04 08:47:58

Chldren playing on sanbags by Wat Toei

As our boats cycled past the turn off to Wat Tamnak Nua I could only but gasp at the increased water levels - here is the same sign photographed on 28/9/2011 and 4/11/2011

f2.8 2011-09-28 17:56:08

Partially submerged bike by road sign

f7 2011-11-04 08:49:06

I cannot believe how deep this area is now, a rout

Our boatsman with the Honda shirt seemed very happy.  Even though his boat did not have an engine, his T shirt did, so he got a tow, and was earning money for simply sitting in a boat.

f7 2011-11-04 08:49:41

The man with a Honda tshirt, but no Honda engine o

Others also seemed relaxed

f7 2011-11-04 08:52:06

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I could not believe I was sitting in a boat viewing roads I had cycled previously cycled.

f2.8 2011-11-04 15:44:33

My view from the front of the boat

f7 2011-11-04 08:53:47

Cars parked on the slightest rise available to avo

One part of our route was too shallow for boats, so we had to get out and walk a little.  Several cars were parked on this rise, with ingenious additions for height.

f2.8 2011-11-04 15:50:23

Some creative vehicle raising, north west of Wat T

f2.8 2011-11-04 15:51:19

Some creative vehicle raising, north west of Wat T

An army truck came by, complete with rescue volunteers, and threw food to this woman on her balcony

f7 2011-11-04 09:01:18

Army truck delivering food to this woman living on

Back in the boat we saw several submerged vehicles, but this one with a 'For Sale' sign on it in Thai stood out for me

f6.4 2011-11-04 09:11:21

Car for sale, good runner. One careful owner.

Dogs swam, signs were submerged

f6.4 2011-11-04 09:08:42

Dog swimming

f6.4 2011-11-04 09:10:20

The season - the wet season

f7 2011-11-04 09:14:27

Reflected sign

We stopped briefly at a wat called Wat Pa Ray Yai - at the time of the trip I was unsure where I was but I later realised I had visited this temple by bicycle.  Leaving the wat one Thai guy posed very energetically for us

f7 2011-11-04 09:19:30

This guy was quite energetic with his hellos

We crossed what I assume was formerly a field, as there wre no obvious road markings such as signs or houses

f7 2011-11-04 09:21:03

The man wearing the Honda t shirt had a boat with

f2.8 2011-11-04 16:01:28

Photographer Kae Sato surveying the scene

Finally I recognised where we were again, a route I had cycled between Wat Toei and Wat Bang Nai.  It was very strange seeing so many things half under water.

f7 2011-11-04 09:27:42

Welcome

f7 2011-11-04 09:29:51

Ad for housing, floodwater below

f7 2011-11-04 09:29:57

City Limit sign just above floodwater

 The floods however offer opportunities to see wildlife, wildlife that is similarly displaced and confused.

f7 2011-11-04 09:26:47

Heron type bird in a bush near the 'road' to Wat T

Boat was quite clearly the best way to get around, and the Thais I saw were generally happy to be photographed

f7 2011-11-04 09:30:52

Man transporting gas on a boat

f7 2011-11-04 09:31:47

Sometimes old methods of transport are better than

f7 2011-11-04 09:33:36

Boy on a boat near Wat Tan

Wat Tan

The water finally became too shallow to float in outside Wat Tan.  Rubbish in the area was noticeably stacking up, a side effect of the normal rubbish trucks being unable to navigate the flooded roads.  Many I saw were passing the time drinking beer, some slept in their boats, not much else to do.

f7 2011-11-04 09:34:11

Rubbish collection, or lack of it, is starting to

f7 2011-11-04 09:36:11

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f7 2011-11-04 09:34:26

A man walks with a newly purchased cold beer outsi

The entrance outside the wat and the bridge nearby were the highest ground in the immediate area.  Many motorbikes were jacked up in order to reduce the chance of their engines getting wet.

f7 2011-11-04 09:36:27

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f7 2011-11-04 09:37:11

Motorbike raised on old car tyres

f7 2011-11-04 10:09:27

Motorbike raised just above the floodwaters

Inside Wat Tan, we walked nervously along a raised wooden path.  These are common in flooded areas, but the quality of construction is often iffy, as they are built by locals out of necessity and no safety standards appear to apply.  Passing people is quite difficult, careful balance is required, and some parts of the path were themselves shin deep in water, making them slippery to walk on.

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f7 2011-11-04 09:56:53

Kei Sato walking along the narrow and partially su

At the end of the path by the river swallows reigned supreme.  A boat from Pak Kred docked at the peir, carrying passengers for 20 baht which seemed reasonable in the circumstances.

f7 2011-11-04 09:52:00

Boat from Pak Kred to Wat Tan - one passenger said

f7 2011-11-04 09:51:04

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In the temple several chldren appeared to be living temporarily.  When they saw farang they were happy to play for the many cameras, the young boy in paritcular has a future in show business.

f7 2011-11-04 09:58:10

Chlldren playing for the camera at Wat Tan

One old man chose not to use the path and waded through the water, he looked weathered enough that he had seen this all before

f7 2011-11-04 10:03:19

An old man wades through water at Wat Tan

Heading Back

Light was running low and it was time to leave, but not without a quick self portrait.  I saw some dogs being transported by various means, polystyrene raft or more conventional boat - it was good to see animals being cared for.  I did see one dog sleeping on a roof but there were many people living there (a small condo) so I was not overly concerned for it's welfare.

f7 2011-11-04 10:09:43

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f7 2011-11-04 10:13:13

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f7 2011-11-04 10:16:02

Poodle on a boat

f7 2011-11-04 10:14:16

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f7 2011-11-04 10:19:41

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At the left turn to Pak Kred a number of vehicles were abandoned, apparently broken by floodwater.  I even saw a model zebra, often left at Buddhist shrines, trapped up a tree.  Young and old could be seen paddling instead of driving, flood does not discriminate, all are affected.  Even those who appear rich and look more than a little pissed off at being in a boat.

f7 2011-11-04 10:17:42

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f7 2011-11-04 10:20:53

A model of a zebra clinging onto a tree branch nex

f7 2011-11-04 10:25:14

A mother comforts her worried child

f7 2011-11-04 10:33:14

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f7 2011-11-04 10:36:10

This lady looks rather pissed off being on a boat

Nearing our starting point we passed Wat Toei, with only 10 or 15 mins to spare before darkness fell.  Wat Toei was still a haven of dryness, a mother with her child smiled at me as we passed.

f7 2011-11-04 10:38:57

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f6.4 2011-11-04 10:40:21

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f6.4 2011-11-04 10:41:28

A women with her child on the sandbag wall at Wat

Back at Rama 4 it was still strange to see so many boats around where one would normally see cars.  I saw many pictures of the same person, I think politician around the area, all of them juxtaposed in flooding.  An old man hung around the childrens playground, his boat tethered to a climbing frame that has not been used for some time.

f6.4 2011-11-04 10:44:10

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f6.4 2011-11-04 10:44:34

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As the sun set over Pak Kred, flooded since around 10th Sep 2011, we travelled back to Pak Kred and said our goodbyes.  It was a shame not to be able to talk to Kei more, but he was under a tight schedule and also in a different boat which did not allow much conversation.  I hope he enjoyed his time in this lovely part of Nonthaburi, albeit in different circumstances that his his original intentions of visiting Thailand.

f6.4 2011-11-04 10:50:19

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