Temples in Bangkok: Phra Nakhon เขตพระนคน district

Wat Indrawihan วัดอินทรวิหาร, also Wat Intharawihan:
The temple is known for Buddhasiariyametriya, a large image of a standing Buddha with a height of 32 meters. The temple was built during the Ayutthaya period and was first called Wat Rai Phrik. During the reign of King Rama VI the temple has been restored by Chao Inthawong (เจ้าอินทวงศ์) and became his name. In this time the large Buddha image Luang Pho Tho (หลวงพ่อโต, พระศรีอริยเมตไตรย) was built. The image is covered with intricately designed 24 karat gold mosaics made in Italy. The top knot of the Buddha contains sacred Buddhist relics from Sri Lanka. In a small building you find the holy well of Phra Putthachan. See the official page of Wat Intharawihan

Picture by Aimaimyi

Picture by Jason7825

Picture by bluegrooove

Picture by bluegrooove





Wat Noranat Suntarikaram วัดนรนาถสุนทริการาม: Restored by Phraya Choduek Ratchasetthi (Thian Chotikasathien) in the Fifth Reign. Here you find a Chedi in Gothic style. This is an exception, a rare European influence in Thai temple building art.


See pictures by Gerry Gantt Photography. See video by pongsakornlovic

Sources of Information about the flood in Bangkok

Donate to help flood victims in Thailand: The Thai Red Cross


Donate also to Mercy Centre in Khlong Toey (Bangkok)

The latest warnings of Bangkok Governor

Thailand Flood Crisis Information Map (by Asian Institute of Technology)

Maps of flood risk areas and protection measures in Bangkok

Map of land elevation in Bangkok: Where the flood could go earlier, because the land lies not high.

Flood map for tourists by Richard Barrow

The youtube flood update guy: Many Thais now listen to Sasin Chalermlarp ศศิน เฉลิมลาภ, secretary-general of the Seub Nakasathien Foundation. A geology graduate, Sasin is a green warrior working on a conservation project in the Western Forest Complex, covering Uthai Thani, Kanchanaburi, Nakhon Sawan, Kamphaeng Phet, Kanchanaburi, Suphan Buri and Tak. He now gets a lot of attention for his accurate flood updates. See Sasin Chalermlarp ศศิน เฉลิมลาภ videos on youtube, see his updates on Facebook

Thai songs about the flood: Song for Thai Flood, Flood THAILAND : HELP NOW / PREM ( Natee Nee )
, music thai flood คนไทยไม่ทิ้งกันกมลพร, thaiflood song :Musicians meet victims, Thailand Ayutthaya Flood 2011 music เบิร์ด ธงไชย แมคอินไตย.

@bangkokgovernor and @bkk_best, and www.facebook.com/bkk.best: The presemce of Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA). It uses the channels to monitor the flood situation and communicate directly with BMA staff and others.

http://floodthailand.net The governments official website, information on the current situation, lists of emergency telephone numbers. It also allows people to post messages seeking help, by filling in details of what they need and where they are.

@FloodThailand: The Information and Communications Technology Ministry has set up an official Twitter account to keep track of the flood disaster.

http://www.facebook.com/raorukcholpratan and @PR_RID: The Royal Irrigation Department regularly updates its services and assistance available. The department uses the social media along with its main website at www.rid.go.th.

News by Tan News Network on Twitter

Twitter about Bangkok flood

News about flood in Ayutthaya

thaiflood.com: Internet pioneer and founder of Kapook.com, Poramate Minsiri, has founded this group. The group communicates with its volunteers and the others via social networks at Facebook.com/thaiflood and at Twitter.com/thaiflood (@thaiflood and #thaiflood).

www.facebook.com/siamarsa) and (@siamarsa): SiamArsa is a group of volunteers helping flood victims.

After the flood in Bangkok

29.10.2011

'Water motorway' to keep floods away from capital: A team of water management experts have proposed that the government build new "water motorway" to reduce the damage of flooding in Bangkok in the long run. (Bangkok Post)

Thai Bus Timetables - not easy to find, but here they are

The big Thai bus company The Transport Co Ltd has an English section on their homepage, but if you click there, you don't find timetables. And to handle the Thai navigation and then translate Thai information is a bit difficult. That's why we start a litte help here:

North

Buses from Bangkok กรุงเทพฯ to

Chiang Kham เชียงคำ: Click Chiang Kham Bus Bus Standard 4 (B) Double Deck 50 Seat with Lavatory

Chiang Khong เชียงของ: Click Chiang Khong Bus Standard 1 (B) 40 Seat with Lavatory and Chiang Khong Bus Standard 4 (B) Double Deck 50 Seat with Lavatory

Chiang Mai ชียงใหม่: Click Chiang Mai Bus Standard 4 (A) VIP Double Deck 32 Seat with Lavatory and Chiang Mai Bus Standard 4 (B) Double Deck 50 Seat with Lavatory

Chiang Rai เชียงราย: Click Chiang Rai Bus Standard 4 (A) VIP Double Deck 32 Seat with Lavatory and Chiang Rai Bus Standard 4 (B) Double Deck 50 Seat with Lavatory

Chiang Saen เชียงแสน: Click Chiang Saen Bus Standard 1 (B) 40 Seat with Lavatory

Doi Tao - Jom Thong ดอยเต่า - จอมทอง: Click Doi Tao - Jom Thong Bus Standard 4 (B) Double Deck 50 Seat with Lavatory

Kamphaengphet กำแพงเพชร: Click Kampangpetch Bus Standard 1 (B) 40 Seat with Lavatory

Lampang ลำปาง: Click Lampang Bus Standard 1 (A) VIP 24 Seat with Lavatory and Lampang Bus Standard 4 (B) Double Deck 50 Seat with Lavatory

Lamphun ลำพูน: Click Lamphun Bus Standard 4 (A) VIP Double Deck 32 Seat with Lavatory and Lamphun Bus Standard 4 (B) Double Deck 50 Seat with Lavatory

Lee - Lamphun ลี้ - ลำพูน: Click Lee - Lamphun Bus Standard 4 (B) Double Deck 50 Seat with Lavatory

Mae Sai แม่สาย: Click Mae Sai Bus Standard 4 (A) VIP Double Deck 32 Seat with Lavatory and Mae Sai Bus Standard 4 (B) Double Deck 50 Seat with Lavatory

Mae Sot แม่สาย: Click Mae Sot Bus Standard 4 (A) VIP Double Deck 32 Seat with Lavatory and Mae Sot Bus Standard 4 (B) Double Deck 50 Seat with Lavatory

Nan น่าน: Click Nan Bus Standard 4 (B) Double Deck 50 Seat with Lavatory

Phitsanulok พิษณุโลก: Click Phitsanulok Bus Standard 1 (A) VIP Double Deck 24 Seat with Lavatory and Phitsanulok Bus Standard 4 (B) Double Deck 50 Seat with Lavatory

Phrae แพร่: Click Phrae Bus Standard 4 (A) VIP Double Deck 32 Seat with Lavatory

Phrae - Song แพร่ - สอง/span>: Click Phrae-Song Bus Standard 1 (B) 40 Seat with Lavatory and Phrae Bus Standard 4 (B) Double Deck 50 Seat with Lavatory

Phayao-Ban Tom พะเยา-บ้านต๋อม: Phayao-Ban Tom Bus Standard 1 (B) 40 Seat with Lavatory
Sam Liam Thong Kham เชียงแสน: Click Sam Liam Thong Kham Bus Standard 4 (B) Double Deck 50 Seat with Lavatory

Sawan Khalok สวรรคโลก: Click Sawan Khalok Bus Standard 1 (B) 40 Seat with Lavatory

Tak ตาก: Click Tak Bus Standard 4 (B) Double Deck 50 Seat with Lavatory

Tha Ton บ้านท่าตอน: Click Tha Ton Bus Standard 4 (B) Double Deck 50 Seat with Lavatory

Thung Chang ทุ่งช้าง: Click Thung Chang Bus Standard 4 (A) VIP Double Deck 32 Seat with Lavatory and Thung Chang Bus Standard 4 (B) Double Deck 50 Seat with Lavatory

Utharadit อุตรดิตถ์: Click Utharadit Bus Standard 1 (A) VIP 24 Seat with Lavatory and Utharadit Bus Standard 4 (B) Double Deck 50 Seat with Lavatory

From Bangkok back to the glorious days of old Siam

Picture Napatsron Wat Chai Wattanaram วัดไชยวัฒนาราม in Ayutthaya

Can you imagine, that there was a town in Siam with more than one million inhabitants, that was admired by Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian, Japanese and Persian visitors as well as by Portuguese, Dutch, English, Dane and French guests? This was Ayutthaya, the first capital. Did you know, that The Grand Palace, Wat Arun and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok are copies of the old Grand Palace, Wat Chaiwattanaram and Wat Phra Si Sanphet in Ayutthaya? Today this town is still worth a trip from Bangkok. Read more about its temples and ruins and read reviews of guests, who have been to hotels, guesthouses and restaurants: Treasures of Ayutthaya. On the way you may also stop at Bang Pa-In Royal Palace, where European, Chinese and Thai architecture have melted together.

Picture marhas Sages Lookout at Bang Pa-In Royal Palace

Discover more in Bangkok: Your Guide to Bangkok

The flood in Bangkok and Thailand

Help the flood victims! thaiflood.com has News in Thai and English. It wants to be a news and donation information center. Here you get adresses, where your help is needed.

This update is from 3 november 2010

Troups were under way to reach people isolated by the floods in the Southern Provines of Thailand.

In Hat Yai the water had receded in suburbs, but in the city centre it was still more than two metres high. The flood water level in Kim Yong and Santisuk markets in downtown Hat Yai decreased to 50 centimetres from the reported peak of two to three metres. The average flood level in the entire urban area was 1.5 metres last night, this according to "The Nation". Electricity was now available in certain areas except Kim Yong market. See pictures by Juarawee

A weather report said the storms had changed direction towards Cambodia and Vietnam but would still cause heavy rain in coastal provinces on the Gulf of Thailand.

The Airport of the island Koh Samui has reopened at 3pm on Wednesday. Travelling Trini shows pictures of the flood on Koh Samui on her blog.

Also Surat Thani Airport has reopened. Hat Yai Airport is open.

Read more on Bangkok Post.


This update is from 2 november 2010


Again pictures of the flood in Thailand go around the world. But Bangkok is not affected right now.

The flood hits provinces in the South of Thailand. In Hat Yai for example the water was two to three meters high, around one million people in the province have been affected. See boat on the street in Hatyai: Pictures by naelkung and Phassaphol

Also the islands Koh Samui and Koh Phangan were declared disaster zones. Koh Samui's airport was closed Tuesdayx, but reopening was planned, ferries to the island were stopped.

Train services in the South were stopped. Electricity and communication were down in several areas.

See a map of the flood in the South of Thailand

Read more on Bangkok Post. For information on Samui airport contact Bangkok Airways call centre at 1771 or 02-270-6699. For information on train services contact the State Railway of Thailand at Hotline 1690 or see on www.railway.co.th. Flood centre in Hat Yai: call 074 200 000, 074 200 007 or Hotline 1559.


This update is from 28 october 2010
Picture Juarawee
On Koh Kret in Nonthaburi you cannot shop anymore.

Acoording to the Emergency Medical Institute of Thailand 54 men and 14 women in 19 provinces have died because of the flood in Thailand.

The coordination center for flood relief yesterday warned that Bangkok and vicinity areas are to brace for flooding conditions during the high tide peak on November 8. Read more on The Nation

Until October 31 a strong monsoon is hovering over the South and the Gulf of Thailand, as The Nation notes.


This update is from 27 october 2010
Still flood alert in Bangkok for the next to days, but until now the flood defence of the city has worked. 1000 homes along the Chao Phraya river in Bangkok have been flooded, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said. At Satri Watrakhang School, the Chao Phraya River overflowed into the sports ground. The area around Pakklong Talad, the flower and vegetable market, was flooded in the morning, and a wooden bridge and sandbags formed temporary walkways at Prannok Pier near Siriraj Hospital. Read more on Bangkok Post. Bangkok Post shows a map of communities along Chao Phraya and Khlong Bangkok Noi, that have been flooded. See the 7-Day-Weather-Forecast for Thailand by Thai Meteorological Department Thai authorities on Wednesday issued a warning for possible flash floods and mudslides in 15 southern provinces in the coming days. Read more See the flood in Ayutthaya: video This update is from 26 october 2010 "Bangkok survives but round 2 coming", writes The Nation thaiflood.com has News in Thai and English. It wants to be a news and donation information center. thaiflood.com has also a map, where you can zoom to a certain location and see videos and pictures of the situation. On twitter.com you get the latest news by people and journalists with the search thaiflood. You can also do a twitter-search with flood and bangkok and get this result. A map of flood risk areas in Bangkok by Bangkok Post. See how people walked on sandbags at Saphan Thaksin Skytrain Station See Ban Nong O near Prachinburi on this video See communities along Chao Phraya River on this video This update is from 25 october 2010 See Chao Phraya River and Ko Kred เกาะเกร็ด in Nonthaburi on this video See flooded houses in Bangkrua in Nonthaburi on this video See the flood in Korat on this video Recommend this blog on Twitter an Facebook

The train arrives in Suvarnabhumi Airport

See the locations on Bangkok Airport Rail Link Google Map

Picture Ian Fuller

Finally there is a train to Bangkok Airport: Since the beginning of June 2010 the Suvarnabhumi Airport Link (SARL) has been open for a test run. Free rides have been offered by State Railways of Thailand. Commercial service opens on August 23. The ride with the Airport Express train will cost 150 baht. It's not a line of Skytrain, but a separate railway. If you take an express train at the airport, you will stop at Makkasan Station, where you can change to MRT Phetchaburi Metro station. At Makkasan station there will be an City Airport Check-In. If you take a commuter train at the airport with more stops, you can drive to Phayathai Station, get out there and change to the BTS Phayathai Skytrain station. Read more: State Railways Airport Rail Link.



The Airport Link seen from the air. Picture UweBKK




Before an extension of Silom line from Taksin Bridge to Won Wien Yai had started operations for the public in May 2009. The new line delivered free services for the first three month. Earlier the Skytrain didn't cross Chao Phraya River. There are two new stations: Krung Thonburi Station and Wongwian Yai station. See the locations on Google Map Bangkok Transportation.

And why did it take many years to complete this extension? Click David in Siam, he has the answer. If you want to read even more about this story: 2bangkok.com has it.


Picture by Ian Fuller


Maps and timetables of Skytrain, Metro, Buses and railways and connections with boats on Chao Phraya River



Discover more in Bangkok:
Your Guide to Bangkok


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