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Thailand Freak Unseasonal Weather News Items From ThaiVisa.com

18 March 20111 – 3 April 2011

Freak Weather In Thailand Turns Summer Into Winter For Over A Week

These news items are taken from the thaivisa.com website and describe the drastic and unprecedented change in weather in Thailand.

I live in the U.K. (AKA Great Britain or England) and these weather changes affected me directly. Here’s why…

Construction Of My Retirement House in Pakchong (Pak Chong to some) Abruptly Came To A Halt

Although now (early April) is the summer in Thailand this changed in weather brought vast downpours of rain to Pak Chong and the builder and labor decided it was too wet to do any useful work on the house.

That’s pretty simple, but what also happened was that the builder wasn’t answering his phone when my wife (Kanyah) who is watching over the house build in Pakchong tried to contact him to find out he wasn’t on site.

This went on for three days and having read in the press about builders in Thailand just leaving a construction project half way through and knot knowing why the builder wasn’t on site I was really worried.

When it turned out that it was a simple case of “rain stopping play” and the builder and labor returned to site just as soon as the rain stopped I was mightily relieved!

Anyway on to the weather reports…

Posted 2011-03-17

Colder Weather In Thailand Is Caused By Global Warming

Weather Department on Thursday said that the global warming is the major cause of dropping of temperature in Thailand.

Department’s Deputy Director General Somchai Baimuang said that the cold weather is likely to continue until tomorrow.

Temperature on Thursday has dropped across the country, with that in Bangkok dropped to 19 Celcius and that in northern province of Loei went down to 6.12 Celcius.

Sharp Drop In Temperatures Felt In Thailand As Mercury Plummets Nationwide

The sharp drop in temperatures over the past few days makes it seem as if winter has returned to Thailand.

The mercury plummeted to between 16 and 18 degrees Celsius in Bangkok and its neighbouring provinces, while the temperature on Doi Inthanon, the country’s highest peak, plunged to just 3.4 degrees yesterday.

Meteorological Department acting chief Somchai Baimuang said yesterday that the drop in temperatures had stemmed from an intensely high-pressure ridge, which was now hovering over Thailand.

“Never before in my working life have the temperatures dropped as much as 10 degrees in a single day. Never before have I experienced a winter in the summer,” he said.

Earthquake In Burma/Thailand Strong earthquake felt as far south as Bangkok.

RT @REUTERSFLASH: Magnitude 6.9 earthquake hits Thailand, 69 miles north of Chiang Rai – USGS

RT @REUTERSFLASH: Two large quakes, one at 7 magnitude, strike in northeast Myanmar, near Thai and Laotian border – USGS

More than 50 dead in quake: Myanmar official

YANGON, March 25, 2011 (AFP) – At least 50 people were killed after a strong earthquake struck Myanmar near its border with Thailand, a Myanmar official said Friday.

Tremors were felt as far away as Bangkok, almost 800 kilometres (500 miles) from the epicentre, Hanoi and parts of China during the earthquake on Thursday, which the US Geological Survey (USGS) measured at magnitude 6.8.

Disaster Zones Imposed In South Of Thailand After Flooding

Southern Thailand is suffering from downpour-triggered floods, with all 16 of Nakhon Si Thammarat’s districts, eight of Phattalung’s districts, and three of Chumphon’s districts declared disaster zones yesterday.

In response, the government will open a flood situation follow-through centre at Government House this morning.

Phattalung yesterday declared its Muang, Kuan Khanoon, Kongra, Srinakarin, Pa Payom, Khao Chai Son, Sri Banphot and Bang Kaew districts as disaster zones. The situation was particularly severe in Muang and Kuan Khanon, where a total of some 8,000 households and 45,000 rai of farmland were under deep floodwater. Chumphon’s Mungam Lang Suab and Sawi districts were also declared disaster zones.

Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department’s southern region office continued to warn people on the southeastern coast. especially those in Phattalung, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani and Chumphon, of heavy downpours until tomorrow as well as possible flash floods and landslides. Small fishing boats were also urged to remain on shore due to strong winds and 2-3 meter-high waves during this period.

In related news, 150 homes of 1,200 people in 10 tambons of Trang’s Muang, Na Yong, Huai Yod and Wang Wiset districts were flooded yesterday, while many areas of Surat Thani were flooded, especially the low-laying Kanchanadit district. The district is now under 50cm-deep water and at-risk residents have been evacuated.

The continuous rainfall prompted Ranong to have its seacoast residents to move their belongings to higher grounds for fear of flooding condition from rising tides. They also watched out for landslides.

Flood Situation Gets Worse In Thailand’s Mid-South THOUSANDS STRANDED ON KOH SAMUI

Bad weather closes Nakhon Si Thammarat, Samui airports; deaths rise to 9

Flooding in the South has stalled services at Nakhon Si Thammarat and Samui airports.

Thousands of passengers were stranded on Koh Samui in Surat Thani province yesterday, while Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport has been closed since Sunday.

Tourists on the island of Samui had completely lost access to the mainland as of press time because ferry services were also suspended.

As the severe flooding raged on in the South, the death toll rose to nine.

Flood waters are now wreaking havoc in the provinces of Chumphon, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani, Trang, Krabi and Phatthalung.

More Cold Weather In Thailand Expected

The mercury in many parts of the country will plunge by three to five degrees Celsius for a few days due to a low-pressure ridge, the Meteorological Department said yesterday.

Greater Bangkok could shiver in 19-degree weather while even the South might see temperatures drop as low as 22 degrees.

A northern weather bureau said the hot season would return early next month, at about 39-40 degrees.

“It will be scorching then just like any other summer.”

April 17 is expected to be the hottest day of the year, as the sun will be directly overhead.

1 Million People Stranded As Floods Rage Through Thai South Nightmare islands

1 million stranded as floods rage through South; 9 killed, with Nakhon Si Thammarat hit the hardest; Heavy rain likely to continue for next few days

Nearly a million residents living in flood-hit areas in the South have been left stranded with no access to land and air transport, even as the number of deaths increased to nine, with the grim prospect of heavy rains pounding many of the areas for the next few days.

A storm yesterday aggravated difficulties for the hardest-hit province of Nakhon Si Thammarat, damaging 250 homes in coastal areas and the Talum Phuk peninsula. The raging winds felled a number of power poles, causing blackouts in many areas.

The latest official update on the disaster yesterday reported seven deaths, with 979,665 people living in 310,406 affected households. The flood areas cover 63 districts in seven southern provinces.

At Least 4 Dead, 100 Missing In Krabi Mudslide Thai floods kill 15 dead, thousands stranded

KRABI, March 30 — At least four people were killed and more than 100 are missing in a mudslide at Krabi’s Khao Phanom district, while rescue workers have halted their operations fearing further slides.

Flood Crisis In Thai South Still Bad

The flood crisis in Surat Thani remained critical late last night amid surging rivers and high levels of water.

Helicopters were used to airlift about 1,000 stranded villagers in Nakhon Si Thammarat to safety for a second day running.
Flood-related fatalities increased to 45, with latest five coming on top of 40 in an official update yesterday. Some 21 occurred in hardest-hit Nakhon Si Thammarat, according to provincial clerk Decha Kangsanant.

Last Week’s Freezing Temperatures A ‘Freak Event’

The sudden plunge in temperatures last week could be a rare climatic phenomenon, according to a Thai expert.

Assistant Professor Prateung Jintasakul of Rajabhat Nakorn Ratchasima University said the mercury plunged unusually sharply in the Northeast to 15-16 degrees Celsius from March 28 to 31, even though it is summer.

The academic said the same thing occurred during the Ice Age 10,000 years ago when pandas fled extreme cold in China to northeastern Thailand.

In 1982, fossils of pandas were found in the northeast province of Chaiyaphum by a French anthropologist. The fossils could be dated back to the Ice Age.

“So far, it’s not yet conclusive but it certainly is highly unusual. What happened during March 28-31 could also be attributed to alteration of the Earth’s axis or magnetic field etc.”

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