General news

Gaemi, still a tropical storm in the South China Sea, has turned west with landfall expected on the Vietnamese coast sometime tomorrow. Preparations are continuing to mimimise its effects when it reaches us a day or so later.

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This satellite photo of Gaemi was taken yesterday morning, showing a much better organised storm than before. Severe thunderstorms are reported at its centre and around one edge. NASA Goddard/MODIS Rapid Response Team

Click button to listen to Gaemi and rightclick to download

Gaemi turns west – towards us

Agencies and Post reporters

Now available at SE-ED and other major bookstores: Thailand submerged, the Bangkok Post's coverage of the Great Floods of 2011 with special help for English language learners, including vocabulary, Thai explanations and sound files.

The good news this morning is that Gaemi is still a tropical storm and it is not clear if it will gain enough strength to become a low-level typhoon. According to the Thai Meteorological Department’s 4am report, maximum winds are 95 kilometres per hour, well below typhoon strength.

The bad news is that it is now clearly, albeit slowly, moving in our direction, with landfall likely on the Vietnamese coastline, south of Hue sometime tomorrow.

That should bring torrential rain throughout much of our region. The water will be welcomed in much of the northeastern part of Thailand, but it could dramatically worsen the flood situation in the hard-hit provinces of Sa Kaew and Prachinburi.

Bangkok, particularly the eastern part where many low-lying areas are already flooded, is also at risk.

Sucharit Koontanakulvong, an expert from the department of water resources engineering at Chulalongkorn University said at least 11 areas around the city could face problems. 

They include Lat Phrao, Min Buri, Phra Khanong, Bang Kae, along Khlong Prawet, Khlong Sam Wa, Khlong Song Wa, Khlong Phraya Ratchamontri, Khlong Phittayalongkorn, Khlong Thawi Wattana, and the area to the east of Suvarnabhumi airport.

The approximate flood level would, however, only be about 20cm, he said.

Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Theera Wongsamut said the Royal Irrigation Department was speeding up draining about 44 million cubic metres per day of water off the plains by the eastern side of the Chao Phraya River.

On the western side of the river, the total water volume to be drained per day was 33 million cu/m, Mr Theera said.

The Pasak Jolasid dam, expected to receive a surge in runoff caused by the storm, needs to release about 8.6 million cu/m per day so it can accommodate the expected rainfall, he said.

The dam is now around 83% full and it can take only about 300 million cu/m of additional water if no drainage is carried out.

The other two major dams, Bhumibol and Sirikit, were both about 60% full and they could accommodate higher volumes of water than the Pasak Jolasid dam, said Suthep Noipairoj, deputy director-general of the irrigation department.

Meanwhile, weather experts say another big storm is forming and could hit the same regions of the country by October 20. It will be given the Thai name Phrapiroon.

satellite – an electronic device that is sent into space and moves around the earth or another planet. It is used for communicating by radio, television, etc. and for providing information ดาวเทียม
severe – very serious and unpleasant รุนแรง
thunderstorm – a storm with thunder and lightning and usually very heavy rain พายุฝน,ฝนตกหนักที่มีพายุและฟ้าแลบ
tropical – relating to the hottest area of the Earth, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn ในเขตร้อน
gain – to gradually get more of something  เพิ่ม
Meteorological Department – the government department in charge of determining what the weather will be in the future กรมอุตุนิยมวิทยา
maximum – the most possible ที่สูงสุด ที่มากที่สุด
albeit – although ถึงแม้ว่า
landfall – the land that you see or arrive at first after a journey by sea or by air การเข้าหาแผ่นดิน, การเห็นแผ่นดิน
coastline (or coast) – an area of land beside the sea ชายฝั่ง  
torrential rain – extremely heavy rain ฝนไหลเชี่ยว
dramatically – in a big way อย่างใหญ่หลวง
particularly – especially, or more than usual โดยเฉพาะ
at risk – in danger ตกอยู่ในความเสี่ยง
approximate – roughly, almost, but not completely, accurate or correct โดยประมาณ
cooperatives – a farm or business owned and run by the people involved, with the profits shared by them สมาคมสหกรณ์
Royal Irrigation Department – The Thai government department in charge of the country's irrigation system กรมชลประทาน
drain – to cause water or fluid to flow out ระบายออก
plains – a large area of flat land ที่ราบ
volume – an amount of something ปริมาณ
surge – a sudden increase in something การเพิ่มขึ้นอย่างรวดเร็ว
runoff – rainfall that cannot be taken in by the soil and which flows into rivers, lakes or the sea น้ำหลาก, ปริมาณของเหลวที่ไหลออก
release – discharge; to let a liquid flow out ระบายออก, ปล่อยออก, ขับออก, พร่อง
accommodate – to prepare what is needed for something ปรับให้เข้ากับ, เปลี่ยนให้เหมาะกับ, จัดให้เหมาะ
deputy – a person whose rank is immediately below that of the leader of an organisation รอง
meanwhile – at the same time ในเวลาเดียวกัน
expert – someone who has a particular skill or who knows a lot about a particular subject ผู้เชี่ยวชาญ
form – to start to exist and develop; to make something start to exist and develop พัฒนาขึ้น, สร้างขึ้น

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