In just over two hours of heavy downpours on Friday afternoon, Bangkok became inundated and traffic came to a standstill.
The effects also extended to the surrounding areas. The flood situation is a testament to one fact -- the poor preparation and handling on the part of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) regarding seasonal floods.
According to information from the BMA's Flood Prevention Centre, floodwater rose as high as 20cm on most roads across the city. The hardest-hit areas included a section of Si Ayutthaya Road in front of Santiratwitthayalai School which was inundated with floodwater about 10cm to 15cm deep, as well as sections of Vibhavadi Rangsit Road connecting to Lat Phrao intersection, Huai Khwang intersection, Rama IX Road, and the areas around the BTS Skytrain's Mo Chit station. Some districts in the Thon Buri side, such as Bangkok Noi, were also submerged.
Frustrated commuters and residents who braced for high water levels on Friday evening flooded social media with complaints. Paralysed traffic and submerged cars were a common scene in a number of hard-hit areas in the capital. Meanwhile, all the stations of the city's rail systems were also jam-packed.
Everyone was left asking about the whereabouts of Bangkok governor Pol Gen Aswin Kwanmuang who was quick to post apologies and excuses on Facebook.
In his message, Pol Gen Aswin said he was monitoring the situation. He said he did not venture out because he was afraid his car "would have added to the traffic situation". The governor quickly blamed the disruption of electricity in Bang Sue which houses one of the city's largest water draining systems for the city's inability to cope with floods.
He claimed the electricity "went off for several hours" before resuming at 6pm. The question remains as to why the city does not have a power reserve system such as generators to solve the immediate problem.
Hoping to alleviate the ordeal of city residents, the governor said he sent out vehicles to take those who were trapped at flooded bus stops home on Friday night.
His explanation indicates the city lacks a real strategy to deal with the inundation but instead handles the situation in a passive way without efficiency. It is apparent that such a conventional approach is not enough given the fact Bangkok is located in a low-lying area that experiences heavy land subsidence. Poor water drainage systems and road infrastructure make floods a serious issue.
More importantly, the fact the country entered the rainy season last month means the BMA and the Bangkok governor should have prepared better. The Friday floods are a clear testament that the city did not. It is disappointing as to why they did not think about proactive tactics including lowering water levels in city canals, a technique called prong nam, and dredging ahead of the rains to ensure there were areas to absorb more rainwater. To blame an unfortunate power blackout as if it was not preventable shows a lack of responsibility.
The governor may be astute enough to offer quick apologies as that is the best way to get out of trouble when facing public frustration and anger.
Pol Gen Aswin's quick "sorry", is probably one of the few things that he learned from his predecessor, elected two-time governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra who totally failed when dealing with public anger.
Such a failure cost him his position. In 2016, when the city was overwhelmed with a series of floods, MR Sukhumbhand, battered by criticism, resorted to bad excuses. Public anger heightened when he came up with a poor suggestion: those fed up with the inundation should leave the city, which is in a low-lying area, and go to live on higher land. Such a statement was seen as arrogance and it is he who had to go.
MR Sukhumbhand's failure to deal with public frustration, and a few scandals, prompted prime minister and regime leader Prayut Chan-o-cha to invoke the draconian Section 44 order, booting him out of office. He handpicked Pol Gen Aswin, deputy governor, as his successor amid public suspicion about his calibre.
It's a pity the PM seems to be unaware that city people deserve better. After nearly three years in office, Pol Gen Aswin has not made that impression. Bangkok will soon have a governor election. When the time comes, netizens of Bangkok will make their pick for someone who can serve them and do more than just make excuses.