Once again, floods waters run deep in Sukhumvit Soi 35 near Wat Nong
Yai.
Phasakorn Channgam
Just two hours of rainfall had Pattaya residents
singing a common refrain as flooded streets and bogged down traffic
inspired another rendition of the rainy day blues.
While the Thai Meteorological Agency said only four
millimeters of rain fell in the April 9 storm, Pattaya’s inadequate and
poorly maintained drainage system left streets and highways on the other
side of Sukhumvit flooded with sometimes-impassable rivers of water.
Local residents explained that the area used to be
low-lying farmland, but when the city paved over the area to make way
for development, no forethought was given to how to handle the water the
land used to soak up.
Residents long have given up hope the city will
handle the problem and just try to prepare for flooding every time it
rains.
