Tuesday, October 11, 2011

WORSENING FLOOD SITUATION IN THAILAND

Shalom All,

Greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth!

When we read at 2 Peter 3 verses 5 - 6 says “They deliberately forget that God made the heavens by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water. Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood”.

The flood situation currently in Thailand is getting from bad to worse and has hit almost every part of northern and central Thailand with unpredictable ferocity. About 33 provinces have been badly affected by the floods. The worst hit province is Ayutthaya province (former capital of Thailand). Certain areas of it have been under flood waters for about a month. With rising sea tide between 14 - 18 October 2011, the flood situation win Thailand can be expected to become worse The Thai Government is trying its best to pump the water out into the sea but to no avail as the water keeps on coming back.

The flood has also breached the embankment wall intended to prevent a back flow into Nakhon Sawan, the northern province.

Part of Bangkok is expected to be hit by the ongoing floods soon. Our home in Laksi, northern Bangkok, despite standing on a higher ground than the rest of the area nearby might also be affected, if torrential rains continue to pour. So there is a high chance that the floods from the north will push through even to Laksi. Therefore, residents in and around Bangkok should be prepared to face a worsening flood situation that would or might affect them.

The underground train, the Bangkok MRT has already started to build embankment walls to prevent water getting into tunnel entrances.

At the supermarkets and hypermarkets in Bangkok, food items are being snapped up and getting out of stock with price increasing because of panic buying.

Ayutthaya City, Ayutthaya Province, is experiencing the worst with the flood water reach the top floor of two-storey houses.

Yesterday, Jenny and I went to the Jaisamarn Full Gospel Bang Pa-In Church at Bang Pa-In City and the water increase 4 - 5cm. We are trying to find way how to help the people around and it is an opportunity to share the gospel to them. We are still looking at the floods situation in Bangkok first before taking another move to Ayutthaya City to help the floods victims otherwise we will help out in the Floods Relief Centre.

Even buying a small boat is very expensive that cost THB 7,500 (USD 244) and it is a long queue and early September 2011, the boat sold around THB 4,000 (USD 129) when the floods was not so serious.

Please do pray for the Christian brothers and sisters. Anyway, what do support financially, we will use the funds to help the floods victims.

Blessings and Shalom,
Rev. Steve Peter H S Kok