Thursday, November 10, 2011

No Compromises

The floods that have been making their way through Thailand have at last reached Bangkok.  It has been a slow process, and by slow, I mean months.  It has taken over three months for the floodwater from northern Thailand to reach the capital. 

During that time, people here in Bangkok were certainly horrified by what was happening in other parts of Thailand.  I just feel like it never really occurred to anyone that it might eventually hit Bangkok.  I think we all* just kind of thought the floods might disappear.  Evaporate.  Run out of water?  

I don't really know how floods work.

What I do know is that the country has been devastated and the deluge has finally reached Bangkok.

I always thought that disasters of this magnitude struck suddenly - and in an instant, everything changes.  Floods like this, however, creep in slowly.  It can take weeks or months for the water to finally arrive and then the same amount of time for the water to recede.  Some areas of Bangkok are now completely underwater, while in others, we wait.  We sit and we wait in this surreal limbo that entails...well, sitting and waiting for a natural disaster to arrive. 

It's quite bizarre.

And the information we get!  Honestly, no one knows what's going on. Two weeks ago, there was a palpable sense of fear in the city, with doomsday reports urging citizens to evacuate as high tides threatened to overflow the (already high) rivers. 


I, along with many others I know, fled the city...
Only to return a week later to find that everything (where I live, at least) was completely fine. 

I felt a little silly.

Here's the 'hood....bone dry.


It's been confusing, to say the least, and it's become political and messy and I am just going to avoid that part altogether.

To bring you the real story.

Ladies and gentlemen, it all begins back with those doomsday news reports.  They inevitably led to an apocalyptic spending frenzy throughout Bangkok, most notably hitting our beloved 7-11's . This hoarding began a few weeks ago and, as these pictures from last night prove, it's still in full swing.


I can kiss trying to find a Diet Coke goodbye.

Now, I know that these are uncertain times.  People are buying whatever they can get their hands on in order to make sure that they have enough food and water should the floods render them housebound.  It's not a time to be choosy. 



OR IS IT?!



What is so wrong with this guy?? 

Are we really so picky that in the event that we run out of food, Peanuts Chicken Flavour Coating simply will not do?  Is it that bad?

I don't understand.*

Also, in other news, when did everyone start hating Sprite?


H8 U SPRITE!



At this point, we don't know when the situation will end.  Will we flood, won't we?  These questions still echo throughout the drier parts of the city everyday.  However, I do know that we will all retain our dignity, because under no circumstances will any of us be eating Peanuts Chicken Flavour Coating snacks. 

And that shows strength right there. 


*Just me?
*I didn't buy any either.