Roundel

Thailand's AIT Business School Completely Submerged By Flood

Thailand's AIT Business School Completely Submerged By Flood
200 international MBA students study here - but not when floodwaters reach the roof

Students at AIT university have been forced to take a break from study whilst flood-waters cause chaos in Bangkok

11/11/2011

The extreme flooding in Bangkok persists and despite efforts to divert the floodwaters, reinforce dykes, pump water away and drain the major roads, many Thais are still stranded from their homes and several industrial estates in the North and East of the city are endangered by encroaching waters. 

The shocking image of one of Thailand's most presitigious business schools, the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), deluged by water prompted us to guage the perspectives of business students from the region. Here's our first account - from a Thai student, Pannatorn Daochai from the Ekamai area, Wattan District. 

Have any of your family/ friends had to evacuate their homes?
My family is not effected at the moment as our area is an inner part of Bangkok so it hasn't flooded at the moment. Friends who live on the outer part of Bangkok have been forced to evacuate once their homes are flooded to places like Pattaya and Hua Hin. Some who's homes are not flooded have also left their homes with the fear that the flood water will reach them in the near future and they will be trapped. They have moved to second homes or rented apartments in Pattaya or Hua hin.

Which businesses/ industries in Bangkok do you think are suffering the most as a result of the flood?
I believe that the manufacturing industries are suffering the most as a lot of the industrial areas have been completely flooded and destroying all the factories. For example it is now impossible to get a hold of drinking water bottles in Bangkok whether from Seven elevens or department stores (the only place is restaurants) because the bottling factories have been flooded.

You're a student now, but if you were running the country what would you do at a time of crisis like this?
If I was running the country, I would focus mainly on safely evacuating the people from affected areas and moving them to safe and well prepared shelters. I would also focus on trying to minimize the effects upon the commercial district and the inner part of Bangkok where our business activity lies because if areas like Sukhumvit or Rachdamri flood, we will lose billions and billions of baht.

The Thai floods have really been a rough time for Thai people, especially those whose homes have been affected. However I want to point out the military's unyielding efforts that have been put in place where soldiers are helping the evacuation of citizens, putting up bunkers and sandbags to stop water flowing into different areas and their utmost effort in helping Thai citizens.

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