Floods encircle Bangkok industrial estates

BANGKOK. November 8. KAZINFORM Floodwater encircled two industrial estates in the east of Bangkok on Monday and closed in on the center of the capital, disrupting bus services, although mass transit train systems were still running and commercial districts remained dry; Kazinform refers to Arab News.

Starting in the north and northeast of the country in late July, the water has flowed slowly south, overwhelming industrial provinces and rice areas in the center before moving into Bangkok over the past three weeks.

It is now only about 7 km (4.5 miles) from the Silom business and entertainment district at the heart of Bangkok.

Somkid Tanwatanakul, deputy governor of the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT), told Reuters floodwater had reached the vicinity of the Lat Krabang Industrial Estate in the east of the city and was now about 1.5 meters (5 feet) high.

"We have strengthened dikes around the estate to 2.6 meters (8.5 feet) high. My worry is if this much water continues to hold for a long time with nowhere to go, the estate might not make it."

The estate has 254 factories with almost 50,000 workers. Consumer goods giant Unilever Pcl , Johnson & Johnson , Isuzu Motors and Honda Motor Co. all have plants there.

It is about 10 km (6 miles) north of Bangkok's main Suvarnabhumi airport, which is functioning normally inside a reinforced dike at least 3 meters (10 feet) high.

Flag carrier Thai Airways International Pcl said on Monday it had moved its ticket office from its headquarters in northern Bangkok to Suvarnabhumi and two other locations because access had become difficult.

Bangkok's old Don Muang airport, still used for internal flights, has been closed since Oct. 25.

Honda, which was only just recovering from Japan's earthquake in March, has suffered more than most. It withdrew its earnings forecasts on Oct. 31 after it was forced to close its car assembly plant in Ayutthaya; Kazinform cites Arab News.

To learn more go to www.arabnews.com