The flood situation that Thailand faces at the moment brings a sense of foreboding to the entire country. Not only are they having to deal with the excessive water levels now, but they are gradually becoming aware of the threat that they will have to face in the future.
Different experts say different things, but most predictions are gloomy. Bangkok will be submerged in the foreseeable future, since it is sinking at a rate of 1-3 centimetres a year, they say.
Furthermore, the sea level is rising every year as a result of global warming. No matter how miniscule this rate might be, it all points to the possibility that Bangkok could be at least one metre lower than it is now by the year 2050.
And that's not a difficult scenario to envision, since many parts of Bangkok are already below sea level at the moment.
Dutch experts have been called in to give their opinions on water control. They are undoubtedly the world experts on this topic, ever since Peter stuck his finger into the hole in the dyke and stemmed the leak which might have otherwise grown into a massive overflow that would inundate the entire country.
Perhaps our PM might like to contact Peter to see whether he could do a better job with the leaky dykes than those Big Bags.
There has been talk about moving the entire capital to safer grounds. Doomsday maps have shown that there will be very little left of Thailand after the 2012 scenario, and that little bit is in the northeast plateau. Perhaps Nakhon Ratchasima, or Korat, could take on the role as the new capital of Thailand?
Dinosaur skeletons have been excavated there; those dinosaurs probably knew a thing or two about safe hunting grounds before the Big Meteor hit and wiped them off the face of the earth. We should learn from them.
Korat already has an airport which could very easily be upgraded to international level. We wouldn't even need half as much landfill as we did to fill the Cobra Swamp to create Suvarnabhumi.
And the distance between Bangkok and Korat is only 269kms. A high-speed train could cover that distance in no time at all, so people who are reluctant to relocate could actually just shuttle between the two cities.
A lot of investment is going to be needed to protect Bangkok from future inundation.
Why not just spend that money building new schools, hospitals, and other facilities that would create a total lifestyle for the inhabitants?
Introduce proper zoning for industry, residential areas and business districts, set up an efficient public transportation system so people do not need to drive cars, encourage the use of eco-cars or bicycles, have lots of green spaces.
I'm sure people would be tempted to move to a city that works, that has been well thought out and caters to the inhabitants rather than a city that has been left to its own devices, where infrastructure and amenities are dictated by whoever is in power.
What's more, Korat has its own horse racing course already...what more do you need?
Though I'm not planning on going anywhere soon, I'm not 100% certain that I'll be here in 2050, so it won't matter to me one iota. But my kids are going to be around, and their kids would probably be going to school by that time.
What should I tell them now? Shall I tell them they should invest in a "first boat" rather than a "first car" or "first house"? Should we start buying condominiums in high-rise buildings to escape the flood, and make sure it has its own power generator?
Shall we invest in solar panels as an alternative source of energy? Should we go back to living in houses on stilts?
As far as I can see, we're going to have to make our own plans, since we've seen how much we can rely on the authorities to take care of us in times of need or emergency.
And by the way, do you have Peter's phone number?
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