International Photojournalist and Photographer

Driving around 50km from the dry flood protected areas of central Bangkok to the North West regions of the capital in the Nonthaburi province, the outlook rapidly changes from normality to disaster area. Off the main roads, in some low areas around  Sai Noi, houses and factories remain under more than a metre of stagnant floodwater, and have done so for more than a month now. Access to many houses in the area is impossible without a ‘flat bottomed’ boat. The TPE switchboard factory protected it’s business with strong sandbag flood defences and is still working, even though employees must paddle makeshift metal boats along a still deeply flooded soi to get to work. Deaths from electrocution have apparently been commonplace in the floods as families return to inspect their homes and belongings, unaware of the lethal combination of electricity and water. Many residents now fear to return home and their houses sit lifeless in the green stagnating water and floating detritus. Opportunistic thieves steal saleable objects from the abandoned residences – laptops and electronic goods high on the list.

On the ‘main roads’ through the area the water is less deep. Vendors stand in ankle deep dirty water to cook and sell BBQ chicken and pork from their food stalls. Their families start to clean up their homes, removing the destroyed belongings to temporary tips which line the streets. “We hope to be back to normal by the New Year,” Ladda informs me as she serves another hungry customer, the dirty floodwater lapping around his shins as he gives her a few Baht for the nibbles.

Nat is the only stall open for business as we pass through the Tapsirin market on the route to Sai Noi. She has endured the flooded conditions in her soi and workplace now for over a month. “Enough. Tomorrow I will travel to Phuket,” she tells me. “I have found a job in a logistics company’s office and they will give me a regular salary,” she continues.

What work will you do? “I’m not sure but it will be better than standing here trying to sell chicken and conom [sweets] to people who pass the [still flooded] market.”

Ms Napaporn Aed manages the local scrap metal and glass recycling business. “I’m taking stock of what we have now that we can still use. I am expecting lots of work in the next few weeks as people bring in damaged goods that they want to get a little money for,” she informs me as she stands on the elevated makeshift path through her business premises.

Main roads have been decimated by the escaping floodwater and it is surely to be months before life in these satellite regions of Bangkok return to normality.

The Bangkok post reports today that the cost of restoring the flood damage suffered in this years flooding will be 775 billion Baht (around £16 billion) http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/economics/268331/rehabilitation-to-cost-b755bn.