More drainage disputes, and floods in the far South

Thailand Floods Pictures November

Thai soldiers sweep once flooded streets in a big cleaning day at Lat Phrao shopping district as floodwaters recede from the area, in Bangkok, Thailand, 19 November 2011. With tens of thousands of soldiers on the streets helping flood affected people, Thais are applauding their assistance restoring the formerly tarnished image of Thai forces after their involvement in the bloody crackdown of 2010 red shirt political protests. As floodwaters start to recede in some parts of Bangkok, Thailand is counting the enormous cost after weeks of flooding as millions of people remain affected by the worst flooding in five decades. More than 500 deaths have been reported in the disaster and it has caused billions of dollars in damages to residents homes, small businesses and to many foreign owned industrial manufacturing plants, as well as tourist sites.

A handout photo released by the Thai Goernment Spokesperson office shows Buddhist monks from Thailand blessing and praying for the Kingdom in the grips of flooding and for Thai residents involved in the floods disaster, inside the golden surrounds of the sacred Emerald Buddha Temple, inside the Grand Palace grounds in Bangkok, Thailand, 19 November 2011. The worst flooding in five decades in Thailand has claimed over 500 lives and caused billions of dollars in damages to residents homes, small businesses and to many foreign owned industrial manufacturing plants.

Thai soldiers sweep once flooded streets.

Thai soldiers sweep once flooded streets in a big cleaning day at Lat Phrao shopping district as floodwaters recede from the area, in Bangkok, Thailand, 19 November 2011. With tens of thousands of soldiers on the streets helping flood affected people, Thais are applauding their assistance restoring the formerly tarnished image of Thai forces after their involvement in the bloody crackdown of 2010 red shirt political protests. As floodwaters start to recede in some parts of Bangkok, Thailand is counting the enormous cost after weeks of flooding as millions of people remain affected by the worst flooding in five decades. More than 500 deaths have been reported in the disaster and it has caused billions of dollars in damages to residents homes, small businesses and to many foreign owned industrial manufacturing plants, as well as tourist sites.

Thai women collect the thick brown Effective Micro Organism (EMO) fluid into recycled plastic water bottles, to spread into floodwaters as an attempt to prevent  disease, in Bangkok, Thailand, 19 November 2011. As floodwaters start to recede in some parts of Bangkok, Thailand is counting the enormous cost after weeks of flooding while millions of people remain affected by the worst flooding in five decades. More than 500 deaths have been reported in the disaster and it has caused billions of dollars in damages to residents homes, small businesses and to many foreign owned industrial manufacturing plants, as well as tourist sites, shaving at least one per cent off the country's economic growth.

A Thai woman walks through receding floodwaters carrying a water container in a street in the Laksi area of Bangkok, Thailand, 19 November 2011. As floodwaters start to recede in some parts of Bangkok, Thailand is counting the enormous cost after weeks of flooding as millions of people remain affected by the worst flooding in five decades. More than 500 deaths have been reported in the disaster and it has caused billions of dollars in damages to residents homes, small businesses and to many foreign owned industrial manufacturing plants, as well as tourist sites.

A Thai woman walks through receding floodwaters next to a small taxi boat in a street in Bangkok, Thailand, 19 November 2011. As floodwaters start to recede in some parts of Bangkok, Thailand is counting the enormous cost after weeks of flooding as millions of people remain affected by the worst flooding in five decades. More than 500 deaths have been reported in the disaster and it has caused billions of dollars in damages to residents homes, small businesses and to many foreign owned industrial manufacturing plants, as well as tourist sites.

Thai men ride through floodwaters on their high-water converted motorcycle in Bangkok, Thailand, 19 November 2011. As floodwaters start to recede in some parts of Bangkok, Thailand is counting the enormous cost after weeks of flooding as millions of people remain affected by the worst flooding in five decades. More than 500 deaths have been reported in the disaster and it has caused billions of dollars in damages to residents homes, small businesses and to many foreign owned industrial manufacturing plants, as well as tourist sites

Thai soldiers sweep once flooded streets in a big cleaning day at Lat Phrao shopping district as floodwaters recede from the area, in Bangkok, Thailand, 19 November 2011. With tens of thousands of soldiers on the streets helping flood affected people, Thais are applauding their assistance restoring the formerly tarnished image of Thai forces after their involvement in the bloody crackdown of 2010 red shirt political protests. As floodwaters start to recede in some parts of Bangkok, Thailand is counting the enormous cost after weeks of flooding as millions of people remain affected by the worst flooding in five decades. More than 500 deaths have been reported in the disaster and it has caused billions of dollars in damages to residents homes, small businesses and to many foreign owned industrial manufacturing plants, as well as tourist sites. 

A Thai man walks on a raised walkway above floodwaters passing a picture of Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej, in Bangkok, Thailand, 19 November 2011. As floodwaters start to recede in some parts of Bangkok, Thailand is counting the enormous cost after weeks of flooding while millions of people remain affected by the worst flooding in five decades. More than 500 deaths have been reported in the disaster and it has caused billions of dollars in damages to residents homes, small businesses and to many foreign owned industrial manufacturing plants, as well as tourist sites, shaving at least one per cent off the country's economic growth. 

Thai soldiers sweep once flooded streets in a big cleaning day at Lat Phrao shopping district as floodwaters recede from the area, in Bangkok, Thailand, 19 November 2011. With tens of thousands of soldiers on the streets helping flood affected people, Thais are applauding their assistance restoring the formerly tarnished image of Thai forces after their involvement in the bloody crackdown of 2010 red shirt political protests. As floodwaters start to recede in some parts of Bangkok, Thailand is counting the enormous cost after weeks of flooding as millions of people remain affected by the worst flooding in five decades. More than 500 deaths have been reported in the disaster and it has caused billions of dollars in damages to residents homes, small businesses and to many foreign owned industrial manufacturing plants, as well as tourist sites. 

Thai soldiers sweep once flooded streets in a big cleaning day at Lat Phrao shopping district as floodwaters recede from the area, in Bangkok, Thailand, 19 November 2011. With tens of thousands of soldiers on the streets helping flood affected people, Thais are applauding their assistance restoring the formerly tarnished image of Thai forces after their involvement in the bloody crackdown of 2010 red shirt political protests. As floodwaters start to recede in some parts of Bangkok, Thailand is counting the enormous cost after weeks of flooding as millions of people remain affected by the worst flooding in five decades. More than 500 deaths have been reported in the disaster and it has caused billions of dollars in damages to residents homes, small businesses and to many foreign owned industrial manufacturing plants, as well as tourist sites. 

Flooding Picture

Thai volunteers and city workers sweep an intersection during a cleaning…

As Thai floods recede, more communities clean up

Thai Buddhist monks, city workers, volunteers and soldiers gather in front of Dhammakaya temple before starting a cleaning operation in Patum Thani on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2011. The situation has improved dramatically in recent days and cleanup has begun in many areas, though some still face weeks more under water. 

A Thai volunteer removes dirt on a roadside during a cleaning operation in Patum Thani on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2011. The situation has improved dramatically in recent days and cleanup has begun in many areas, though some still face weeks more under water. 

A resident wades through floodwater as a wave generated by a passing truck hits a barber shop in Bang Khae district of Bangkok, Thailand, on Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2011. The situation has improved dramatically in recent days and cleanup has begun in many areas, though some still face weeks more under water.

A Thai woman pulls a homemade boat carrying her son on a flooded street in Bang Khae district of Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2011. The situation has improved dramatically in recent days and cleanup has begun in many areas, though some still face weeks more under water.

Thai Buddhist monks rest during a cleaning operation in Patum Thani on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2011. The situation has improved dramatically in recent days and cleanup has begun in many areas, though some still face weeks more under water.

A resident wades through floodwaters as a wave generated by a passing truck hits Buddhist statues at a shop in Bang Khae district of Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2011. The situation has improved dramatically in recent days and cleanup has begun in many areas, though some still face weeks more under water. 

Thai volunteers sweep a road during a cleaning operation in Patum Thani on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2011. The situation has improved dramatically in recent days and cleanup has begun in many areas, though some still face weeks more under water. 

Thai volunteers and a Buddhist monk remove garbage from a roadside during a cleaning operation in Patum Thani on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2011. The situation has improved dramatically in recent days and cleanup has begun in many areas, though some still face weeks more under water. The government said 17 provinces remained flooded Sunday.