Singin in the Rain

Yes, we are still singing, even when it is raining. And it has rained here a lot. But first first I have to tell you we are all OK. No trouble, no real problems with the floods. Everyone is fine. Pictures back home look bad and it is but not for us, so much.

What you have probably seen is the worst of it and most of that is from north of Bangkok. Bangkok is protected by dykes, flood walls and canals to divert water east and west of the city. There is a flood in Thailand headed for Bangkok, not like a wall of water but some slower moving version of that headed towards BKK. Most of it was to be diverted by the aforementioned techniques. The flood problem will be the Chao Praya River which flows thru BKK. It is at the brim. And is carrying most of the flood water to the sea. As the wall of flood water advances it all must now flow down the Chao Praya.
The problem is exasperated by high tide. The sea pushes back water as the tides come in slowing down the flow of the river. How does BKK handle this on a normal day? With canals, just like Venice does (thus the Venice of the East moniker). As the tides roll in they push water up the canals and this stops the water from spilling into the streets.
During a flood they used to open up the canals from the north and just let the flood waters flush through. If BKK gets wet a little so what. Faster than trying to sand bag your way to dryness. Most years in the past this worked. However, canals are disappearing to developers and others who complain about them so most of the smaller canals have been discontinued, filled up and disconnected from the system. It is now all up to the River of Kings to handle the load.

On Saturday at around 6 pm the highest of the high tides (all u maritimers know what this means) will coincide with the wall of flood water traveling down the river. Result will be the river over flowing its banks. The effect to us will be minimal for reasons explained later. But here is a map that shows the potential flooding areas in BKK.

The red line is the  River. We are in the area called Wattana, middle of the map approximately. Below us is  Klong Toey. The line separating the two is Sukhumvit Road and our apartment is on the left top of that line up towards Pathumwan. So a good distance away from the river itself. But you can see that the learned Dr Seri is predicting 21 to 50 cm of water in our area. (That is about 10 to 20 inches of water) Not a lot, especially if you have been here. You know that the street curbs are 12 inches high. They get that kinda water here folks. No surprise to them, they are at least partly prepared. As a footnote, our apartment  lobby is about 6 or 7 feet above street level so if we don't wanna go anywhere we won't get wet. Worst case is that the water should take about 1 week to clear since there still is a lot of water behind this initial surge. So we need enough drinking water and noodles to last a week. Got that so no problemo. Also have enough beer and wine to easily last a week so check there too.

Toughest part about the flood is no golf now for 11 days and counting. Last time I played we drove through water up to the rocker panels on the car to get into the course. Not anymore, road is not passable by car. So you will continue to see some of these kinds of pics coming out of BKK over the next few days or so.



And this is some of the bad. Peoples houses inundated with water. Shops and businesses closed, with no income for families.




Some of the good from a flood?



Well take a look at this dude, dinner swimming right up to your door step, what's wrong with that??

In explanation that the flood may not be such a bother to us is first Lena and Deeds are headed to Singapore this weekend. Lena could not get on Deeds work visa train like I did so she has a normal tourist visa. Only good for 30 days and then you have to leave the country to get it renewed. Last time Lena and I went to Hong Kong for a few days and got a 60 day visa from the Thai Consulate there. This time she will only get a new visa at the airport when she re-enters Thailand coming back from Singapore. This process is what is called a Visa Run. They even have companies here that run bus tours to the Burmese or Cambodian borders to get you a 15 day top up on your visa. Only 2,000 baht ($60), includes lunch and an all day coach ride. Leave at 6 a.m. back for dinner. Catch the bus in front of the 7-11 on Sukhumvit Soi 12, cash only!

And me, well on Saturday morning before the tide hits I am off to Pattaya to spend some time in the sun and splash in the pool. No floods there. And my high school buddy is back from his tours and I hope to be able to talk him into a game at some Pattaya course I haven't played yet. Doesn't sound that bad does it!!

Only real fear I have with the flood here in BKK is the potential loss of electricity. How do I watch hockey games with no power or internet?
I don't get any junior games over here cause I haven't figured out a way to crack into Rogers local cable broadcasts. (I have with nearly everything else btw) And because I can't I haven't had a chance to catch this little sniper play a game yet. But you know I will as soon as I am back in the Big Smoke, or maybe up in Barrie with the rest of the fam. Dieing to see Steve play. Go Petes Go.

In other news Lena is finishing her Teaching English as a Second Language training course today. She has worked real hard at this and I really do admire her. Result is that she has met a friend to hang with, which was one of the real goals. A number of job opportunities have been talked about but nothing concrete yet. Gotta hope that she can nail something to save a little cash to do a few trips on her own or with her pals coming in Feb.
All and all things are still very good in BKK. Floods aside.

We empathize with the people here. We have a couple of Thanachart work colleagues coming to stay with us for a week to help them out as their places have been flooded and are uninhabitable. Least we can do with this big place we have. Thanks for listening. Take care.
Sawasdee Krup

Guess who's working four days a week!!

Here is the happy project manager getting some cash outta one of the new Thanachart ATM's, was previously a Siam City ATM, the fact it is red gives that away, not anymore though. They are all being resigned and probably painted to orange.

So Hooray, I have my wife back. And to prove it she has cut the family income by 20%. Or is it that the income previously was actually at 125%. Well whatever, the bottom line is that Deeds is back to something a lot more normal for me and her. Deeds cleared the four day work week with the powers that are, at least they think they are, cause there was nothing going to stop her from going back to 4 days.

You remember I told you that she hadn't work 5 days in about 10 years and we wondered if it was possible. Well no more wondering. She did 5, well and good and now she is back to 4 where she belongs.
That proves that everything is normal again.

So a few trips are being planned and some necessary relaxing. Some of that started at this years verison of the Maple Leaf Ball.
Here are pics that we stole or borrowed. Enjoy.

Oh yeah, so what about grey suit, blue suit. Here is the proof.




 BLUE SUIT, or as any Hab fan would say Bleu. Don't appear to be too happy about blue suit in this photo. Thinking about what I have to do to wear the grey one before I head home. Maybe I need to get a job. Then I would have to wear it.

Although, in the photo below the fearless adventurer looks pretty good in a blue suit. Got two ladies hanging off me so I ain't doin that bad.

Here are some pics of the ladies showing off the new frocs that they had made special for the occasion. Funny how they get to have new dresses made and I can't even wear the other suit that I have because it appears to be the wrong colour?!

 So that was the Maple Leaf Ball version two for us. Thanks to Edie for taking and sending along the pics.
And you gotta know that Deeds did a little silent auction shopping. Winning all she went after. Even with a little controversy on one of her purchases. The best of the night I might add. A set of diamond earrings and a necklace. Canadian Diamonds by the way. Canadian Ice is their brand name. I guess a girl is entitled to a bobble or two for working so hard. Also picked up a beautiful Topaz ring for Lena, two nights for two at the Four Seasons in Koh Samui, (already been to Four Seasons Chang Mai from last years purchase so why not take on this one). And of course as Deedles will tell you all of this was had at bargain basement prices with the cash going to good causes, charities, etc.

A fun night had by all.
Sawasdee Krup

Congratulations Deeds

Wow, wowwow, wow. What a week it has been for our little Deedles. For the last seven days Deeds has been working major big time. Started last week as the senior team moved into the "Command Centre" up at the data centre on Ratchada. Everything had actually been run through at least once, timed out, samples taken and processes double checked. Those were all done over earlier weekends or overnights. Deeds had a part in some of those as well.

So here is a little choreography for you. On Thursday evening she was out until 10ish, Friday out the door at 7 a.m. and not home til midnight, even though it was scheduled to go to 2 a.m. This was actually a real good sign. On Saturday she went in at 5:30 a.m. That night I went to bed at a little after midnight and she wasn't home yet, that evening went until 2 a.m. But by Sunday they were coasting. Deeds was scheduled back in at 6 but took a snoozer and went in at 8. Things were going great all systems seemed to be ready and even more so the people were ready.

Deeds was actually home early on the Sunday, around dinner time. They had completed the conversion earlier than plan and at 3:49 in the afternoon I got an email from her announcing that the two banks were now one. Hooray!!

Deeds has really worked her butt off for this and now she is beginning to take some of it all in.
This is one major accomplishment folks.

Now we hope work becomes a little more mundane. The next tasks are to decommission the integration teams. Help the bank do planning for Phase II. Chart an infrastructure set up that will serve the bank for years to come with a Project Management Office, procedures, etc.
Now we are not off the hook as far as troubled waters go, there may be one or two issues to deal with trying to establish the PMO but in comparison a cake walk. She is through the scary bits, with flying colours I should add.

This Saturday is the Maple Leaf Ball. I hope I get to wear my other suit! Remember I got two for the price of one. Only been to one fancy dress em up party so I haven't had an opportunity to wear the grey suit yet. We'll see what my fashion director says about grey to a fancy dress em up.
I'm taking side bets if you care. Just post your thoughts. Vote 1 for Blue suit, 2 for Grey. I'll let you know what happens next week.




HOCKEY,

....... yes it is back.




On Thursday the Habs travel to Hog Town to take on TML. What an opener. Then the biggest game to be played west of the Rockies in 15 years. The Habs play the Jets on HNIC. Woo hooo. Both will be easy viewing for me. Especially the HNIC game on Saturday. That game airs here on Sunday morning. We'll have front row seats. Cook up a mess of sausages and eggs, home fries and beans.

Yeehaw. Sorry y'all gonna miss it. Probably havin a bar b que or some such. Well I tell ya, nothing like hockey for breakfast. Perfect.

So there is a little catch me up for ya.
Hope all are well.
Lena started school this Monday morning. Taking her Teaching English as a Second Language certificate. (TESL). Maybe she'll blog those details for ya.

Deeds and I are starting to plan more little vacations.
Oh yeah did I tell ya, she is probably going to working four days a week here in Bangkok. Hahahaha, just like in Toronto.
I think the girl is getting ready for retirement.
Ooops, did I say that out loud?
No, only kidding. I think she will work three days a week for a few years then retire like her mom. Who by the way still works two or three days a week and probably will until they put her in a home (only kidding about the home Barb).

See ya soon, go Habs go.
Sawasdee Krup.