Evacuation 2554

Where do we GO?!

We went to class as usual on Wednesday…but you could sense the nerves in the classroom from everyone – including our professors and program coordinators.  Some students were missing from class already as they lived on the outskirts of Bangkok, and their houses were underwater.  Our student Facebook group page was covered with links to the most recent flood updates and pictures of areas with massive amounts of damage and people trying to collect what was left of their little belongings.

With all the news and technology these days, you would think it would be easy to tell what was going on.  Yet, due to the varied political parties and governments, it has been nearly impossible to tell what is going on.  Some report that the floods are due any minute in Bangkok with massive amounts of destruction, other reports say the water won’t even breach the city walls (which we now know is not true because water is already inside the city!).  It is very frustrating and difficult to determine what is going on and certainly adds to the mysteriousness and panicked frenzy of this natural disaster.

At the end of class it was announced, it was time to go.  Evacuations were underway for several areas in the city – and we needed to get out.  Having lost power the night before and taken a shower in the pitch black because I was told the water was to be turned off the following morning, I was not about to argue against leaving.  The only problem was – where the heck to we go?!

What we saw upon arriving at the Bus Terminal - thousands of people stranded with all of their belongings...waiting

A few friends from class and I decided, after consulting many people, that heading to the North would be best.  The flooding had already hit this area a few months ago, and the water was heading further south, so we figured that the roads further north would be clear.

All flights were booked, and all buses going to Chiang Mai (the big city up North) were also booked, so we did what everyone else was doing – we waited, patiently, and we were flexible.  After waiting several hours on standby at the bus station, we were able to get a bus to Chiang Rai.

The lines for STANDBY for bus tickets...