This is what we woke up to at 4.30am on Sunday morning. Loud shouts in rapid fire Thai called us from our beds and into the storm-drenched night. The river was rising fast amid the torrential rain.
In seconds Shrimp was up and wading thigh high in the flood torrents retrieving our belongings which were being swept away. Then minutes later he was clinging precariously to the lid of our water tank, while he sawed through the pipes holding our electric pump in place, centimetres from where the river is rising.
In the dawn’s early light it continued to rise, breaking the bridges, tearing down the electric lines, submerging the village and rushing into homes and businesses with reckless force and destructive abandon.
As the river continues to rage we sandbag and fortify as best we can, and watch helplessly the whitewater torrents rip our street apart. As the storm continues hours turn into days and days, drinking water runs low, gasoline runs out, candles are all burned down and darkness prevails. There is no way in or out for people or supplies, no phone lines, internet, lights, electric or cooking gas. We are cut off.
The elders in the village say they have never seen a storm like this in living memory, and they shake their heads at the topsy turvy world we live in with its monsoon cyclones in hot, dry, March. And all the while we thank our lucky stars and extend our hearts to Japan.
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Thank God you are all OK – it is a dreadful thing to happen and things will be hard both now and for some time to come, but at least you are all safe and together. Everyone has been so worried. Our thoughts are with you and yours at this difficult time. Linda x
Mother nature sure seems to have unleashed her wrath on the world lately. Just caught wind of the floods down south on the news this afternoon. It appears that an incredible amount of rain fell extremely fast! I hope that all returns to normal for you soon.
Thanks guys, it was a hairy few days, thankfully there was no loss of life or personal harm to anyone, unlike elsewhere in the south.
Glad you are all OK. Stunning pictures and a reminder of what nature can unleash.
I hope you can recover quickly.
hope all the doggies are ok
hello ,
First of all I’m glad to hear that you are OK and everything is fine !!
Thanks for bloging…. and for the case that you are still in koh phangan can you tell about the weather now ? is everything is OK now ??
I’m coming on the 14.4.2011
Thank you for your assistance ‘
RON
Lots of strength with all the recovery! I worry a lot about all the people we met at Koh Phangan last year, since I read some disturbing posts on the internet. Heard that Koh Tao was even evacuated. It must have been a horrifying expericence. I surely hope that the roads will be open again soon and that boats will be able to reach you. Thank you for posting this, I am very glad you are all ok, but what a total disaster for the village. Strength with all the work on your beautiful restaurant. My heart goes out for you and all your friends, hang in there!!!
Loes (perhaps you remember with Linda and daughter Youssra from Amsterdam)
My wife are scheduled to arrive on koh phangan on April 6th staying at the seaflower bungalows, should we stay away? It is very hard to tell how bad it is over the internet
Hi Brian, I think it will be fine by then. Sun is shining today and all is getting cleaned up speedily
Hi, I am in Bangkok now and I was planning to come to kho pangan today with the overnight train
From internet is very hard to understand what is the situation down there
Could you please tell me if is the case to go or not yet?
Hi ornella, today the sun is shining and everything is business as usual, now we go to the beach with the kids. I think all the boats are running as normal, i assume the trains are fine. Best to check with a travel agent in Bkk but it seems everything is fine.
Hi, great to hear that the weather seems to be improving there and that everybody is ok. I am due to travel to the beautiful haad salat with my wife on Saturday 9 April, coming from railay. Do you happen to know if my journey will be possible? I am hearing that many roads in the south are badly affected and we were going to be travelling to one of the ports by road.
Hi Peter, things are clearing up rapidly, my friend was able to do her visa run by bus to the Malaysian border yesterday, travelling right thru the south. Best thing to do is check with a travel agent when you’re in raillay, but I’ve no doubt it will be totally fine by the 9th. Best of luck enjoy h salad, if u make it to TNP come find us at luna
best place on the island
Hi,
I am in london and my daughter and friend are in bangkok hoping to travel to your island tomorrow to meet up with friends. Do you think it will be safe to travel to Koh sumi then by ferry to ko phangan. They were caught up in the flood in surat thani managed to fly out to bangkok and I was relieved now they are travelling back. I know you have had to live through such awful floods so your advice would be appreciated.
good luck with the clearing up.
Hi Jane, by all accounts flights and ferries are running as usual, certainly all the boats to phangan are running fine and Bangkok air is operating normal service. We were expecting more rain but it hasn’t appeared and I’m pretty sure it will be minor if it does
best of luck
Hi. I am due to stay in TPN in a couple of weeks time, is the village ok and the road from Thongsala passable. Do you know how the resorts on the beach faired in the storm?
Hi, I just wanted to say thanks so much for updating your blog and replying to peoples questions. I’m also coming to Koh Phangan soon, on 12th April and will be getting married in Koh Samui on 21st April, so you’ve really reassured me that I will be able to have a nice honeymoon on Koh Phagnan. Thanks so much xxxx
Hi squz, the road is passable to thong sala but only with 4 wd car, all the resorts are fine, Baan pan buri have moved to Yai anyway so their site is a building site. But everything else is as normal. Pinjun on Yai had some damage but everywhere else was fine.
Thanks Donna, your appreciation is much appreciated. Just glad people are able to take their vacations as planned now. Enjoy
Dear Jungle Girl,
Thanks for the updates. My daughter and her friend will be flying to Bangkok on April 11th and were then planning to come downa few days later for the April Full Moon Party. They’ve booked to stay at Drop In Resort. Is everything up and running now? And will the party still be on?
Thanks
Hi, thanks for your reply. I am surprised to hear about Baan Panburi as I had booked a bungalow with them for next week, they never mentioned moving to Yai. I am not sure what to do now as I wanted to stay on Noi. Do you think it would be ok to turn up without a booking in Noi, I am looking for a bungalow with air con for a few days, about 2000 thb a night
Hi Jane, I think everything is up and running fine, Haad Rin was not badly affected at all, and Drop in isn’t even on the beach. The party will definitely be on – come hell or high water! literally
Hi Squz
Thong Nai pan beach resort (the pink bungalows) have bungalows with aircon about that price point, or star huts, thongtapan resort also has rooms of that description, though I think they get pretty booked up. It’s hard to say whether there will be availability, Best to check with them directly.
Thanks for your help, I have finally heard from Baan panburi, they said that the ocean view bungalows are not affected as they are away from the main resort and to check in at the star huts! I guess i will take a chance and continue with my trip as planned. Looking forward to it, once again, thanks.