Tears Of Indra

ACTIVITY OF 2 NOVEMBER 2011 

We received info that the people in Lak Hok, near the railway station, were in need of supplies. On Tuesday evening we planned to go give some help over there and ordered Prung’s metal boat again. 

Initially we wanted to go to Talat Thai to buy fresh vegetables which are in great demand to change a bit the daily “flood menu” of rice with fish sauce or noodles. More and more people get weak due to the lack of vegetables and fruit. We ordered a pick-up driver but he declined. The prices to hire a vehicle to go buy supplies get higher and higher. There is much demand, so prices increases abnormally.

We could still rent Prung’s boat at 2000 Baht. Other boat owners ask already 3000 Baht for a trip of a couple of kilometers. The price to drop somebody just over the canal is now between 60 and 100 Baht per person. Crazy and difficult times to get something arranged.

Prung’s boat arrived in time at 08.30 Hr already fully loaded with people. We went off to the Big C. The mall was still closed and we had to wait for 10 minutes. Suddenly Prung’s boat went off and disappeared at the horizon. What now? We tried to contact other boat owners. The mall opened at 0900 Hr. We wanted there to be the first as many products are only available in small quantities. We bought 250 Kg of rice, the full stock of water available (20 packs), vegetables for the outside kitchen at Wat Thamma Suk Jai, and many small bags and plates with fresh warm food. A boat owner contacted us, but his boat was too small. 

Lucky for us, Prung showed up again. As we had to wait at the entry of Big C, he went off to do some canal shuttles to make extra money. Better he said something before taking off. All right, no worries. We loaded the boat. It was not as easy as we were only three and we had five carts. Luckily some people helped us out with the daunted task loading the boat on the makeshift harbor. Nothing is easy these times.

The boat loaded, we headed off. The metal boat hung deep in the water. The old man powered on, the boat took speed and … oh my god …. the bottom hit a large metal pole under the water. The noise of the impact was like a jet crashing through the sound barrier. We were spiked on the pole.

The gods were with us. The boat hung right in the middle of the pole. A bit to the left or a bit to the right, we would have capsized with our whole load. Prung and the old man jumped overboard. Unfortunately for them the flood water was more than two meters deep. The old man grabbed the boat and in his pocket; handed over his dripping telephone - a bit difficult to make calls under water. The boat still balanced dangerously on top of the obstacle. Would we lose all our supplies to the flood water? 

Prung succeed to find grip on some sunken sandbags and pushed the boat off. The latter shoved aside, made a dip in the water, some water gulped inside and … there we floated again. The old man went a couple of times under, hold steady at the boat and finally reached the earthen protection wall, to climbed back aboard. A pretty nice start of the day.

We were too heavy loaded to make the 10 Km long trip. We tried to get some help by calling on a government boat passing by. As usual they declined stating they had no time. We stopped a small boat. Prakai, our help, changed ship; took another 50 Kg of rice on the small boat and returned to base. About 120 kg more light, we continued direction Lak Hok. 

In Lak Hok we delivered drink water and we took a guide on board. “Priau” knew the people in need in that area and would lead us to the railway station. We went deeper into Lak Hok than ever before. Again no help ever arrived here. 

We made a first stop at a group of houses, where people met us in boats. We delivered water, rice and fresh warm supplies. Then we continued to the railway station. Here we were nearly invaded. People standing on the railway thronged around us to get supplies. We were very quickly “sold out”. 

This area was very close to Wat Rangsit and we were informed that the temple sheltered about 60 people, including children. We got a list of their needs and we plan to return on Thursday.

The boat empty, we headed “home”, made a quick stop at the Makro in order to buy already some supplies for the next day and especially looking for milk for the children and special food for babies (hard to find – shelves are empty). We were back at the apartment at 1330 Hr.

At 1600 Hr we went with the zodiac to Wat Thamma Suk Jai to deliver fresh vegetables for the monks and people sheltering there. At dusk we came back. Just another day in Floodland.

Supplies bought: 

Administrative & Logistic costs: 

Total cost for this activity: 14,127 Baht 

Remark: The costs here above include also the ones made on 1 Nov (delivery of fresh supplies and drink water in Khlong 1 area).