Floods?

Ayutthaya is a city at the confluence of 3 rivers namely the Pra Sak, the Chao Phraya and Lopburi rivers. The old town is built on an island formed many years ago by building a canal to link the Pra Sak and Chao Phraya rivers.
This area is low lying and flat. In 2011 it flooded extensively when Bangkok and other parts of Thailand were also flooded.
There have been extensive rains in the catchments of the above mentioned rivers and local authorities have had to release water from dams to alleviate the high water levels. Parts of Ayutthaya province are already flooded and although we are not officially on flood watch I have met some worried locals. It reminds me of the atmosphere of Brisbane just before the floods. One lady that I know has left to look after her mother who is in a flooded property. We drove by her mother's place only yesterday and all was well. Today I have been down to the ferry terminal on the Pra Sak river. Normally you walk down a floating gangway to reach the ferry terminal, today I walked up it.

Normally you walk down that ramp. Not today you don't.

The river is in spate. Ordinarily Tug boats tow several large barges in a chain full of building materials down the river to Bangkok. Today there are 2 tugs, the one at the front is barely making headway and is just going with the current and keeping the barges on track. A second tug at the rear is facing backwards and slowing the barges down and preventing the rear most barge from swinging out of line and overtaking the other barges.

Front tug. Slack tow ropes. Just maintaining headway.

The chain of barges

The rear most tug, being dragged backwards.

I ate lunch in a restaurant overlooking the river today. The restaurant owner spent many minutes looking at the river obviously assessing the potential danger of flooding to his property.
Otherwise all good here.
The Bludger is irrigating his stomach with beer.