The Worst of the Flood Is Over, Perhaps

Good morning,

Well, it is Monday a.m. now and there are no new reports of substantial increases in flooded areas and a number of reports suggesting that water levels are declining slightly around the affected area.

Lad Prao remains dry at the moment, although it is said that floods have reached Viphawadi Hospital which is, simultaneously, not far from here and also indicative of how slowly it is approaching – it seems ages since Don Mueang went under and I started to hear that it was going to reach the mouth of Lad Prao imminently.

The current mood, based on the PM’s latest pronouncement and those of other officials, is that the worst may just be over but it is necessary to remain vigilant, in case a dike is breached or some kind of ‘mob’ breaks down the defences. We’ll see. As I write, the morning high tide is approaching and if we get through that, then another possible problem has been passed.

Good luck to anyone who has been flooded.

Business Research Methods: The Grounded Theory Approach

The grounded theory approach originated in the field of nursing and, to some extent, remains best suited to that area and similar. Its purpose was to try to understand the situation patients find themselves in when they are suffering from medical conditions about which nothing or at least very little is known. In such a case, only the patient can understand how she is feeling, her symptoms and general conditions.

Read the full article here.

Business Research Methods: Hypothesis Formation

In business research, progress is made by testing hypotheses and, specifically, in the form of null hypotheses. What, then, is a hypothesis? In formal terms, it is the suggestion that there is a relationship between two variables. The relationship is not specified and could take one or more than one of a number of different forms.

Read the full article here.

Sunday: Ladprao Remains Dry

According to the websites that purport to show which parts of the city and the surrounding countryside are flooded, Ladprao is under water – which is not, in fact, strictly speaking the case. It may be the case that the status is triggered by an incident somewhere in the region covered or it might just be a mistake.

In any case, Bangkok of course is subject to very localized weather (and probably water-related) phenomena. It might be raining overhead but, just down the road, it will be perfectly clear. The same is true when there are the normal, rain-caused floods: our soi tends to be one of the first to flood but if you can make it to the mouth of 62, then it is generally all OK. As far as I can tell, the same is happening all over the city. Areas which are suddenly affected, as Kasetsart University was yesterday, tend to be open, relatively flat places where the water can swiftly rage about, devouring whatever it may.

In other cases, there are breaches in the dikes or ‘human action’ causes a sudden opportunity for the water to enter. These provoke sporadic and mostly localized events, which may not be much comfort for local residents but helps explain what is happening.

Well, the first high tidep oint of the day has passed without undue incident – there is due to be another around 7ish tonight, which should be slightly lower. If we get past today and tomorrow, according to official reports, we may see things beginning to slacken off.

The big picture is that 381 people are now dead because of the floods nationwide and more will presumably die because of diseases and other misfortunes. Millions are homeless or have lost large proportions of their possessions, thousands face loss of their jobs after the industrial estates were flooded and all kinds of unforeseen results will be revealed in the months to come.

More if there is anything more to report.

 

Business Research Methods: Social Constructivism

Social constructivism is a form of thinking or philosophy that says that external phenomena that are perceived by observers are perceived in such a way as to depend on the way that the observer perceives. That is, the way one observer perceives something may be quite different from the way that another observer perceives it – the nature of the perception depends on the individual and not on the inherent properties within the external object.

Read the full article here.

Saturday: Either Enormous or No Changes

Well, we in the Ladprao heartland have made it to Saturday afternoon without being flooded. Until the past few days, the word had been that there will be a high tide around 6 this evening which will be the defining feature of the next few days. However, today the papers are (perhaps as a result of having had very little to say for the past few days) full of completely contradictory and often wholly incomprehensible reports. That is, apart from the opinion pages, which are united in the claim that the government should be giving full, clear and 100% accurate information about incredibly complex issues which are going to happen in the future.

I’ll post again if there is anything reliable to report.

 

Floods on a Friday

There seems to be an emerging consensus that the flood patterns are not going to be changing significantly before the high tides on Saturday evening – although there are some reports of increasing levels around the periphery of areas already suffering.

The FROC is planning a slightly desperate sounding plan of converting four major roads into canals in the event of the worst case scenario, while those in the imminent path of flooding if it does occur are working out how to cope – the market vendors of Chatuchak are facing this exact problem.

Reports from Suvarnabhumi and the bus stations are that large numbers of people are seeking to get out of the city before the weekend – although that is not possible for all migrant workers, of course.

From our perspective, Ladprao and its immediate environs remain dry as of now, which is Friday just before lunchtime. We have moved some stuff upstairs and taped some furniture up which cannot be moved. We are fully, arguably over-stocked with food (remind me to tell of how much this has cost me so far) and await tomorrow afternoon and the height of the Chao Phraya: 2 metres, 49.9 cm, result happiness; 2 metres 50.1 cm, result misery.

Business Research Methods: Objectives

In common with just about everything in business, it is best to have a good grasp of what you are trying to achieve before you set out to achieve it. Research does not provide a magic wand that will find the solutions to all of your problems and it is very unlikely that the process will suddenly locate some previously unknown factor that will make the difference between success and failure.

Read the full article here.

Thank Heavens for the Jackboots

Wassana Nanuam, who is one of the precious few reasons I have not yet cancelled my subscription to the once-respectable Bangkok Post, has a hilarious story on the chief jackboots and the role in appearing in photos next to the flood. In serious tones, she depicts the valiant efforts of Army C-in-C Gen Prayuth Chan-Ocha who works so desperately hard for the safety of the Thai people purely from his own love and compassion that “Some days he has his meals at 2pm or even later because of his visits to flooded areas where he tries to help people affected by the inundation.”

No greater love for the Thai people can there be than an extravagantly rewarded man who sometimes does not get his lunch until 2 o’clock. Let us, as he clearly does, forget about all that “same old issue” (i.e. the malevolvent, cold-blooded, preplanned massacre of scores of pro-democracy demonstrators by heavily armed troops and assassin snipers).

The good general continues: “I want people to love soldiers, … Others have accused us of paying no attention to the flooding, or for coming out too late on this. I am saddened by such remarks.” And who would dream of contradicting such a heavily-armed psychopath (allegedly) with a massive entitlement complex and an advanced degree in self-righteousness (doubly allegedly)?

In other news, it remains incredibly hot but persistently dry out on the mean streets of Ladprao. If anything is likely to change before the (new) high tides on Saturday, I haven’t come across it. I’m thinking it is perhaps 50/50 whether we will get signfiicant flooding here (which I am defining as above an average of 50 cm of standing water).

Business Research Methods: Epistemology

Epistemology is the term used to describe the theory of knowledge. It considers questions such as ‘what is knowledge?’ ‘What can be known?’ ‘What kinds of knowledge are there?’

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