Thailand's prime minister said Bangkok was fighting the forces of nature today as rising flood waters undermined dikes protecting the capital and residents took to the road at the start of a five-day holiday called to let them escape.
The country's worst flooding in half a century, caused in part by unusually heavy monsoon rain, has killed 373 people since mid-July and disrupted the lives of nearly 2.5 million, until now mostly in the north and centre.
Traffic in central Bangkok was light as the holiday began but a main road out of the city to the flood-free south was jammed. Many people headed for the seaside towns of Hua Hin and Pattaya, where hotel rooms and homes to rent were hard to find.
TV footage showed crowded domestic check-in counters at Bangkok's main Suvarnabhumi airport, itself once a cobra-infested swamp. Don Muang, the city's old airport that is now used for domestic flights, had to close on Tuesday.
Prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, a novice politician who only took office in August, told reporters the crisis had reached a critical point for Bangkok.
"It seems like we're fighting against the forces of nature, massive floodwater that is causing damage to several of our dykes," she said. "The truth is, we need to let it flow naturally out to the sea, and what we can do now is to manage it, so that it flows slowly, otherwise everybody will suffer."
As Mr Yingluck's voice started to tremble, reporters asked if she was crying. "No, I haven't cried and I won't. I'll be strong to solve this problem for the Thai people. Right now we need to release floodwater to the sea as soon as possible and we need a quick rehabilitation plan," she said.
At least seven huge industrial estates have had to close to the north of Bangkok. The central bank has revised its growth forecast for southeast Asia's second-biggest economy to 3.1 per cent this year from 4 per cent as a result. The finance minister's projection is a gloomier 2 per cent.
Bangkok, a city of at least 12 million people, is in danger from a combination of run-off water from the north and high tides on the Chao Phraya river, which is at a record level at certain points in the centre. The capital accounts for 41 per cent of GDP.
City authorities said they were preparing for the evacuation of people from a third northern district.
"Today Sai Mai area is getting worse. By lunchtime, Bangkok will announce the evacuation of people in the area, as we did with Don Muang and Bang Phlad yesterday," Bangkok governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra said in a televised statement.
The central government has its flood crisis centre at Don Muang airport, where the tarmac is under water, but Mr Yingluck said it was staying put.
Late last night, the governor warned that dikes might not hold and the city could be swamped. Mr Yingluck has said floodwater could remain for up to a month.
Banks and financial markets will operate normally during the holiday from today to Monday.
The stock market was up 1.4 per cent at midday. Recently it has reacted more to changing views on Europe's debt crisis than to the floods although certain sectors have seen sharp moves. Banks have tended to fall while drinking water and building material firms have gone up.
Bangkok residents have scrambled to stock up on food, and items such as bottled water, instant noodles and even rice are now in short supply. Some shops have restricted customers to small quantities to prevent hoarding.
The floods are expected to take their toll on the tourist industry, which employs more than 2 million people and makes up 6 per cent of gross domestic product.
Tourism minister Chumphol Silpa-archa said arrivals could be 500,000 to 1 million below the government's target of 19 million this year.
Britain warned against all but essential travel to Bangkok and 26 provinces currently affected by flooding. China urged its citizens not to go to Bangkok and told tourists "in the disaster zone" to leave immediately.
Tourists intrepid enough to brave the floods may also have to contend with crocodiles.
Thailand is reckoned to the world's biggest breeder of crocodiles and scores are reported to have escaped from farms during the floods. Several have been killed or captured in residential areas in the ancient capital of Ayutthaya.
Reuters