Transport resumes despite water in Bangkok streets

Thai authorities say water in Bangkok is receding and all flooded streets should be dry within two weeks. Although many areas remain submerged, the critical centre of Bangkok appears to have averted the worst. Transportation there resumes despite water in the streets. The authorities in Bangkok say the situation in the capital is improving fast. Water levels in one central part of Bangkok dropped to around 70 centimetres on Wednesday morning from 1.2 metres measured last week. Meanwhile, thanks to public transportation, people commute to work and live goes on as normally as possible. The military, police, local communities and NGOs are helping, by providing buses and trucks which can wade through the water without any real threat of damage. This elevated transit station sees over 1-thousand commuters a day. Soldiers stationed here say they are very happy to be able to help. Despite the floods, people here in the Lad Phrao seem relatively happy. They can still get around and public transport is now free. Worapol Arayapong, government officer, said, "It is good that we have help from various relief organisations. I had been expecting this to be more difficult." The situation is still critical in the south of the city, but life in most parts of Bangkok has returned to normal. But with the waters receding and lives getting back to normal, the concern will soon be getting the country's tourism industry back on track. The flooding attracted wide international attention and scared away tens of thousands of tourists.