Bangkok is sinking

While global warming and the holocaust are still subjects of academic debate, nobody denies that Bangkok is sinking.

You can regularly read in the newspaper that Bangkok is sinking and will be under water in some decades:

Bangkok Is Sinking and May Be Underwater in 15 Years, Study Says http://www.weather.com/science/environment/news/bangkok-sinking-subsidence-warming-15-years

Is Bangkok sinking? First a road & now a footpath
http://www.richardbarrow.com/2012/04/pictures-is-bangkok-sinking-first-a-road-now-a-footpath/

Bangkok at risk of sinking into the sea Parts of Thailand's capital could be underwater by 2030 unless the government takes steps to prevent disaster, say experts
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2011/sep/06/bangkok-thailand-risks-steadily-sinking

Thailand, Sinking: Parts of Bangkok Could Be Underwater in 2030 http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2084358,00.html

However, there is one thing I don't understand. If Bangkok is sinking, the soil must be either compressed (get denser) or move somewhere else. But everywhere around buildings or pillars for BTS or highway, you see cracks because the surrounding area is sinking. Why is that? I would expect the heavy buildings or BTS or highway pillars to sink in. Do their foundations reach solid ground or did the construction workers not compact the soil after filling construction site holes, and now it slowly settles? Is the soil all under Bangkok getting dryer or wetter and shrinks? Here pictures from all over Bangkok.

Pedestrian overpass at Ramkhamhaeng Soi 60/4:



Ramkhamhaeng Soi 107 (2 pictures):





MRT Queen Sirikit Center exit 2:


 
In Benjakitti Park สวนเบญจกิติ (just north of QSCNN) as well:



Mor Chit 2 bus station (2 pictures):





Ekkamai bus station:



Rama 3 road under expressway in Yannawa (3 pictures),
the road goes in waves with the peaks at the pillars:







Under ARL Makkasan (3 pictures):







Particular bad around highway pillars on Rama 9 near RCA (Royal Castro Avenue entertainment area, 5 pictures). With level dropping up to 20 cm (vertical, estimated) in the course of 1 m horizontal, you could think there was an earthquake:












Update: more spectacular cases at ABAC Suvarnabhumi campus.

The Thais try to outrace the sinking by putting new layers on roads and sidewalks. I have the impression that refurbished roads are higher than before. This applies to Soi Goethe and Soi Than Tawan, that were refurbished in the last years. I have no pictorial proof, just the impression that the new road level is higher than before. Here (near Royal Palace) you can clearly see that they put just another layer on top:



(Similar in South Pattaya Road intersection with Second Road NW corner.)

And sewer covers are up to 10 cm below level of sidewalk (probably the sidewalk got a new layer, but sewer cover remained):



At the same time, there is a threat from floods and sea level going inland. Phanthai Norasing ศาลพันท้ายนรสิงห์ is 5 km inland on maps, but if you look at in from the air (picture by a friend's drone), it's surrounded by water. Similar when you look out of the airplane when flying in or out from Suvarnabhumi airport.



Wat Khun Samut Chin วัดขุนสมุทรจีน is an even better example of coastline going inland, but I haven't been yet.


While global warming is not palpable for the normal citizen (not even for scientists, they have to analyze data), sinking Bangkok is!

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