Thailand Hopes Floodwaters Have Peaked

Millions of people affected by massive flooding around the Thai capital are set to find out if high water levels have finally peaked.

Bangkok is on heightened alert because of threats on two fronts - a seasonal high tide this weekend that was expected to coincide with the arrival of a mass of water from the flood-stricken central plains.

The floods have sparked an exodus from the city of 12 million people as water crept closer to the city centre and the government considered cutting through roads blocking the path of the water.

Tens of thousands of residents have already left after a special five-day holiday was declared.

Many parts of the capital are underwater, but central Bangkok has only seen minor inundation in areas along the swollen Chao Phraya River, including near the Grand Palace, with the water receding after high tide passes.

Tourists walking through ankle-deep water near the palace appeared unfazed, despite travel warnings.

Britain's Foreign Office has warned against visiting Bangkok or the 26 affected provinces in Thailand.

But some visitors were not allowing the inconvenience to put them off their holidays.

"It's adding to our experience," British honeymooner Melanie Willoughby, 32, said.

"They all seem to be coping well. The only thing we found is that it's been hard to get (drinking) water."

Friday's high tide was lower than expected, raising hopes that the flood barriers on the Chao Phraya - the city's main river - would prevent a major overflow this weekend.

An official at the city's drainage and sewerage department said: "The walls can still hold it back, despite flooding on the river banks, which is usual during high tide."

The three-month crisis - triggered by unusually heavy monsoon rains - has left at least 377 people dead and damaged millions of homes and livelihoods, mostly in northern and central Thailand.

Some areas in northern Bangkok have seen waist-deep flooding, leading to the shutdown of the city's second airport, Don Mueang.

The US has provided helicopters to help with aerial reconnaissance missions over flooded areas.

Meanwhile, the massive flooding is disrupting global supply chains, including hard disk drives (HDDs) for the world's personal computer makers, according to companies and market intelligence firms.

Around 40% of all hard disk drives worldwide are produced in Thailand, making it the second-largest exporter of HDDs after China.

John Rydning, research vice-president for hard disk drives at technology consultant IDC, estimated factories in Thailand currently affected by flooding account for some 25% of worldwide HDD production.

"There's definitely going to be an impact on HDD customers this quarter and next quarter," Mr Rydning said.

"It's going to take several months for the HDD industry to recover."