The massive floods in Thailand are repeatedly reported in Japan every day. A number of Japanese firms are operated and lots of Japanese people reside in the country. The unprecedented floods in Thailand are never the fire on the other side of the river for Japan. I only hope that the Thai people will be back to their ordinary life as fast as possible.
By the way, the cause of the flood is said to be due to the massive rain in the northern part of Thailand. It might be right, and I think so, but is it the only single reason for the disaster? I have no good evidence, but I'm going to relate my personal opinion.
Originally, Thailand has been an agricultural nation. The northern vast area of Bangkok, typified by Ayutthaya Province, has been rice fields since ancient times. Rainwater in the northern provinces of Thailand is stored in those rice fields for some time and is slowly discharged to the sea. It's been a long-lasting natural cycle in Thailand. However, huge rice fields were filled with soil and turned to industrial complexes. The natural drainage system was destroyed in this way. The urban area, which used to be formerly called the Venice of the East, has been changed to modern cities at the cost of the drainage of rainwater. Can we not say that these changes which man gave to the land of the Thai people is also responsible for the floods?
(Vocabulary)
agricultural nation 農業立国
be typified by ～に代表される
typify (フォーマル) …の典型となる, を代表する
the upsurge in violent crime, typified by the killing of this young boy この少年の殺害に代表される暴力的犯罪の急増
industrial complex 工業団地
Venice of the East 東洋のヴェニス
at the cost of ～を犠牲にして
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