Grim

Days later and still no money from the ATM. Apparently the one at Tescos is working so I will have to go there later. No credit on phone, no cash and out of coffee, cereal and pasta. Things are starting to get a tad annoying. Oi gave away half our money to Pee Newt whose husband Carl, although English doesn't socialise with anyone, and didn't have any cash when the flood struck. They also have 3 kids living in their house. I am a bit annoyed with him now that we are starting to suffer. Oi has a bit of cash, a few hundred Baht and we can eat Thai food and cook at home for a bit longer. It's crazy the banks are still shut, even the ones that weren't affected, but I suppose they are all connected on an intranet.

Two of Oi's friends came over last night. The man, whose is a tailor and make me two pairs of very fine work trousers a few months ago, lost everything in the flood. All his clothing stock, machines and personnal belongings. He had to borrow some clothes just to wear himself. We gave them some of my old T-shirts and trousers and our old TV. A lot of people have lost everything, and tragically Oi told me, many animals drowned in the flood. The mass of water rose in about five minutes in the town centre. It came gushing in from the surrounding hills and mountains. Patrick warned me away from the town as tempers are starting to fray as there is still no water on tap, so folks cannot start cleaning up effectively yet.

We have been told the schools will open on Monday. We will have to see if this actually happens, but it still looks like a warzone in the town.

Tom is stuck in his tiny apartment room, waiting for things to return to normal.

Of course, not only Hat Yai has been affected. The whole East side of Southern Thailand was badly hit. Samui, Pattalung, Trang, Nakhon Si Tammarat  have all been devestated, and many people have died.