The massive body of water now surrounding Bangkok is continuing its long, destructive trip toward the ocean. The flood is the result of the heavy monsoon rains that drenched Southeast Asia four months ago, leaving Thailand and neighboring countries submerged and claiming more than 1,000 lives across the region. The waters that inundated Ayutthaya to the north of Bangkok have largely receded, but suburbs to the south and west remain under threat, with evacuation notices still being issued. Central Bangkok appears to have been spared the worst of the flooding, due in part to a protective wall of sandbags some 6 km (3.7 mi) long. Throughout the surrounding area, many thousands remain in evacuation centers, or with friends and family, waiting for the worst flooding in decades to recede. Collected here are images from Thailand over the past two weeks.
Thailand's Disastrous, Slow-Moving Flood
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A Buddha head in the roots of a Bodhi tree is partially submerged by floodwaters in the ruins of Wat Mahathat temple in Thailand's ancient capital, Ayutthaya, on November 6, 2011. The floods in Thailand began in July and have devastated large parts of the central Chao Phraya river basin, killed more than 500 people and disrupted the lives of more than two million. #
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A Thai commando watches as villagers of the Don Muaeng district in Bangkok, Thailand, remove sand bags from barriers to ease flooding in their residential areas, on November 13, 2011. The barriers were built to hold the floodwater back from surging to inner city areas. Bangkok authorities have told more residents to leave as floodwaters threaten southwestern neighborhoods in the Thai capital. #
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A Thai mahout rides on an elephant while holding a krathong during celebrations for the annual Loy Krathong festival in Ayutthaya province, on November 10, 2011. Believers float krathongs in rivers, canals or ponds during the festival, which is held as a symbolic apology to the goddess of the river. Ayutthaya province, the site of World Heritage-listed temples as well as five damaged industrial estates, is starting to see floodwater recede after about six weeks, allowing a clean-up to begin. #
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Vehicles are submerged at the Honda factory in Ayutthaya province, on November 14, 2011. Clean-up work is underway at four industrial estates in Thailand's central Ayutthaya province as water has receded after devastating floods last month, and some factories are already back at work, officials said on Monday. Honda Motor Co, the hardest hit of the Japanese car firms, said it would take longer for its production to be up and running again. #
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Residents staying in concrete blocks, meant to be used in the construction of an elevated train system, pass the time in a flooded area on the outskirts of Bangkok, on November 11, 2011. #
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A Thai boy looks from his shelter of concrete blocks, meant to be used in the construction of an elevated train system, on a flooded road on the outskirts of Bangkok, on November 9, 2011. About 30 families, all victims of the floods, have been living in the blocks since floodwaters hit their village about a month ago. #
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A father carries his daughter after receiving food donations from the Poh Teck Tung foundation in a flood area at Phisi Charoen district in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 3, 2011. #
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Thai soldiers helping commuters moving through flooded area wear protection from dirty water in Bangkok, on November 10, 2011. Thai consumer confidence fell to a 10-year low in October because of flooding that has taken more than 500 lives and shut thousands of factories, with another industrial estate threatened on Thursday as water spread in the east of the capital, Bangkok. #
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Thai residents climb on makeshift ladders hung from the tollway to a pedestrian overpass over a flooded road in Rangsit district on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, on November 14, 2011. #
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An aircraft sits on the flooded tarmac at the Don Muang domestic airport in Bangkok, on November 10, 2011. Don Muang Airport has been closed for weeks due to some of the worst flooding in Thailand's history. #
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A man pulls a makeshift raft carrying his friends and with a Thai national flag attached as they make their way through a newly flooded neighborhood in Bangkok's suburbs, on November 11, 2011 #
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Local residents travel in a long tail boat against the current of floodwaters after angry villagers partially destroyed a sand bag wall in front of Don Muang Airport in Bangkok, on November 14, 2011. #
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Mountains of trash accumulate in flood-free areas in Bangkok, on November 8, 2011. Thailand plans to hire at least 2,000 extra rubbish collectors in the capital Bangkok to tackle a mountain of trash that has piled up in inundated areas, officials said on November 9. #
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A Thai man enjoys his drink -- set before him on a floating refrigerator door -- as he sits outside his house in fetid floodwaters in a neighborhood in Bangkok, on November 3, 2011. #
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A reporter for Korean television does a report standing in the water near the Sam Wa flood gate which local residents damaged to let floodwaters flow out of their area toward the city center in Bangkok, on November 2, 2011. Authorities in the Thai capital repaired a damaged flood gate on Wednesday that has become the focus of anger, fear and rivalry between arms of government battling the country's worst floods in decades. #
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Animals jump over water in the partially flooded Safari World wildlife park in Bangkok, on November 2, 2011. Almost half of the Safari World was flooded overnight but all animals were taken to higher ground. #
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