This fall, Thailand experienced its worst flooding in half a century, flooding that affected more than four million people in Bangkok and provinces to the north, including Pathumthani, where the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) is located. On 21 October 2011, the AIT campus was completely inundated by flood waters that reached up to three meters in some areas. After attempting to fight off the flood waters at AIT for two weeks, it was no longer possible to keep the beautiful campus above water. 

Among the first office buildings hit by the flooding was the AIT Consulting (AITC) office, which is on the eastern side of the AIT campus and was already experiencing flooding when all people of the AIT community were evacuated to safe locations in Bangkok. It is very fortunate that AITC was prepared for the flood, and one week prior had saved all the computers and documents, by moving them to the second level. All AITC staff had also been relocated to Bangkok one day prior to the flood, and work at AITC resumed very quickly without serious interruption, AITC is pleased to admit that not even one day of work had been lost.

Unfortunately, all AIT academic and residential buildings and offices on the ground floor, including the AITC office, suffered from severe flood damage. They were under water for approximately one month. Renovation at the AITC Office is essential and unavoidable before operations can resume at the Pathumthani campus, and while no exact date has yet been established as to when AITC office in AIT campus would be operational, the good news is that not only a renovation, but an upgrade of the office awaits and is in the planning stage.