Bangkok flood waters recede after torrential rain as residents count losses

BANGKOK – Flood waters receded in parts of Bangkok on Sept 27 after torrential rain eased, even as residents in some flooded neighbourhoods remained stranded in their homes.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) declared the Thai capital a disaster-affected area on Sept 26 after nearly 300mm of rain fell over 48 hours, leading to flooding on major roads that left some cars partly submerged.

Arita Sanpoka, 33, a resident of a flooded community, said two neighbours in their 80s remained stranded in their home because they could not get downstairs.

“Right now, the water in my house is up to waist height,” Arita said.

“Everything in the house is ruined.”

She said daily life had become difficult, with power cut off on the ground floor and the bathroom unusable as the water level continued to rise.

The BMA said it had prepared 233 temporary shelters, and around 4,200 people were using the facilities.

The flooding affected neighbourhoods across the capital, with water entering homes and disrupting transport.

Some areas became difficult to access, and residents were forced to wade through the water.

Rachthanichporn Leeput, 37, walked 2km to 3km through water after flooding in her area on the evening of Sept 25.

“The water rose very fast,” she said.

“Many people, many households, couldn’t prepare in time.”

Rachthanichporn, a delivery rider, said the flooding had also cut off her income.

She had been wading through the water to buy supplies and resell them to make up for lost earnings.

The BMA said on Sept 27 that rainfall had eased after a low-pressure system that had affected Bangkok over the previous days moved west.

Rain was expected to be lighter, although water levels in several major canals remained high as water continued to flow in from surrounding areas, it said.

Meanwhile, Thailand’s Department of Internal Trade is coordinating with retailers, convenience stores, fresh markets, wholesale markets and local department stores to ensure essential goods remain available as flooding disrupts travel and distribution, The Nation reported.

The department’s director-general Wittayakorn Maneenetr explained that residents in some affected areas had increased their purchases to build up reserves.

The department will help channel essential consumer goods from production sources into markets. Priority products include pork, chicken, eggs and selected vegetables to ensure sufficient supplies for consumers.

Officials will also be deployed to monitor conditions and check prices in affected areas to deter opportunistic price increases and unfair practices against consumers.

Retailers and markets will help communicate information on which shops and branches are open or closed in each area.

The aim is to help consumers plan their journeys and purchases more easily.

Thailand’s Cabinet on Sept 27 approved Sept 28 and 29 as special holidays for civil servants in Bangkok and three surrounding provinces due to heavy rainfall.

“The measure aims to reduce travel and ease traffic disruptions for the public,” it said, adding that important official business scheduled during the holidays may continue as deemed appropriate by their heads.

The move could delay a court decision on electoral ballots used in February’s election.

This could put the election results in doubt, though the court has not made an announcement on whether the timing of the verdict will be changed.

Also, schools run by the BMA will close on Sept 28 to keep students, parents, teachers and other staff safe, said BMA’s Department of Education on Sept 26.

The closure is intended to give schools time to check potentially damaged property for safety and prepare for lessons and first-term examinations in the 2026 academic year, which runs from mid-May 2026 through early March 2027.

It also aims to ensure students can travel to school safely and easily, with institutions needing to notify parents urgently and arrange make-up lessons later.

The BMA’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Directorate declared all 50 districts disaster areas on Sept 25 to allow government agencies to respond to the situation.

People in affected areas have been warned to be wary of heavy to very heavy rain and accumulated rainfall, which could trigger flash floods, cause water to build up and rivers to overflow and lead to forest run-off and landslides, particularly on foothill slopes near waterways and in low-lying areas.

They were also advised to avoid routes prone to recurring flooding, especially in low-lying areas where temporary waterlogging is possible.

The conditions are driven by a low-pressure area over the western part of the central region of Thailand, together with a fairly strong south-westerly monsoon over the Andaman Sea, the South and the Gulf of Thailand.

The upper Andaman Sea and upper Gulf of Thailand are experiencing fairly strong winds and waves of 2m to 3m, rising above 3m in thunderstorms.

Mariners in the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand should navigate with caution and avoid thunderstorm areas.

Crews of small boats in the upper Andaman Sea and upper Gulf of Thailand are advised to remain ashore until Sept 28. REUTERS, THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK