Thousands huddle in Bangkok shelters as economic damage from Thailand floods hits $418m
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Bangkok is among 41 provinces across Thailand hit by floods since Sept 16.
PHOTO: REUTERS
- Thousands in Bangkok shelter in evacuation centres as severe floods from heavy rain damage homes and infrastructure, with over 80,000 residents trapped and relief efforts underway.
- Floods have affected 41 provinces, caused at least eight deaths, damaged over 580,000 homes, and may reduce Thailand's GDP growth by 0.3 percentage points.
- Bangkok's sinking geography worsens flooding, with floating markets emerging; eastern province Rayong orders evacuations due to swollen reservoirs, highlighting ongoing risks.
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BANGKOK – Thousands sheltered on Sept 28 in evacuation centres in the Thai capital, parts of it still flooded after havoc brought by intense weekend rain, while swelling reservoirs in an eastern province triggered orders for more to leave their homes.
Entire neighbourhoods were inundated and the drainage network was swamped after 320mm of rain fell during two or three days last week, or nearly as much as the sprawling low-lying city usually gets in the whole of September.
“Over 80,000 residents living in flooded areas are unable to leave their homes,” Unsit Sampuntharat, Permanent Secretary of the Interior Ministry, said in a statement, adding that a mobile kitchen and boats were being mobilised in relief efforts.
“The goal is to provide three meals a day to all residents throughout the... flooding period and for at least another seven after waters recede,” he added, amid intermittent showers on Sept 28.
At least eight die, more than 580,000 homes affected
Bangkok is among 41 provinces across Thailand hit by floods since Sept 16 that have killed at least eight people and disrupted more than 580,000 homes, the ministry said.
The floods could cause economic damage of at least 11 billion baht (S$418 million) nationwide, with the losses likely to rise unless the situation improves, said Aat Pisanwanich from Rangsit University’s economics department.
“The flooding is expected to shave 0.3 percentage points off this year’s GDP (gross domestic product) growth, reducing growth to 2.1%, and cut third-quarter growth by about 0.5 percentage points to 1.7%,” he told Reuters.
South-east Asia’s second-largest economy, which has lagged its regional peers since the Covid-19 pandemic, expanded 1.9% year on year in the second quarter of 2026, but that figure was still down sharply from the previous quarter’s growth of 2.8%.
Bangkok and the eastern region are likely to take the brunt of the impact, particularly wholesale and retail businesses, while industry and agriculture will suffer elsewhere, Aat added.
Floating flood market
Residents waded through waist-deep waters in the capital’s hard-hit neighbourhood of Bang Kapi to buy essentials from vendors, some of whom had set up stalls with floating plastic boxes and drums, three days after incessant rain brought floods.
At least 5,901 people in Bangkok have moved to 234 evacuation centres, a city administration official said.
Sitting on a river delta of soft clay just 1.5m above sea level, heavily built up Bangkok is sinking by several millimetres a year, while its population of more than 8.4 million often battles floods during its six-month-long rainy season.
Further east, in the coastal province of Rayong which abuts a major industrial belt, the authorities ordered evacuations on Sept 28 after flood waters swelled two reservoirs beyond their capacity.
In 2025, catastrophic southern floods, triggered by 630mm of rain over three days, killed at least 145, inundated more than 33,000 homes and damaged critical facilities such as schools, hospitals and highways. REUTERS