THAILAND – Flooding in Thailand showed early signs of easing, but 15 provinces remained affected as authorities warned that the monsoon could still bring more heavy rain and undo recent gains.
Central plains remain epicentre
The central plain continued to bear the brunt of the disaster, with Ayutthaya province the hardest hit. Officials said 50,026 households in Ayutthaya were still coping with floodwaters and that fields in 12 districts — from Sena to Ban Sa-ai — remained under stable water levels.
Water levels had begun to fall in some neighbouring central provinces. Uthai Thani and Pathum Thani reported declining water, while Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Suphan Buri and Nakhon Pathom were holding at stable levels, suggesting the flood wave had in parts passed its peak.
North shows slow improvement
Northern provinces also recorded improvement. Phitsanulok, Sukhothai and Phichit reported falling river and reservoir levels, easing pressure on local communities. Nakhon Sawan, by contrast, continued to face stable but still high water levels, with the agricultural district of Chumsaeng singled out as particularly vulnerable as rice farmers worried about their harvests.
Northeast and east largely under control
In the northeast, the situation was measured but manageable. Ubon Ratchathani and Udon Thani held at stable flood levels, with Udon Thani province reporting ten affected districts, including the provincial capital.
In the east, only Chachoengsao continued to report flooding, but officials said levels in the Bang Nam Prieo district had started to fall after days of inundation.
Authorities on alert as monsoon continues
Thailand’s disaster authorities cautioned that the situation could change quickly. A spokesman for the disaster protection agency said: “The trends are encouraging, but we must not relent. Any heavy rain could worsen the situation.” The meteorological office has forecast further rainfall as the monsoon season is not over.
Farmers face an uncertain recovery
Local officials and farmers were assessing damage to crops and livelihoods. Questions remained over how much rice and vegetables had been lost and when fields could be replanted. The wider economic impact on harvests across affected provinces was not yet clear.
Relief and recovery teams stayed on alert as they monitored river gauges and weather reports, ready to respond if the monsoon brought renewed heavy rain.