Bangkok, Thailand – Thailand faced one of its worst flood disasters in recent years as waters inundated 15 provinces, killed 13 people and left more than 130,000 households struggling with standing water.
Scale of the disaster
The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation reported that 456,096 people from 132,995 families in 2,892 villages were affected by the floods. Authorities said the death toll stood at 13, with one fatality each in Phitsanulok and Phichit and 11 in Ayutthaya.
The affected provinces stretched from Phitsanulok in the north to Ubon Ratchathani in the northeast and included central and peri‑urban areas such as Ayutthaya and Nonthaburi near Bangkok.
Regional impact and vulnerable areas
The Chao Phraya basin region was singled out for intensive operations, with local teams working to protect farmland and communities around key waterways. In Chainat, rescue crews installed pumps to remove contaminated water from rubber plantations behind Wat Maprang, a move intended to limit damage to both crops and homes.
Officials warned that standing water threatened agricultural land as well as residential areas, increasing the risk of longer disruption for rural households.
Rescue operations and equipment deployed
In Phichit province authorities deployed 25 machines, including water pumps, small transport vehicles and specialised high‑water vehicles, to reach hard‑hit districts. The districts of Taphan Hin and Bang Mun Nak were repeatedly identified as among the worst affected, where crews were working house by house to stabilise conditions.
Across multiple provinces, rescue teams operated around the clock as part of a nationwide mobilisation to prevent further loss of life and property.
Southern provinces also affected
The floods were not confined to the north and central plains. In Chumphon, 45 families in Moo 5, Tambon Wang Tako were caught by the rising water and required assistance. Authorities in Surat Thani installed a high‑capacity pump in the city as a precaution against additional inundation.
Officials said the situation remained tense in the south, with preparations in place should further rainfall increase river and surface water levels.
Relief, coordination and public guidance
The DDPM set up a 24‑hour hotline at 1784 for flood victims to request help and coordinated with provincial and local administrations to ensure delivery of food, drinking water and medicines. Government agencies emphasised logistical support to reach remote villages and to prioritise immediate needs.
Authorities urged residents to follow local evacuation guidance and to contact the hotline for assistance as teams continued to assess damage and distribute relief supplies.
Outlook and wider relevance
With emergency services stretched across 15 provinces, officials said their immediate focus remained on life‑saving operations and stabilising critical infrastructure. The scale of the event underlined the vulnerability of broad swathes of Thailand to heavy flooding, from agricultural areas to towns on the outskirts of the capital.
Communities and responders were bracing for further rainfall while coordinating relief efforts to protect those displaced and support recovery in the weeks ahead.