HAT YAI, THAILAND – Specialist volunteers from Sriracha arrived in flooded districts of Hat Yai to assist thousands of stranded residents after officials described the disaster as the worst flooding in 300 years.
Convoy Departs from Chonburi
On the evening of 25 November, at around 7:30 p.m., a convoy with more than 20 rescue volunteers from the Sawang Prateep Sriracha Rescue Unit left its base in Chonburi province. On board were two flat-bottomed rescue boats and two jetskis. Their destination was Hat Yai district in the southern province of Songkhla, where in many neighborhoods the water stood several meters high and entire residential areas were cut off without power or the ability to evacuate on their own.
Support for the Most Vulnerable Residents
Chatri Kamjornkijjakarn, president of the Phutthammamaka Sawang Prateep Dhamma Sriracha Association, saw the team off together with vice president Atisak Nissaiyan and rescue unit chief Manoch Untakultong. Before departure, rice, non-perishable food, drinking water and basic medical supplies were loaded onto the vehicles.
“Many elderly people and bedridden patients cannot move by themselves. Some houses are completely surrounded by water. Our volunteers will focus on reaching those who have no way out,”
said Manoch Untakultong, head of the rescue unit.
Safety Instructions for Volunteers
Before leaving, the leaders recited a short blessing and reminded the volunteers of clear safety rules.
“If the situation becomes too dangerous, pull back and reassess the situation. We want everyone to return home healthy,”
said Chatri Kamjornkijjakarn, association president. The volunteer forces from Sriracha were scheduled to begin their rescue and relief operations in Hat Yai in the early morning hours, working closely with local authorities and other rescue organizations already on the ground.
Days of Heavy Rain and High Water Levels
Since the end of the previous week, heavy rainfall in southern Thailand had flooded large parts of Hat Yai and surrounding districts. Roads, markets and residential areas were extensively submerged, leaving thousands of people in their homes. Authorities warned that water levels could remain high for several more days, with particular risks for trapped families without access to food, sick and elderly people without medical care, and residents in areas where power outages made communication difficult.
Reinforcements Aim to Ease Local Strain
The arrival of the unit from Sriracha was intended to ease the burden on existing forces in Hat Yai. Their deployment aimed to improve the supply of food, drinking water and medicines to the most severely affected households and to strengthen ongoing evacuation and assistance efforts in the flooded districts.