BANGKOK, THAILAND – The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (Gistda) issued an urgent warning for the capital and surrounding provinces as flood risks intensified after dam discharges increased along the Chao Phraya River.
Authorities raise flow rate at Chao Phraya Dam
On 17 October 2024, officials at the Chao Phraya Dam in Chai Nat province raised the water release rate from 2,750 to 2,800 cubic metres per second, according to the Department of Water Resources. The adjustment followed the arrival of heavy northern runoff swollen by the remnants of Tropical Storm Kalmaegi, creating pressure downstream into Bangkok, Pathum Thani, and Nonthaburi.
The Gistda emergency bulletin confirmed that high tides in the Gulf of Thailand slowed river drainage and amplified flood risk within metropolitan zones.
High-risk zones named in Bangkok and nearby provinces
Hydrology units in Pathum Thani designated danger areas from Sam Khok to the Muang District, while officials in Nonthaburi cited severe vulnerability in Pak Kret and Bang Kruai districts. In Bangkok, authorities listed Bang Phlat, Bangkok Noi, Bangkok Yai, and Thon Buri as the most exposed areas outside the primary flood barriers.
Residents were ordered to relocate valuables, reinforce property boundaries, and prepare evacuation plans within 48 hours of the alert.
Weather warnings continue across the country
The Meteorological Department reported persistent heavy rain across northern provinces such as Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, and Chiang Rai, linked to a low-pressure system over western highlands. Officials warned that mountain slopes faced increased risks of flash floods and landslides affecting agricultural terrain.
The department instructed local farmers in northern Thailand to safeguard plantations and livestock, while a secondary weather front spawned southwesterly winds over the Andaman Sea, prompting further rainfall across the southern coast.
Government expedites multi-billion-baht aid
Following the nationwide alerts, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul authorised accelerated release of relief funding. Minister Paradorn Prisananantakul announced the approval of the first compensation tranche covering over 600,000 households nationwide.
“The Cabinet has authorised more than 6 billion baht for immediate distribution,”
said Paradorn Prisananantakul, Minister of Agriculture.
The allocation, equivalent to approximately €152 million, would support families affected by prolonged inundations lasting 30, 60, or 90 days across 17 provinces.
Water authorities monitor dam capacity
Despite reassurance from the Royal Irrigation Department that reservoirs retained sufficient buffer capacity, Gistda stated that combined runoff, increased discharge, and coastal high tides placed the Chao Phraya basin under “critical stress levels.”
Bullet points from the emergency coordination centre, logged at 08:00 local time, included:
– 2,800 m³/s dam outflow from Chai Nat
– Estimated rise of 20–30 cm in midstream water levels
– Designated evacuation points for Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi residents
– Continuous monitoring of Bangkok’s riverside districts every six hours
Disaster response officials said that alerts would remain active until downstream indicators dropped below safety thresholds.
The Gistda notice concluded that unless rainfall intensity decreased in the northern catchments within 72 hours, flood containment across the Bangkok Metropolitan Region could exceed operational capacity.