Thailand has experienced some of its worst flooding in decades in recent weeks, turning attention to the government’s response and the destructive aftermath.
Authorities confirm eight southern provinces—including Songkhla, Nakhon Si Thammarat, and Phatthalung—remain inundated. Photo: Tommy Walker
Southern Thailand saw floodwaters two to three metres high, affecting more than one million people. Hat Yai, Thailand’s fifth-largest city, was the worst hit, with roads, bridges, homes and businesses submerged.
At least 140 people have died across Songkhla province because of the floods, a number almost certain to rise. Millions more have been affected as overflowing waterways engulfed communities.
Record Rainfall and Monsoon Surge
Thailand’s south saw its single biggest day of rainfall in Hat Yai on November 21, which received 335 millimetres of rain — the heaviest single-day rainfall in 300 years, according to officials.
A mass evacuation order was put in place to try and stem the human impact a few days later as a state of emergency was declared by Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.
But by this stage the floods were over two metres high, and many people were stuck in their homes waiting for the water to subside. Those with multi-storey buildings could hold out. Those with lower-level structures were not so fortunate.
The heavy gush of rainfall coupled with Southeast Asia’s annual monsoon season amplified the floods. Hat Yai is also within basin-like surroundings, with mountainous areas, meaning that too much water in quick succession can flow into the city, overflow and build up. The city’s recent urban development has also created bottlenecks which bloat water overflow, while reservoirs and canals aren’t built to handle this amount of water. Thailand isn’t new to flooding, but it’s usually ankle-deep. These floods saw citizens wade through the water from waist to chest height and higher in other areas.
The calamity impacting over 819,000 households, despite an overall trend towards normalisation and accelerated recovery efforts. Photo: Tommy Walker
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Southern Thailand Hit by Worst Flooding in Decades – Asia Media Centre