Flooding displaces thousands in Bangkok after days of heavy rain

Nearly 4,900 people have been evacuated to shelters after days of heavy rain flooded Bangkok, affecting about 52,000 households and prompting a disaster declaration across the Thai capital. The weather agency recorded more than 330 millimetres of rain in some parts of the city between Thursday and Sunday. Residents waded through knee-deep water, floated belongings in plastic tubs and used small boats on submerged streets.

Temporary shelters were established in schools, including a gymnasium where around 100 people sought food, water and safety. Evacuees reported shortages of clothing and blankets, while mosquito nets were delivered to the site on Saturday night. Some residents said official warnings arrived too late.

Office worker Bandit Pankan said an SMS alert came after floodwater had already entered his home. At another shelter, teacher Namphet Chanjuingtavorn said electricity and water had been cut off at her flat before she moved to her workplace. Flooding also disrupted shopping and supplies.

Some stores ran out of essentials, and shoppers reported queues of up to two hours at supermarkets. The prime minister’s office urged people not to panic-buy and warned that price gouging was a criminal offence. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said canal levels remained high while authorities worked to accelerate drainage.

Kosin Nilset, who lives beside the Premprachakorn canal, said his house had been underwater for about 30 hours and that the water was higher than during the 2011 flood. Flooding was reported in 25 provinces, according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation. More than 10,000 soldiers were deployed nationwide for relief work, while parts of neighbouring Nonthaburi and Samut Prakan provinces were also declared disaster zones.

Rain was forecast to continue through Sunday before easing on Monday. Bangkok authorities said hundreds of schools would close on Monday. Scientists have warned that extreme weather events will become more intense and frequent as the planet warms because of fossil-fuel emissions.