Floodwaters in Bangkok are slowly receding after days of torrential rain, but large parts of Thailand’s capital remain inundated as authorities race to drain flooded communities and assist thousands of displaced residents.
The weekend flooding affected approximately 329,000 households, or about 700,000 people, according to Bangkok’s Flood Control Center. City authorities declared a flood emergency across all 50 districts as intense rainfall overwhelmed drainage systems and pushed water levels in major canals higher.
Conditions improved enough on Monday for officials to accelerate drainage operations, although intermittent rain continued and some neighborhoods and major roads remained underwater. Eastern Bangkok, particularly Bang Kapi, was among the hardest-hit areas, with floodwater reaching around knee level in some locations.
Nearly 7,000 people were staying in shelters, while authorities prioritized assistance and evacuation support for vulnerable residents, including older people and people with disabilities.
The flooding has also disrupted Bangkok’s economy and transportation network. Panic buying and supply-chain disruptions were reported, while businesses faced staffing shortages as employees struggled to reach workplaces.
Even Suvarnabhumi Airport was affected. The Thai Air Force deployed 69 personnel to help address a backlog of passenger luggage, with airport officials attributing the disruption largely to insufficient ground-handling staff and baggage-cart problems. Some flights experienced delays, while arriving passengers faced longer waits for their luggage.
Thailand’s government declared special holidays for state offices on Monday and Tuesday and allowed businesses, financial institutions and other organizations to determine whether operations should continue.
Despite the improving conditions in Bangkok, authorities remain cautious. Thailand’s meteorological agency warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall in several parts of the country, with possible flash floods, river overflows, forest runoff and landslides in vulnerable areas.
The wider region is also dealing with severe weather. In Myanmar, heavy rain caused flooding and landslides, with local reports citing at least 10 deaths. Cambodia also reported flash floods across multiple provinces, affecting tens of thousands of families and forcing thousands of people to evacuate.
Meanwhile, a separate Reuters report estimated that flooding across Bangkok and 41 Thai provinces had affected more than 580,000 homes since September 16, with economic losses estimated at at least 11 billion baht ($327 million).
For Bangkok, the immediate focus is now drainage, relief and restoring disrupted services. But with additional rain still possible across Thailand, the latest improvement may not yet signal the end of the flooding crisis.
WWC ONE MEDIA G,A
