Bangkok has endured a historic deluge, with roughly 300 mm of rain falling in two days—about half a year’s worth of London’s average rainfall—turning whole neighbourhoods into stagnant lakes rather than temporary rivers. The city’s drainage network, built on a floodplain of the Chao Phraya River, struggled to cope as concrete construction has reduced the capacity of its canals.
Authorities report 40 deaths linked to the floods, including drownings and accidental electrocutions. Over 230 shelters across the capital housed thousands of residents, while many families, such as 73‑year‑old Suleemas Kurangkul in the Khlong Chan flat compound, faced waist‑high water on the street level. Suleemas described the rain as “constant, like all day, all night,” and noted that the water had receded only slightly after a brief break in the downpour.
The flood disaster declaration covered all 50 districts, and residents improvised to move through the water, using inflatable paddling pools, floating fridges, and even a jetski on a main road. The situation prompted the arrest of one man for riding a jetski, and the city’s emergency teams operated pumps at full capacity, though drainage could take days.
The crisis disrupted Suvarnabhumi airport, causing half of Thai Airways’ staff to miss work and leading to flight cancellations. Schools closed, traffic gridlocked, and Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul set up a war room to monitor ongoing floods while warning of continued northern inflows and forecasting further heavy rain.
Scientists point to a broader pattern of increasing extreme rainfall in Southeast Asia, driven by warming seas and the influence of a strong El Niño. University of Southampton ocean scientist Nikolaos Skliris noted a clear trend toward more intense downpours, while local experts say the city’s drainage was underestimated and overloaded by sustained, high‑volume rainfall. Neighboring Myanmar also suffered flash floods and landslides from the same weather system, complicating rescue efforts amid civil unrest and limited media access.
