Bangkok Flooding Disrupts Roads, Forces Evacuations as Heavy Rain Persists

Continuous rainfall from Thursday afternoon into Saturday morning has left large parts of Bangkok underwater, disrupting traffic and prompting some residents to leave their homes. Officials said major canals in the Thai capital had accumulated more than 20 centimetres (7.8 inches) of rain by Saturday.

Floodwaters spread across central and eastern districts in particular, submerging roads and bringing vehicles to a standstill. Footage showed waterlogged streets from early morning, with traffic crawling and some motorbike riders pushing their machines through the water. Cars were abandoned on major roads after drivers could not move through the rising water.

The disruption was felt by visitors and locals alike. A South Korean tourist who has visited Bangkok more than ten times said he had never seen such weather and could not find a taxi. A Dutch resident of two years said an event he had planned to attend was cancelled, though he described the overall disruption as limited. A Thai resident compared the flooding to the widespread inundation Bangkok experienced in 2011.

Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said heavy rain was expected to continue through Saturday, but that flooding should recede once the downpours ease, as city workers drain the water as quickly as possible. Several shelters have been opened for those forced to evacuate, and some government facilities are being used to provide parking for vehicles.

The Meteorological Department warned that heavy rain would persist across most of the country through Sunday, attributing the conditions to a strong low-pressure system over the central region and a strengthening southwest monsoon. More than 84,000 people in 21 provinces have been affected by flooding, particularly in the central region. Authorities have sent emergency warnings through the cell-broadcast system to people in affected areas.