(Staff article from the ABC NEWS AUSTRALIA on 27 September 2026.)
Bangkok declared disaster zone
after heavy rain floods homes, submerges roads: Bangkok's governor on Saturday
declared Thailand's capital city a disaster-affected zone after torrential rain
led to widespread flooding. Nearly 300 millimetres of rain has fallen in the
past 48 hours. Bangkok's governor said flooding should recede once the rain
subsides.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt
on Saturday declared Thailand's capital city a disaster-affected zone after
torrential rain led to widespread flooding, while the weather agency forecast
thunderstorms over the weekend.
Major roads were flooded, with cars partly submerged, and people were forced to wade through waist-height water after nearly 300 millimetres of rain fell within 48 hours. Mr Sittipunt said the crisis "poses a risk to people's lives" and could damage public and private property, and added that the situation was most severe near canals.
The army said it is setting up
shelters and field kitchens among other disaster relief efforts, while the
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has designated schools as temporary
accommodation and asked residents to avoid unnecessary travel.
Supermarkets were crowded with
people stocking up on supplies. "I'm worried too, because I haven't
stocked up on food beforehand, and I've never faced this kind of situation
alone before, since my parents aren't with me," said 19-year-old Sansuk
Laowatcharakul.
The government on Saturday issued an emergency advisory for people living near canals to move possessions to higher ground. Although not all parts of Bangkok were submerged, the city declared all 50 districts a flood disaster area to help authorities respond quickly.
More than 200 shelters were set up
across the city and about 4,200 people have moved in, according to Mr
Sittipunt. "[Before the warning] I wasn't aware enough to consider
relocating," said Bangkok resident Suppakarn Julavijitphong as he carried
luggage from a condo surrounded by floodwater.
The city's main airport,
Suvarnabhumi, was operating normally, though the tourism authority advised
travellers to allow an extra two to three hours in their plans. Air traffic
control authorities confirmed flight operations were normal, but some flights
might face delays. Mr Sittipunt said, despite the heavy rain, flooding should
recede once the rain subsides, as city officials work to drain floodwaters as
quickly as possible.
