Last Updated on September 27, 2026 by YeJahan
YEJAHAN DESK
BANGKOK: The Thailand capital has been declared a disaster zone after torrential rain left swathes of the Thai capital under water, with forecasters warning that yet more severe weather is on the way.
The Bangkok disaster brings back painful memories for the country. It comes just months after Thailand endured its worst flooding in decades, when devastation across the southern provinces claimed at least 145 lives and destroyed thousands of homes.
300mm of torrential rain triggers citywide emergency
The city’s governor, Chadchart Sittipunt, triggered emergency powers on Saturday following a relentless 48-hour deluge that dumped nearly 300mm of rain on the metropolis. Describing the crisis as an immediate threat to life and property, he warned that neighborhoods flanking the city’s vast network of canals are bearing the brunt of the destruction.
The sudden influx of water has crippled Bangkok’s infrastructure. Major thoroughfares have been transformed into rivers, leaving vehicles half-submerged and forcing commuters to wade through waist-deep currents. In response to the rising waters, the military has begun deploying field kitchens and temporary shelters, while municipal officials have repurposed local schools to house those forced from their homes.
With residents urged to avoid unnecessary travel, panic buying has taken hold. Long queues formed at supermarkets as families raced to stock up on essentials.
The government has issued urgent advisories for canal-side communities to move their belongings to higher ground. For many, the warning came almost too late as many being caught entirely off guard as they scrambled to carry whatever left from the localities already cut off by the floodwaters.
While flight schedules at Suvarnabhumi airport are currently unaffected, transport officials have warned holidaymakers to allow up to three extra hours to navigate the gridlocked and flooded routes to the terminal.
Copyright YeJahan News Network, 2026
