More than 300 millimetres of rain has fallen on Bangkok since 24 September, triggering widespread flooding that has forced 4,200 people into emergency shelters and left 52,000 households across all 50 districts affected.
Prime Minister Anutin Chanvirakul chaired an online meeting from London on 26 September at 4.15pm to review the flooding with Bangkok officials and relevant agencies. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt briefed the meeting, reporting that rainfall since 4pm on 24 September amounted to roughly 223 million cubic metres of water.
Several major canals, including Prem Prachakorn, Saen Saep, Prawet Buri Rom and Taweewatthana, are now full, with overflow affecting nearby communities and transport routes. Around 13 main roads have been affected by the flooding.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has opened 233 temporary shelters with capacity for around 15,000 people, using schools as the main shelter sites. Nearly 40 bedridden patients have been moved to hospital, with 69 public health centres and 13 BMA hospitals on standby to support residents, particularly vulnerable groups.
City authorities are working to drain floodwater and are coordinating with the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, military units and other agencies, which have supplied high clearance trucks, boats and personnel to reach hard hit areas, especially where flooding is deep or access is difficult.
The Thai Meteorological Department has forecast further heavy rain on 26 September, with conditions expected to ease from 27 September onward. If rainfall subsides as forecast, the flooding situation in Bangkok is expected to gradually improve.
Anutin instructed all agencies to work as a single integrated team, prioritising shelters, food, drinking water, medicine, clothing and transport for affected residents, with particular attention to vulnerable groups. He also directed government and transport agencies to open parking areas for affected residents, with fee exemptions to be considered and staff assigned to assist.
The Prime Minister further instructed the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to prepare a budget to address the crisis and coordinate directly with relevant agencies for faster response, and called for all agencies to communicate using consistent information in plain language, covering flooded areas, passable routes and how residents can seek help. He also asked officials to work proactively in the field rather than waiting for instructions from central command.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration said it will continue monitoring the situation closely, accelerate drainage efforts, support residents and coordinate across agencies, and will begin assessing damage and starting recovery work once water levels recede.
In related news:
The story Bangkok opens 233 shelters as canals overflow as seen on Thaiger News.
