Bangkok is in a state of emergency. After days of relentless downpours, the capital’s streets have turned into rivers, prompting the city’s governor, Chadchart Sittipunt, to formally declare a disaster‑affected zone.
Meteorologists report that the city has received almost 300 millimetres (about 12 inches) of rain, with predictions of additional precipitation early next week. The deluge has overwhelmed drainage infrastructure, leaving traffic stalled in waterlogged lanes and isolating neighborhoods.
Video footage shows cars bobbing in puddles, and some motorists are stranded on roads that are no longer navigable. Emergency crews are deploying pumps, but the scale of the flood suggests a delayed response across multiple districts.
The governor urged residents to stay indoors, advise authorities to bolster river defenses, and highlighted the need for stronger flood‑resilient infrastructure as Thailand faces increasingly erratic weather.
