Heavy rain and flooding have left Bangkok largely paralyzed on Saturday, the dpa news agency reports. Bangkok's governor, Chadchart Sittipunt, has declared the city a disaster zone following heavy rains that have hit the capital, with all 50 districts in the greater Bangkok area declared as disaster-affected areas, Thai media reported.
In the past 48 hours, almost 300 millimetres of rain have fallen, and meteorologists have forecast new thunderstorms and heavy rain for the weekend. New heavy rain is also expected on Sunday. The governor stated that the crisis "poses a risk to human lives" and can cause damage to public and private property, adding that the situation is most critical near the canals.
Main roads are flooded, with cars partially submerged, and residents are wading through water that reaches their waists. Traffic has come to a complete standstill in many parts of the city. Thai media outlet Thai PBS reported that public sector staff have been ordered to work from home on Monday and Tuesday, while schools remain closed, according to the Khaosod newspaper. The government has issued a warning to residents living along canals to move their belongings to higher ground, while citizens are urged to avoid all non-essential travel.
The main city airport, Suvarnabhumi, is still operating normally, but the tourism authority advises passengers to allow an extra two to three hours for travel due to difficult traffic conditions. Crowds have gathered at supermarkets as residents stock up on groceries. "I am worried because I haven't bought food yet. I have never found myself in such a situation before, and my parents are not with me," said 19-year-old Sansuk Laowatcharakh. "Before that warning, I didn't take the situation seriously enough to consider leaving," said Suppakarn Julavijitphong as he carried his luggage out of the building surrounded by water.
Thailand was hit by the worst flooding in recent decades in November. In the southern provinces, at least 145 people died and thousands of homes were damaged.
