Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said the capital’s flood situation has stabilised and could gradually improve by Saturday evening if there is no further heavy rain.
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) schools will close on Monday, while BMA employees whose duties do not require them to be on site will work from home to help reduce traffic.
Chadchart gave an update at the BMA’s Flood Control Centre 2 in Din Daeng at 1pm on Saturday, alongside senior drainage and city officials.
Rain expected to ease
Chadchart said flooding had affected several provinces, prompting Bangkok to declare all 50 districts disaster-affected areas.
According to the Thai Meteorological Department, the low-pressure system responsible for the heavy rain is moving westward and northward, with rainfall over Bangkok expected to ease.
The forecast indicated that rainfall should begin easing between 2pm and 3pm on Saturday, with lighter rain expected between 4pm and 5pm. This would allow the city to pump out water more effectively and gradually lower water levels.
The Thon Buri side of Bangkok has experienced relatively few problems, while around 223 million cubic metres of rainwater has fallen on the Phra Nakhon side.
The city is currently pumping water at around 1,200 cubic metres per second, with drainage expected to take two to three days. Additional water is also flowing into Bangkok from surrounding areas, although conditions are expected to improve gradually if the rain stops.
Some canals remain at critical levels, but the Chao Phraya River has substantial drainage capacity and is not currently considered a major concern. All pumping stations and drainage tunnels along the river are operating at full capacity.
Bangkok authorities have also coordinated with the Royal Irrigation Department over water released through Rangsit Canal. Officials are trying to divert as much water as possible directly towards the Chao Phraya River instead of through Bangkok, while some water may be diverted through Phra Ong Chao Chaiyanuchit Canal.
93 roads affected by flooding
Chadchart said flooding is particularly severe in Samut Prakan, Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi. Authorities are attempting to divert water away from Bangkok, including towards Chachoengsao, while Saen Saep Canal remains at a critical level.
Within Bangkok, some of the worst flooding is affecting smaller streets, alleys and homes near Don Mueang, Lat Phrao, Saen Saep, Prawet Burirom and Thawi Watthana canals.
Although major roads may be less affected in some areas, homes along the canals face greater risks. Residents have been advised to move their belongings to higher ground.
At least 93 roads should currently be avoided because of flooding, Chadchart said.
Affected locations include Phong Phet intersection and Ngam Wong Wan Road, as well as sections of Ekkamai, Vibhavadi Rangsit, Ramkhamhaeng, Lat Krabang, Sena Nikhom, Chaeng Watthana, Srinakarin, Din Daeng, Phahon Yothin, Suwinthawong, Ratchadaphisek and Lat Phrao roads.
Residents have been advised to check the BMA’s real-time updates before travelling.
Chadchart said water should gradually drain once the canals are cleared, adding that the city’s pumping capacity would help ease the situation.
Shelters and evacuations
Residents living along canals have been among those hardest hit. A total of 981 people have moved into emergency shelters, many of which have been established at schools near affected communities.
Authorities have also evacuated 36 bedridden patients from flooded homes, mainly to hospitals because some require ventilators or other medical support.
Vehicles and boats from the military, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation and other agencies are assisting with evacuations of vulnerable residents. Chadchart said the city expects to complete the evacuations by Sunday.
There is currently no overall shortage of food, although the most serious transport difficulties are concentrated in communities along canals. District offices have been instructed to help provide food and sandbags to affected communities.
Residents requiring urgent medical assistance for bedridden patients should call 1669. Those needing general assistance, including sandbags or help with flood-related problems, should contact their district office or the BMA hotline at 1555.
Temporary parking is also available for residents concerned about flood damage to their vehicles. Chadchart said motorists can use BMA park-and-ride facilities, the Government Complex in Lak Si and participating shopping centres, including Central and The Mall branches, Fashion Island and Lotus’s.
Bangkok currently has 233 shelters with capacity for around 15,000 people. As of Saturday afternoon, 981 people were staying in them.
On Monday, BMA employees whose presence is not required for essential public services will be instructed to work from home. Staff involved in services such as public works and sanitation will continue working as usual.
BMA-run schools will also close on Monday to make travel easier and reduce the number of vehicles on Bangkok’s roads.
Separately, the Office of the Civil Service Commission (OCSC) issued a notice on Saturday advising government agencies to consider allowing civil servants without essential duties to work from home on Sept 28 and 29.
The OCSC said the measure was proposed because the heavy rain and flooding are expected to continue affecting conditions into early next week.
Chadchart said the situation could improve substantially by Monday if the weather follows current forecasts.
He also said the flooding would provide lessons for improving Bangkok’s flood modelling. A previous model had examined the impact of 300mm of rain and indicated flooding several metres deep, but the actual flooding did not reach those levels.
Chadchart said the city would gradually adjust its model based on what had happened, describing this as one of the lessons that could be used to improve future flood modelling.
