BANGKOK — Thailand’s flag carrier Thai Airways struggled to resume regular services on Tuesday following heavy rain, though the government said floodwater in the capital Bangkok was expected to recede within three days if no more rain fell.
Thai Airways plans to cut about 30 flights, about 30 percent of its planned departures from Bangkok, on Tuesday, the airline’s Chief Executive Chai Eamsiri told reporters.
The reduction in Thai Airways flights from Bangkok will last for at least three days, he said.
“Almost 100 percent of flights over the past two days were delayed, with fewer than 3 percent on schedule as operational capacity could not be sustained,” he said.
Bangkok was hit by around 320 millimeters (12.6 inches) of rain over two to three days last week, nearly as much as the sprawling low-lying city usually gets in the whole of September.
Although Bangkok’s main airports kept running through the weekend rain and flooding, some baggage handling operations at Suvarnabhumi Airport were severely impacted, with 69 Thai Air Force personnel called in on Monday to support ground operations of flag carrier Thai Airways.
Around 5,600 bags from Thai Airways flights remain stranded at the airport, but these would be cleared within 72 hours, according to Chai.
Thailand’s cabinet will discuss long-term plans to address flooding and recovery measures on Tuesday, government spokesman Ekkapob Pianpises told a news briefing.
Some 1,267 businesses across 40 provinces have been affected by flooding, including 52 factories and 1,162 small and medium enterprises, according to Thailand’s Industry Minister Varawut Silpa-archa.
Nationwide, economic damage caused by the flooding was estimated at over $320 million.
