Thailand declared a two-day public holiday as authorities raced to drain floodwaters from Bangkok after heavy rain inundated homes and roads across the capital.
At least eight people were killed in flood-related incidents across the country, with floods affecting more than 545,000 residents in 25 provinces.
In the capital, almost 4,900 people were evacuated to shelters as 470mm of rain fell in some areas in 48 hours, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration said, adding that all of Bangkok’s 50 districts had been declared disaster zones.
Some 1,500 patients who were bedridden or required care were moved to hospitals in the capital.
Although the eastern parts continued to receive rainfall overnight, the rest of the city was largely spared, the administration said in an update on Monday.
The government declared 28 and 29 September special public holidays in Bangkok, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, and Samut Prakan to help reduce travel and mitigate the impact of flooding.
Bangkok governor Chatchart Sittipunt called for urgently lowering water levels in the city’s canals. “We must urgently lower the water level in the canals as much as possible to drain water from the roads and communities more quickly,” he said. “Some areas may require more time and gradual drainage.”
The floods could cause economic damage of at least 11 billion baht ($327m) nationwide, with the losses likely to rise unless the situation improves, said Aat Pisanwanich of Rangsit University's economics department. "The flooding is expected to shave 0.3 percentage points off this year's GDP growth, reducing growth to 2.1 per cent, and cut third-quarter growth by about 0.5 percentage points to 1.7%," he told Reuters.
Southeast Asia's second-largest economy, which has lagged regional peers since the Covid-19 pandemic, expanded 1.9 per cent year-on-year in the year's second quarter, but that was still down sharply from the previous quarter's growth of 2.8 per cent.
Bangkok and the eastern region are likely to take the brunt of the impact, particularly wholesale and retail businesses, while industry and agriculture will suffer elsewhere, Mr Aat added.
Residents of flooded or canal-adjacent areas were advised to avoid unnecessary travel, monitor official updates, and use shelters if needed.
Sports and recreation centres, public libraries, and the Bangkok Youth Centre were suspended for two days.
Thai prime minister Anutin Charnvirakul faced angry crowds on Sunday as he visited the flood-stricken Khlong Chan flats in Bangkok.
“Why are you here?” residents shouted and reminded him of his campaign promises as he went on to deliver relief supplies by boat.
The premier said that restoring power and drinking water supplies was the most urgent priority.
Arita Sanpoka, 33, a resident of a flooded community, said two neighbours in their 80s remained stranded in their home because they could not get downstairs.
"Right now the water in my house is up to waist height," she said. "Everything in the house is ruined."
She said daily life had become difficult, with power off and bathroom unusable as the water level continued to rise.
In many areas, people resorted to panic-buying, with shelves in some convenience stores standing empty over the weekend.
Rachthanichporn Leeput, 37, a delivery rider, said that she walked 2-3km through water after her area was rapidly flooded on Friday evening.
"The water rose very fast," she said. "Many people, many households, couldn't prepare in time."
She said the flooding had adversely affected her income. She had been wading through the floodwaters to buy supplies and resell them to make up for lost earnings.
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