Thailand floods affect 2.6 million people and cause 22 deaths

Severe flooding across Thailand has affected an estimated 2.6 million people and resulted in 22 deaths. The disaster spans 29 provinces, including Bangkok, where approximately 700,000 residents face inundation. The flooding has disrupted critical infrastructure, causing flight cancellations for Thai Airways and baggage delays at Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

In response to rising water levels, the Royal Irrigation Department has announced a phased increase in water releases from the Pasak-Chulashit Dam to prevent dam failure. This is expected to raise the Pasak River's water level by up to 4 meters. Meanwhile, the Airport Rail Link (ARL) has secured a temporary memorandum of understanding with Asia Era One to continue operations through January 2027, despite the operator's recent notice to withdraw from the three-airport high-speed rail project.

The scale of the crisis has drawn intense political criticism toward Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul regarding the government's early warning systems and inter-agency coordination. Economic losses in Bangkok alone are estimated to reach 11.8 billion baht.