Thai Airways suspends cargo intake amid flood disruption

Flooding in Thailand has temporarily halted operations at four Toyota manufacturing plants and grounded cargo services of the national airline, Thai Airways. The capital city, Bangkok, was declared a disaster zone after receiving an intense 320 mm (12.6 inches) of rainfall over three days, nearly matching the city's annual September rainfall.

Floodwaters disrupted the delivery of parts to Toyota's Thai operations, leading the company to suspend activities at three plants and a joint venture facility. Toyota's spokesperson stated they are working with suppliers to restore deliveries and resume operations as soon as feasible. Similarly, Thai Airways reported that many employees were unable to travel to work due to the flooding, and the airline has ceased accepting both inbound and outbound cargo shipments from Wednesday until October 6.

Services are expected to resume as quickly as possible. The flooding has claimed at least 24 lives, with 44 out of Thailand's 77 provinces impacted. At present, flooding persists in 32 of these provinces. Despite the ongoing crisis, at least Bangkok's primary transportation hubs have partially reopened. However, at Suvarnabhumi Airport, the situation was chaotic, with half the airport's workforce absent, thousands of bags remaining uncollected, and numerous flights canceled.