Southern Thailand girds for heavy rain, floods

Bangkok residents navigated floodwaters in inflatable pools earlier this week as heavier rain looms over southern Thailand. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who oversees the national disaster command, announced that authorities are preparing for potential floods, landslides, and forest runoff. He emphasized the importance of using weather forecasts to identify risky areas and ensuring personnel, equipment, and resources are ready for immediate deployment.

A weather advisory warned of heavy rain between October 5 and October 10, potentially triggering flash floods and landslides in both northern and southern regions. Anutin directed the department of disaster prevention and mitigation to work closely with provincial authorities and relevant agencies to monitor the situation continuously.

The department was ordered to ready personnel, pumps, boats, and disaster-response machinery, as well as plan for additional resource deployment in the south. Southern Thailand attracts over 3.5 million Malaysian tourists annually, but the region suffered severe flooding in November 2025, resulting in more than 145 fatalities and displacing approximately 3.54 million people.