Heavy rains cause disruption around Thailand, Bangkok commuters deluged

Yes, it is the wet season. And, just in case you doubted it, Mother Nature has thrown down the rain in buckets to make sure you don’t forget, including Bangkok overnight.

The Thai Meteorological Department has issued warnings of “isolated heavy to very heavy rain in most parts of the country” up to July 24.

Some parts of the country, particularly the south, including the holiday island of Phuket, have had a wet July so far. Phuket’s morning peak today had to battle localised heavy rains. In Bangkok, this morning commuters were still having to wade through flooding caused by rainstorms last evening. According to the local forecast…

“The monsoon trough will lie across the north, the northeast, and the upper central into a low-pressure cell over the middle coast of Vietnam while the southwest monsoon prevails over the Andaman Sea, and the Gulf of Thailand will strengthen, resulting in more rains likely across the whole country.”

Meanwhile, Bangkok has been hit by a massive rainstorm in the early evening that was still leaving cars and people stranded during this morning’s peak. A rain storm spread across the capital around 7pm last night deluging commuters as they were trying to get home.

Some of the areas had almost 100 millimetres of rain in an hour…

• Phrakhanong (Sukhumvit) – 94 millimetres per hour
• Saphan Sung (15 kilometres east of city centre) – 92 millimetres per hour (143 mm overnight)
• Thawee Wattana (Sukhumvit/Asoke area) – 88 millimetres per hour (130 mm overnight)

Even after midnight, some areas around Bangkok were still suffering major flooding – Kaset Nawamin, Siwara Town, Pahonyothin and Ramkhamhaeng were reporting waters up to half a metre deep in areas. Some drivers in the east/west thoroughfare, Phetchuburi Road, were having to turn around for fear of getting stuck in the deep waters that were taking hours to drain away. Some of the capital’s major arteries remained clogged overnight.

Just before lunch today there are still heavy showers moving through the eastern suburbs of the capital…

GRAPHIC: TMD radar at 11.40am (July 21)

Around the country, the forecast predicts heavy rains in the following provinces…

NORTH: Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phayao, Phrae, Nan, Uttaradit, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Tak, and Phetchabun

NORTHEAST: Loei, Nong Bua Lam Phu, Udon Thani, Nong Khai, Bueng Kan, Sakon Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan, Yasothon, Kalasin, Khon Kaen, Chaiyaphum, Maha Sarakham, Roi Et, Amnat Charoen, Nakhon Ratchasima, Buriram, Surin, Sisaket, and Ubon Ratchathani

CENTRAL: Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani, Lop Buri, Saraburi, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Suphan Buri, Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi, Samut Songkhram, Samut Sakhon, Nakhon Pathom, including Bangkok and its vicinity

EAST: Nakhon Nayok, Prachinburi, Sa Kaeo, Chachoengsao, Chonburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat

SOUTH: Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ranong and Phang Nga

Just about everywhere!

A general guide to Thailand’s monsoon season is HERE.

PHOTO: Thai Rath

SOURCES: TMD | Thai Rath