Chiang Mai woman’s flood photo goes viral after 19 years

A photo of a young woman from Chiang Mai pushing her motorcycle through floodwaters 19 years ago has resurfaced and gone viral, as the province experiences severe flooding once again.

The image, originally posted on the Facebook page เชียงใหม่ที่คุณไม่เคยเห็น (Chiang Mai unseen), dates back to 2005. It shows a woman in a white top and red shorts wading through waist-deep floodwaters, pushing a Honda Dream motorcycle.

What captured the attention of social media users is not just the historical context of the image but the realisation that the woman in the photo remains strikingly unchanged despite the passage of nearly two decades. Once identified, her current photos were also shared, showing her still grappling with floodwaters but this time enjoying a barbecue instead of pushing a motorcycle.

The woman, Aew, later shared the viral image on Facebook, adding a caption that read: “Representative of Chiang Mai Land Village Beauty, 2005. Flooded three times in one year. Used to it now, dealing with floods.”

The original photo and its modern counterpart have sparked widespread interest and numerous shares on social media platforms. Many users expressed astonishment at how little Aew’s appearance has changed. The juxtaposition of her youthful photo with the modern one, set against similar flood conditions, resonated with many, evoking both nostalgia and admiration.

“Time has hardly touched her,” commented one user, capturing the sentiment shared by many who viewed the side-by-side images. The post has garnered thousands of likes, shares, and comments, making it a trending topic on Thai social media.

Chiang Mai, prone to seasonal flooding, has seen its fair share of flood-related challenges over the years. The recurring issue of floods highlights ongoing concerns about urban planning and climate resilience in the region, reported KhaoSod.

In related news, to ease the burden on flood-ravaged communities, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra announced that electricity bills for this month will be waived for those living in the northern and northeastern regions of Thailand.