Thailand climbs to 17th in climate risk index amid extreme weather
Hat Yai’s record-breaking rainfall underscores worsening climate impacts
Thailand is now ranked 17th in the latest Climate Risk Index (CRI) for nations most vulnerable to extreme weather, as per Germanwatch. The Department of Climate Change and Environment (DCCE) has responded by advancing early-warning system upgrades and pursuing a cohesive resilience strategy.
Phirun Saiyasitpanich, director-general of the DCCE, disclosed the 2026 index on Saturday. He noted that Thailand’s position has dramatically shifted from 72nd in 2022 to 17th in 2024, highlighting a significant increase in susceptibility.
Additionally, the long-term risk ranking has deteriorated, with Thailand moving from 30th to 22nd in the recent index.
The CRI, based on global data from 1995 to 2024, documented over 9,700 extreme weather incidents, impacting nearly 5.7 billion individuals and resulting in over 832,000 deaths. The economic repercussions surpassed US$4.5 trillion (approximately 144 trillion baht), with heatwaves and storms contributing to 66% of the fatalities.
Floods affected the most people at 48%, while storms caused the most financial damage at 58%, equating to roughly US$2.64 trillion.
The top 10 countries most impacted in 2024 included St Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Chad, Papua New Guinea, Niger, Nepal, the Philippines, Malawi, Myanmar, and Vietnam.
Despite Thailand’s relatively higher development status, it continues to experience significant damage from extreme weather events, according to Phirun. He cited the Hat Yai floods, where rainfall reached a record 350 millimetres in one day, the highest in three centuries, illustrating the intensifying effects of climate change.
The shifting rainfall patterns highlight the urgency for governmental adaptation priorities.
Thailand has committed to enhancing early-warning networks in high-risk locations and progressing towards a low-carbon society, aiming for net-zero emissions by 2050 as part of its environmental agenda.
The department is actively executing the National Adaptation Plan with assistance from six primary sectors, local agencies, businesses, and civil society.
Key initiatives focus on improving disaster-warning systems, water management, health, agriculture, infrastructure, nature-based solutions, and strengthening risk databases, funding avenues, and technology-driven monitoring.
Phirun mentioned Thailand’s development of a domestic CRI to support provincial planning and efforts to advance the Climate Change Act to bolster long-term resilience. He emphasized the importance of widespread public participation in steering the nation towards a sustainable, low-carbon economy.
In Bangkok, Deputy Governor Thavida Kamolvej stated that Governor Chadchart Sittipunt has directed her team to prepare for worst-case rainfall scenarios of 1,100 millimetres over seven days, learning from the Hat Yai flood experiences, reported by Bangkok Post.
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