Chumphon flood makes main North-South highway impassable

In Chumphon province, the highway connecting Bangkok to the South of Thailand has been hit with a flood so bad it has been impassable. After 300 millimetres of rain fell on the Chumphon districts of Lang Suan, Sawi, and Thung Tako on Tuesday, the main artery travelling the whole of southern Thailand was flooded in several areas.

The battered province saw heavy flooding throughout several districts in Tuesday’s heavy rains aside from the road flooding. Officials in the province – which serves as the northern starting point for ferries to Koh Tao, Koh Phangan, and Koh Samui – say this is the fourth flood in Chumphon this year.

The Flood Situation Command Centre, headed by the Deputy Governor of Chumphon, is warning that a long detour towards Ranong is necessary for all vehicles aside from heavy trucks. The re-routing advised is a detour at the Pathomporn intersection in Muang district, and the swerve to the west adds about 200 kilometres to the journey south.

The only other option currently is to wait out the flooding at rest stops and gas stations along the route until water recedes and it’s safe to proceed. A similar situation is advised for northbound travellers who are advised to stop their journey in Lang Suan or face the long detour. The northbound detour is from the Wang Takor intersection that travels towards Ranong province via Pa Toh district.

SOURCE: Thai PBS World