Rainfall Eases in Bangkok, Thailand, but Ongoing Flooding Forces Thousands to Evacuate

[Financial News] Heavy rains that battered Thailand, including Bangkok, eased somewhat on the 27th. However, thousands of residents were evacuated to temporary shelters as flooding continued in low-lying areas.
Flooding stranded hundreds of Korean passengers at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport.
On the 28th, Bangkok Post and The Associated Press (AP), citing Bangkok city authorities, reported that about 700,000 people had been affected by flooding caused by rain that had continued for more than 48 hours. At least eight people have reportedly died across Thailand amid more than 330 millimeters of heavy rain over the past 10 days.
The Thai government declared Bangkok, Nonthaburi Province and Samut Prakan Province disaster areas.
After residents stockpiled necessities across Bangkok over the weekend, leaving store shelves empty, the Thai Prime Minister's Office urged them to show restraint.
The Thai government also ordered public employees in Bangkok and three neighboring provinces to take special leave for two days, from that day through the 29th. It said the measure was intended to ease traffic congestion caused by the flooding.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said water levels in flooded areas would recede as canal levels fell. He added that the city was installing pumps in low-lying areas and speeding up drainage operations.
Bangkok authorities have opened more than 200 temporary shelters, housing about 3,000 displaced people as of the 27th. City officials said 31 major roads remain flooded, disrupting traffic.
Suvarnabhumi International Airport is operating normally, but some passengers, including tourists, have experienced flight delays because of flooded roads and disruptions to connecting flights.
Hundreds of Koreans who were scheduled to fly on Thai Airways had been stranded at Suvarnabhumi International Airport for more than 14 hours since the previous night. Flights had been repeatedly delayed since the previous day because some airline crew members were also unable to get to work on time due to the flooding. Korean passengers said no airline staff were present at the gate and that they had received no information about the delays. However, they said Thai Airways told them that its employees could not get to work because of the heavy rain. Another Thai Airways flight scheduled to depart from Suvarnabhumi International Airport for Korea at 11:35 p.m. the previous day was also delayed.
Thai media reported that military personnel would be deployed to the airport after cargo left unprocessed for three days caused confusion there.
Meanwhile, according to a report by Pattaya Mail, a body believed to be that of a Korean man who went missing after being swept away by flooding in the Nong Prue area near Pattaya in Chonburi Province on the 24th was found at around 6 p.m. the previous day, three days later. When a local fisherman first discovered the body, it was severely decomposed. The clothing reportedly resembled what the missing Korean had been wearing at the time of his disappearance. Thai authorities plan to conduct an autopsy to confirm the man's identity and determine the exact cause of death.
[email protected] Yoon Jae-jun Reporter