At Least 23 Dead in Thailand as Torrential Rain and Floods Trigger Flight Cancellations and Widespread Delays to South Korea

[Financial News] Damage is mounting rapidly after sudden monsoon downpours and flooding struck Bangkok, Thailand's capital, and central regions, killing at least 23 people and causing widespread flight cancellations and delays.
According to Thailand's Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) on the 29th, 23 people have died in central Thailand since the 16th, including four in Bangkok and six in Sa Kaeo Province. The deaths resulted from incidents such as drowning and electrocution.
All 50 districts in Bangkok have been declared flood disaster zones. More than 330 millimeters of rain fell from the 24th through the 27th, flooding areas throughout the city. The amount was equivalent to the average rainfall for the entire month of September in a typical year.
About 700,000 people have been displaced. In Bangkok alone, approximately 7,000 residents have lost their homes and evacuated to more than 230 relief centers set up at temples, schools and other locations. Schools across Bangkok remained closed for a third consecutive day following the previous day's closure order, while some schools have been submerged for four or five days.
Fortunately, the rain stopped and floodwaters began to recede gradually. Bangkok Mayor Chadchart Sittipunt said, "We expect the water to recede from more than 90% of the major roads in central Bangkok within two days." However, he predicted that it could take up to a week for the water to completely drain from low-lying areas.
The Ministry of Industry said 1,267 companies across 40 provinces suffered direct or indirect damage from the flooding.
Honda suspended motorcycle production at its plants in Thailand for a second consecutive day starting the previous day because of the effects of the flooding. Operations are expected to resume on the 30th.
Thai Airways saw widespread flight delays and cancellations as many employees were unable to reach work on time in Bangkok and other areas. Cargo handling was also severely disrupted, with about 5,600 pieces of baggage currently piled up at Suvarnabhumi International Airport and other airports. The Thai government urgently deployed 69 air force personnel to support ground operations.
Flights to South Korea were also directly affected. Two Thai Airways flights scheduled to depart from Bangkok for South Korea at around 11 p.m. the previous day eventually took off at approximately 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. on the 29th, causing significant inconvenience for Korean passengers. Earlier, on the 27th, hundreds of passengers were stranded at the airport in Bangkok for more than 10 hours.
An official from the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Thailand said, "We are working with Thai Airways, Bangkok's airports and other relevant agencies to prevent further delays to flights involving South Korea."
Thai Airways CEO Chai Eamsiri announced, "Nearly 100% of the flights operated over the past two days were delayed," adding, "To normalize operations, we have decided to cancel about 30 of the approximately 110 flights departing from Bangkok today." He apologized to passengers and expected operations to return to normal within the next 72 hours.
Meanwhile, neighboring Myanmar has also been affected. Up to 346 millimeters of rain fell in the southern Tanintharyi Region, flooding more than 40 villages and raising the death toll to at least 10 as the damage spread to nearby countries.


[email protected] Yoon Jae-jun Reporter