All 50 Bangkok districts declared disaster zones as floods swamp capital

All 50 districts of Bangkok were declared disaster zones on Saturday, 26 September 2026, after almost three days of continuous heavy rain flooded roads, filled canals and disrupted daily life across the Thai capital.

Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt signed the order on Saturday morning, widening an earlier designation that had covered only three districts: Nong Chok, Suan Luang and Khan Na Yao.

Chadchart signed the order in his capacity as director of Bangkok’s disaster prevention and mitigation command, with the designation taking effect from Friday, 25 September.

The declaration allows the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), other state agencies and local administrations to respond more quickly and systematically in affected areas.

According to the Bangkok Post, rain began falling in the capital at around 4pm on Thursday, 24 September. By Saturday morning, accumulated rainfall was approaching 300 millimetres in the Min Buri, Khlong Sam Wa and Saphan Sung districts.

Chadchart told the newspaper that every local canal in eastern Bangkok was full and that 15 main roads in the area were deeply inundated. He added that more rain was coming from the neighbouring provinces of Nonthaburi and Pathum Thani.

The governor said the city was pumping out floodwater, but warned that people living near the Saen Saep, Prawet, Lat Phrao and Prem Prachakorn canals were at risk.

Alleys near canals had also flooded, he said, although western Bangkok, on the opposite bank of the Chao Phraya River, had not experienced flooding problems.

Speaking to Agence France-Presse (AFP), Chadchart said the east of the city had been the most affected and warned that further rain was forecast. “The rain keeps falling and we are doing our best,” he said.

AFP reporters observed floodwater entering homes and restaurants alongside swollen canals. Vehicles were seen stranded along Phetchaburi Road, where the Mitr Samphan intersection was among the flooded locations.

The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) sent a cell broadcast alert to Bangkok residents at 9.22am on Saturday. The alert warned that canal water levels had already reached critical levels and were expected to rise further.

According to Khaosod English, the BMA also advised motorists to avoid 21 flood-affected roads, with some sections closed to traffic and conditions worsening on others.

The Nation reported that Chadchart chaired a flood command meeting at 5am on Saturday at the Department of Drainage and Sewerage, located at Bangkok City Hall 2 in Din Daeng. Representatives from all 50 district offices attended.

At the meeting, the governor instructed district offices and relevant agencies to carry out seven measures covering disaster-area preparations, vulnerable residents, shelters, flood protection, transport, sanitation and coordination.

District offices were told to explain the disaster declaration process to residents and advise them to keep evidence of damage, including photographs taken before and after flooding, to support future applications for assistance.

Offices were also instructed to work with public health centres to identify bedridden patients and other vulnerable residents. Assessments must distinguish between those needing medical equipment or hospital referral and those able to be cared for locally or moved to shelters.

BMA-run schools were designated as the main shelter locations, as they have suitable buildings and toilets. Officials were ordered to report occupancy regularly and ensure adequate food, drinking water and sanitation at each site.

The Department of Drainage and Sewerage was tasked with coordinating supplies of sand and sandbags, while district staff were told to work with residents to fill and position them at vulnerable locations.

Other measures included coordinating with traffic police, mobilising BMA vehicles to transport residents, promptly removing broken-down vehicles blocking routes, monitoring bridges and roads, and clearing debris from drain inlets as floodwaters recede.

According to AFP, Chadchart also urged families caring for bedridden relatives who depend on life-saving medical equipment to consider a temporary stay in hospital.

Bangkok’s public transport authority offered residents free use of MRT park-and-ride car parks to store their vehicles until Friday, 2 October.

Residents can report flooding or request urgent help round the clock through the Traffy Fondue platform, the BMA hotline 1555 and the flood prevention control centre on 02-248-5115. Medical emergencies and patient transport can be requested via 1669.

Panic buying broke out in several neighbourhoods on Saturday morning as residents rushed to stock up on essentials in case the flooding worsened.

The Bangkok Post reported that a Makro store in Ram Inthra was packed, with its car park overflowing onto the street. Instant noodles, drinking water and canned fish were seen in every shopping trolley.

The Thaiger reported that several convenience stores across Bangkok and surrounding provinces ran low on dried food, drinking water, instant noodles, ready meals and eggs.

Retailers Makro and Lotus’s said they were continuously restocking branches with fresh food, dried food, drinking water and household goods, and that all branches remained open as normal.

According to the Thai Meteorological Department, the unsettled weather is mainly caused by a strong low-pressure system covering the lower Central Plains, Bangkok and surrounding provinces.

The department added that the southwest monsoon over the Andaman Sea, southern Thailand and the Gulf of Thailand is strengthening. Heavy rain is expected to continue nationwide until Sunday, 27 September.

The DDPM separately warned of low pressure over eastern, north-eastern and central Thailand until Sunday, citing risks of flash floods, forest runoff, mudslides and rivers overflowing their banks.

The Royal Irrigation Department said discharges from the Chao Phraya Dam in Chai Nat province were being gradually raised from 1,850 to 1,950 cubic metres per second.

The increase began at 9am on Saturday, with the rate rising by about 20 cubic metres per second each hour until it reaches 1,950 cubic metres per second at around 2pm. It will then be maintained at that level.

Residents in low-lying areas along the Chao Phraya River downstream of the dam, and along the Noi River, were urged to monitor water levels and official announcements closely and prepare for possible changes.

As of Saturday morning, flooding had been reported in Nakhon Ratchasima, Chanthaburi, Phetchabun, Chon Buri, Chachoengsao, Buri Ram, Surin, Sing Buri, Samut Prakan, Nakhon Sawan and Phichit provinces.

Flooding was also reported in Rayong, Ang Thong, Chai Nat, Uthai Thani, Prachin Buri, Ayutthaya, Sa Kaeo, Phitsanulok, Suphan Buri and Nakhon Phanom.

The Nation also reported that Khao Yai National Park would close for two days as heavy rain raised the risk of landslides.

The BMA said it would continue monitoring water levels and local conditions, adjusting its measures as the situation develops.…Read more by