Phuket International Airport Director Monrudee Gettuphan confirmed to The Phuket News today a sudden downpour at around 9pm onward caused floods at the airport.
“The rain was very heavy and the drainage system was unable to cope with the amount of rain.
“The worst affected area was the passenger terminal, and many passengers were worried the airport’s flights schedule would be affected. We were bombarded with questions about whether planes were able to land or take off,” she said.
“I admitted that the drainage system was unable to cope with the downpour, but after the rain stopped, officials worked hard to clear the affected area and we were back to normal by 11pm. No flights were affected by the flooding.
“I want to assure people that we are ready to handle any situation during monsoon season, we know more rain will come. However, I have ordered the maintenance department to check all our drainage systems for any blockages so they will work better when the heavy rains come again,” she added.