In the northernmost province of Chiang Rai, disaster mitigation officials said there was heavy flooding in tambon Mae Sai, Wiang Pang Kham and Koh Chang of Mae Sai district, reports the Bangkok Post. The floodwater was about one metre deep and flowing strongly, they said yesterday (Sept 11).
People in flood-affected areas near the overflowing Sai River in Mae Sai district have been advised to prepare for possible evacuation. In Tham Luang-Khun Nam Nang Non National Park, also in Mae Sai district, floodwater was yesterday seen pouring out of Tham Luang Cave, widely known for the cave rescue mission of a group of Thai schoolboys in 2018.
The coach of those schoolboys, Ekkapol Chantawong, was forced to evacuate to the rooftop of his home in Mae Sai on Tuesday due to the floods. As the waters kept rising, he spent Tuesday night stuck on the rooftop along with his girlfriend and her aunt.
Sutthipong Julcharoen, permanent secretary for interior, said Mae Sai district faced its severest flooding in 80 years.
In Mae Fah Luang district, a house was hit by a landslide. One resident was killed, two injured and another was still missing. Local irrigation authorities said the flow of the Kok River was critically high at 1,000 cubic metres per second, swollen by runoff from Myanmar.
Rescuers were helping people stranded in their homes in Chiang Rai. Many residents posted requests on social media for help, along with photos of the flooding at their houses. The strong current was making rescue efforts difficult. Flooded residents were advised to move to higher ground pending evacuation but to avoid wading through the fast-flowing water.
Elsewhere, residents of single-storey houses were seen sitting stranded on their roofs. Elderly people who could not climb that high were perched atop cabinets inside flooded homes.
In Mae Ai district of Chiang Mai, two landslides hit tambon Doi Laem on Tuesday, killing six people and injuring three others. People in nearby districts have been warned of possible flash floods and runoff.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said yesterday she did not have the authority to issue any commands as premier until she releases her government policy statement before parliament today.
However, she said Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai had informed her that soldiers have been assigned to provide help in the areas affected by the floods.
Ms Paetongtarn said two shelters are being provided for flood victims in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district, and a large kitchen, which can prepare up to 600 food portions per meal, has been set up.
She said the aid and support are still not enough, however, and all agencies are working to address the situation. The authorities still have not been able to reach many victims due to the currents, adding they will send help as soon as these weaken. About 9,000 households are being affected by the floods, said Ms Paetongtarn.
Mr Phumtham said the government is paying close attention to the situation in Mae Sai, adding that after the prime minister delivers her policy speech today the floods will be the first matter she addresses.
The prime minister’s secretary-general, Prommin Lertsuridej, has arranged for a meeting of agencies at parliament at 2pm today to find ways to deal with the problem.