Storm Bualoi Leaves Trail of Destruction in Northern Thailand
The remnants of tropical storm Bualoi strike hard in northern Thailand. Floodwaters sweep through vast residential areas, crippling infrastructure and drowning fields on the eve of harvest.
In Loei province, flash floods batter four districts. The devastation is widespread—221 households, two roads, and a school are hit. “The rain just wouldn’t stop,” says a local. The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation warns that Tuesday’s downpours made everything worse.
Wang Saphung district suffers the most. Roads disappear beneath swirling water, trapping small vehicles. In Tambon Nong Ngiew, 198 homes are flooded. Eleven more are damaged in Tambon Khao Luang.
In Ban Ang, toppled power poles and ruined farm roads leave communities cut off. The Nabon-Kang Pla road in Muang district is washed away. In Phu Rua, twelve households in Tambon Tha Sala are inundated. Even the Ban Loei Tat Phatthana School is underwater.
Authorities urge everyone to stay alert. Flash floods, overflowing rivers, and landslides threaten anyone living near water or hillsides.
Uttaradit: Economic Heartland Underwater
In Uttaradit, the Khlong Tron reservoir bursts its banks, flooding three districts. “The water rose so fast, we barely escaped,” says Rawee Lekuthai, a local MP. Thong Saen Khan’s economic zone is hit hardest, with water levels reaching up to 2 metres.
Vehicles, homes, and vital farm equipment vanish beneath the flood. Some residents, trapped by the sudden deluge, scramble onto rooftops, waiting desperately for rescue.
Phrae province faces a similar nightmare. Torrential night rains unleash flash floods in Tambon Pa Maet. Water from Pha Kham and Khamin streams surges into Ban Maneewan and Ban Ton Ha, swamping farmland and homes.
Officials rush to help, moving belongings to higher ground. The Pa Maet community hands out food, water, and essentials. In neighbouring Phitsanulok, rescue teams from the Prasat Boonsathan Foundation evacuate stranded villagers in Uttaradit’s Tron district. “The floods got worse overnight. People were stuck,” a rescuer reports.
22 Provinces Reeling: Central Plains and Northeast Suffer Most
Across 22 provinces, disaster teams scramble to evacuate children, the elderly, and the sick. Flat-bottomed boats fight fierce currents to reach those in need.
In Chai Nat, rising water downstream from the Chao Phraya barrier forces at least 15 families from their homes. Makeshift shelters line rural road 3018. Many roads are now reduced to single lanes as evacuees seek higher ground.
Officials confirm: relentless rain and overflowing rivers have affected 274,979 people, mainly in the central plains and northeast.
The north suffers too—Mae Hong Son, Phitsanulok, and Uttaradit are all hit. In the northeast, Loei, Nong Bua Lam Phu, Khon Kaen, Maha Sarakham, Surin, and Nakhon Ratchasima endure severe flooding. Prachin Buri in the east faces rising waters, though levels are stable for now.
In Uttaradit, water keeps climbing. In eight other provinces, the floods slowly recede. Four northern provinces—Phitsanulok, Phetchabun, Phichit, and Nakhon Sawan—report stable or falling water levels.
Central Plains: Eight Provinces Swamped
Eight provinces in the central plains are under water. Uthai Thani, Chai Nat, Ang Thong, Suphan Buri, Ayutthaya, and Nakhon Pathom all report stable flood levels. Sing Buri’s waters are still rising, while Pathum Thani finally sees some relief.
Chachoengsao in the east also battles flooding in Bang Nam Prieo, but water levels are dropping.
Farmers Face Ruin as Harvest Approaches
The scale of devastation from storm Bualoi is staggering. For farmers, the timing couldn’t be worse. Just as harvest nears, fields are ruined and hopes are washed away.
Disaster officials say the crisis highlights how vulnerable Thailand remains to extreme weather. As families cling to rooftops and crops rot in muddy fields, the question lingers—how will they rebuild?
