Bangkok flood toll climbs to 40 as deluge turns streets into stagnant lakes

About 40 people have died in flooding in Bangkok after roughly 300mm of rain fell across parts of the Thai capital in two days, overwhelming drainage systems and turning whole neighbourhoods into stagnant lakes, the government said.

The Thai government has declared a flood disaster across all 50 districts of Bangkok. Thousands of residents have moved into more than 230 shelters, according to authorities. Deaths were caused by drowning and accidental electrocution.

The deluge has severely disrupted transport, schools and aviation. At Suvarnabhumi airport, staff were unable to reach work, thousands of pieces of luggage piled up and flights were cancelled. Thai Airways said it would temporarily cut departures from Bangkok by around 30 to 40 per cent as it stabilises operations.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the Bangkok metropolitan area remained at risk from floodwaters moving south from the north and that a war room had been established to monitor the situation.

Experts say the city’s drainage network was overwhelmed: consultant Naim Laeni, co-author of a study on Bangkok’s flood resilience, said canals can normally handle about 60mm of rain an hour — rising to about 80mm in upgraded sections — while localised rainfall in the latest event exceeded those levels. Extensive urban construction has reduced the effectiveness of parts of the network, he said.

The toll marks a sharp escalation from 23 deaths reported nationwide earlier in the week. Khaosod English reported that Siam Amazing Park, the capital’s major amusement park, suffered nearly 500 million baht in damage, with almost all rides submerged; owner Dr Chaiwat Luang-ammornlert said on 3 October he may sell the business for 10 billion baht if sufficient assistance cannot be secured, and estimated repairs could take three to six months.