As the relentless skies opened up once more, the man found himself gazing in disbelief at the submerged expanse of Road 43 in Nong Chik district, Pattani. This key thoroughfare, a vital artery linking Songkhla with the southernmost provinces, was now a waterlogged memory captured by the Pattani Public Relations Office on Facebook.
The Gulf of Thailand’s southern provinces were under siege by the heavens, with heavy rains continuing their assault until Saturday. With the tracks between Pattani and Yala drowning beneath the floodwaters, the rhythmic clatter of train wheels was silenced, as many services found themselves suspended.
Another alert echoed from the weather office perched along the Gulf, painting a dreary tableau for eight provinces bathed in downpours until Sunday. The rainfall was a persistent artist, sketching a portrait of flooding woes across lands already soaked beyond their limits:
- Chumphon
- Surat Thani
- Nakhon Si Thammarat
- Phatthalung
- Songkhla
- Pattani
- Yala
- Narathiwat
The weather warners, with furrowed brows, have urged small boat operators to reconsider their seafaring plans – the waves are irate, a stormy sea eager to toss around any daring vessel. Mountain dwellers, too, were on high alert, with admonitions about possible runoffs cascading from the heights.
Among the beleaguered provinces, Yala bore the brunt of the tempest’s rage. Particularly hard-hit was Muang district, staggering under the heaviest deluge in decades, as reported by the proactive Public Relations Office in Yala. They confirmed this was the most severe flooding to drench the province in thirty years.
On Thursday, a clarion call went out from Yala’s authorities, urging the riverside residents in Muang district to seek higher ground for their possessions. Meanwhile, heavy rain refused to relent, casting a sodden shroud over Narathiwat’s districts. In nearby Pattani, Yarang district was declared a disaster zone, as rain showed no sign of ceasefire.
The Pattani Public Relations Office noted the persistent rainfall on Thursday. The relentless downpour led to the anxious rivers of Pattani and Sai Buri spilling over their banks, defying their confines.
The Meteorological Department shed light on this deluge, attributing its ferocity to a robust northeast monsoon paired with a low-pressure system. Together, they inflicted heavy rain across the eastern South, turning roads into rivers.
As for the steel beasts of the rails, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) announced a halt. All trains destined for Yala and Sungai Kolok stations found their sojourn interrupted at Hat Yai in Songkhla, save for the dutiful locals, Nos. 463 and 464, which continued their journey between Phatthalung and Sungai Kolok, making a timely halt at Thepa station in Songkhla.
Flooded tracks stretching from Mai Kaen station in Pattani to Raman in Yala were to blame for this rail-bound hiatus. The SRT advised travelers to keep their ears tuned for updates on resuming services, with fresh news provided as conditions evolved.
Thankfully, southern trains heading towards Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Trang, and Phatthalung remained unscathed by the meteorological mayhem, their journeys steadfast amidst the swirling chaos.
I can’t believe Yala is experiencing such severe flooding! Is this a sign of climate change?
I think it absolutely is! Weather patterns have been out of whack everywhere.
Not everything is about climate change. Sometimes it’s just a terrible storm season.
Regardless of the cause, we need to support those affected as much as possible.
Shouldn’t the government have better infrastructure to handle this kind of rain?
Developing countries often struggle with the cost of upgrading infrastructure. It’s not as simple as you think.
Perhaps they should prioritize investing in key areas prone to flooding instead of other projects.
Time for Thailand to invest in more green infrastructure solutions. Nature-based solutions could help!
I hope the evacuation orders are being heeded. Staying safe is the most important thing right now.
Absolutely, people’s safety has to come first. I can’t imagine the panic they’d feel.
Some of us are more worried about losing our livelihoods than our lives. What do we have left afterwards?
This is going to affect tourism a lot. Who would plan a trip amidst such unpredictable weather?
Tourism might slow down temporarily, but people are resilient and will return once it’s safe again.
My heart breaks for the small boat operators. Hope they can recover from this setback!
The climatic changes have been predicted for decades, and yet action is so slow! It’s frustrating!
With so many provinces affected, shouldn’t there be a national emergency response?
There are emergency protocols in place, Luke, but can’t always provide immediate relief to everyone.
A coordinated national effort would certainly be beneficial right now.
Railways being shut down is a huge inconvenience. Hope they manage to get things operating smoothly soon.
Could this flooding have been prevented with better urban planning and drainage systems?
Definitely. But often, budget constraints and lack of planning mean these projects get sidelined.
I feel for the farmers. They bear so much loss with these floods.
Hopefully, this is a wake-up call for everyone. Climate action is non-negotiable at this point!
Why aren’t we hearing more about this in international news? It seems unfair.
What’s happening in Southern Thailand should be a global concern. We are all connected!
I wonder how this will impact Thailand’s economy, considering the shutdowns and disruptions.
In the short term, definitely negative. The real cost is the long-term effect on local commerce.
We need more international aid and collaboration for disaster preparedness! Otherwise, we’ll keep seeing these tragedies!
Agreed, Sandy. International organizations should step in more robustly in these situations.
Praying for the people of Thailand. Hope the weather clears up soon enough.
The way the meteorological department explains it seems like a sci-fi plot. Northeast monsoons and pressure systems wreaking havoc!
Back in my day, we respected nature’s power more. Maybe that’s what’s missing now.
No offense, but isn’t sacrifice for nature easier to say than do?