The bustling streets in front of Northeastern University in Khon Kaen province were transformed into rivers early Saturday morning, thanks to relentless downpours that drenched the town. (Photo: Chumchon Khao Khon Kaen Facebook)
In the heart of Khon Kaen’s Muang district, Mother Nature decided to throw a watery tantrum. Starting at 3am and persisting until 5am, the skies unleashed a torrent of rain that left Maliwan Road submerged in up to 50 centimeters of water. This impromptu waterpark wasn’t exactly welcome by the morning commuters.
The deluge caused traffic chaos, both coming into and leaving the city. It got so bad that police from the Muang and Ban Phed stations had to spring into action, directing the waterlogged vehicle ballet toward downtown Khon Kaen and its international airport.
Ban Kok Road wasn’t spared either. It got its own swampy makeover, with floodwaters ranging from 40 to 60 centimeters deep. Municipal crews quickly put up warning signs to advise motorists against embarking on this unintended aquatic adventure.
Khon Kaen’s governor, Kraisorn Kongchalard, took to the airwaves to explain the soggy situation. According to him, a monsoon ridge had taken a detour into the lower North, upper central region, and the Northeast of Thailand, dragging along a low-pressure cell from Vietnam and a beefy southwest monsoon from the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand. The result? Rainfall at a whopping 125 millimeters per hour!
Unfortunately, the floodwaters were in no hurry to make an exit, leading to extended periods of standing water. Governor Kraisorn assured everyone that, unless the heavens open up again, the water should recede by Saturday evening. Fingers crossed.
For those jetting off from Khon Kaen International Airport, the governor advised setting off an hour earlier than usual. The extra time might be the difference between catching your flight or getting stuck in the urban lagoon.
This is just a glimpse of how unprepared cities are for extreme weather. Every year, we see the same chaos!
You say unprepared, but it’s hard to plan for such extreme conditions. It’s just nature doing its thing.
But isn’t it the government’s job to ensure infrastructure can handle this? Ignorance isn’t an excuse!
Exactly, Jane. There should be better drainage systems in place. This shouldn’t keep happening every time it rains heavily.
Climate change is real, and incidents like this prove it! When will we wake up and take action?
Not everything is about climate change. Sometimes, it’s just weather patterns.
Bob, the frequency and intensity of these events are increasing. How much more proof do we need?
I was supposed to fly out of Khon Kaen today! Thanks for the heads up, governor.
Guess you’ll have to swim to the airport, Tim!
Haha, Sandra! I’ll pack my snorkel just in case.
Why don’t they build higher roads or better water drainage systems? Seems like a no-brainer to me.
It’s not that simple, Pat. There’s a lot of planning and money involved.
Better planning should have happened years ago, Sophie. They had plenty of time and money.
An inadequate stormwater management system is to blame. The local government needs to reassess their urban planning strategies.
Spot on. They should also look into more sustainable urban development to better cope with such conditions.
Agreed, John. Sustainable solutions are the future. It’s essential for climate resilience.
I can’t believe how big of a mess the city is whenever it rains. It’s like they never learn!
Maybe the problem is bigger than we think, Mandy. We shouldn’t be too harsh on them.
At this rate, we’ll need boats to travel locally instead of cars. This flooding is ridiculous!
Governor Kraisorn should focus more on preventing these issues instead of just explaining them after they happen.
Liam, he can’t control the weather, but I agree, proactive measures should be implemented.
Poor infrastructure and no real emergency response plans—it’s a recipe for disaster every time.
Those affected should be compensated for their losses. It’s only fair.
We need to learn to co-exist with nature. Build smarter, not harder.
The flooding near Northeastern University is especially worrying. Students and staff shouldn’t have to deal with this.
This is what happens when short-term gains are prioritized over long-term planning.
I feel sorry for the commuters! They must have had a terrible time navigating the flood.
Why don’t people just use public transport more? It’s often more reliable in such situations.
Public transport was also affected by the flooding. So that wouldn’t have helped much.
Such conditions are reminders of why environmental policies are crucial. Change starts locally.
I hope everyone stays safe and the water recedes soon. It’s scary how fast things can go wrong with heavy rain.
This looks awful. Why don’t they have better early warning systems?
Early warnings wouldn’t stop the flood, just inform it. We need preventative steps.
True, Hunter. But better information could save lives and reduce chaos.
Infrastructure improvements are long overdue. Every city has their issues, but this is next-level incompetence.
I remember a similar situation last year. Has there been no progress at all?
Floods are becoming common everywhere. Governments need to prioritize climate resilience.
If this continues, it might impact tourism too. Who wants to visit a city prone to flooding?
Tourism is a big income for many. They need to fix this to protect the local economy.