Brace yourselves, Thailand: the skies are staging a dramatic performance this weekend. Meteorologists at the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) have sent out a broad, unambiguous alert — heavy to very heavy rain is expected across large swathes of the country as a tropical depression develops and moves westward, threatening to dump serious moisture over the north, northeast and eastern provinces. Bangkok is among 49 provinces placed on warning status, so umbrella aficionados and commuters alike should plan for wet, gusty days ahead.
What’s coming: the weather story in plain language
Here’s the short version: a tropical depression near Luzon in the Philippines is forecast to track into the upper South China Sea and strengthen into a tropical storm. The system is predicted to make landfall over Vietnam and upper Laos around August 25–26, but its influence will be felt well before then. From August 24–27, the upper northeastern and northern regions of Thailand are likely to see increased rainfall and strong winds as the depression interacts with the southwest monsoon and a low-pressure area over northern Laos and Vietnam.
Provinces on alert
TMD warnings name 49 provinces as at risk of significant accumulation and hazardous, sudden downpours. Residents in Tak, Bueng Kan, Sakon Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom, Nakhon Ratchasima, Chanthaburi and Trat have been specifically urged to stay vigilant. Local authorities are advising people to watch for flash floods, runoff on slopes, and the secondary impacts that heavy rain brings — landslides in higher terrain, closed roads, and urban street flooding.
Photo courtesy of Pattaya Mail
Sea conditions and mariner warnings
It’s not just land-based weather that’s looking rough. In the upper Andaman Sea, wave heights of 1–2 metres are expected, while the lower Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand should see waves around 1 metre. In stormy pockets, waves could top 2 metres. Maritime traffic is urged to exercise caution and avoid sailing through storm-affected waters where possible — small craft in particular should remain in port until conditions improve.
Region-by-region snapshot (what to expect)
Here’s the TMD forecast distilled into an easy-to-scan format so you can quickly see what to expect in your area:
- North: Thunderstorms are likely across about 70% of the region. Expect heavy rain in Mae Hong Son, Chiang Rai, Phayao, Nan, Lampang, Phrae, Tak, Sukhothai, Uttaradit, Kamphaeng Phet, Phichit, Phitsanulok and Phetchabun. Temperatures: 20–35°C; winds: southwest 10–15 km/h.
- Northeast: Thunderstorms in about 60% of the area, with heavy rain warned for Loei, Nong Khai, Bueng Kan, Sakon Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom, Chaiyaphum, Nakhon Ratchasima, Sisaket and Ubon Ratchathani. Temperatures: 21–33°C; winds: southwest 10–20 km/h.
- Central: Thunderstorms across roughly 70% of the region. Heavy rain possible in Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi, Lopburi, Saraburi, Samut Songkhram and Samut Sakhon. Temperatures: 23–35°C; winds: southwest 10–20 km/h.
- East: Thunderstorms in 70% of the area with very heavy rain expected in Nakhon Nayok, Prachin Buri, Chachoengsao, Sa Kaeo, Chon Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat. Temperatures: 23–33°C; winds: southwest 15–35 km/h; seas: 1–2 metres and over 2 metres during storms.
- South (east coast): Thunderstorms around 60% of the area; heavy rain in Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Yala and Narathiwat. Temperatures: 22–34°C; seas generally 1 metre, up to 1–2 metres offshore, higher in stormy conditions.
- South (west coast): Stormy in roughly 70% of the region with heavy showers in Ranong, Phang Nga and Phuket. Temperatures: 22–34°C; seas 1–2 metres, higher in storms.
- Bangkok metro area: Thunderstorms likely across about 70% of the city, with heavy downpours mainly in the afternoon and evening. Temperatures: 23–34°C; winds: southwest 10–20 km/h. Expect traffic delays and pooled water in low-lying spots.
Photo courtesy of NBT World
Practical tips — what you can do now
Heavy rain events are inconvenient at best and dangerous at worst. Here are a few sensible steps to stay safe and dry:
- Keep a small emergency kit with a flashlight, phone power bank and basic first aid supplies.
- Avoid driving through flooded roads — six inches of water can stall many cars, and deeper flows can sweep vehicles away.
- Check local authority channels and weather updates regularly — forecasts can shift and flash flood warnings are issued with little lead time.
- If you live near slopes or a river, prepare to evacuate if local emergency services advise it. Move valuables to higher ground in your home.
- Boaters and fishers: delay trips until seas calm and heed port authority guidance.
Final word
The next few days will be a test of umbrellas, drainage systems and patience. While the storm is due to make landfall in neighbouring Vietnam and Laos, its reach will ripple across Thailand — so plan conservatively, keep safety front of mind, and expect travel disruptions. With likely heavy downpours concentrated in the north, northeast and eastern provinces and strong winds across the southern seas, this isn’t the weekend for impromptu beach plans. Stay informed, stay dry, and let the meteorologists do their thing.
Great write-up but this is exactly why our drainage systems need urgent upgrades; every rainy season we see the same chaos and zero accountability.
You can’t just blame drainage — people keep building on waterways and expect miracles. Enforcement and planning are the real issues.
Enforcement is a joke when local officials profit from illegal developments. Until corruption is tackled, drainage projects are just band-aids.
Exactly — I live near a canal that was narrowed for a condo years ago, and now every heavy rain it turns into a river. You can design the best drain but if it’s blocked by greed it’s useless.
Why don’t they just make rules that stop building on rivers? That seems simple. I saw my school flooded last year and it was scary.
Practical point: people need simple evacuation maps and early warnings via SMS. The tech exists, it’s the bureaucracy that doesn’t move fast enough.
From a meteorological and climate perspective, events like this are becoming more frequent; warmer sea-surface temperatures intensify tropical systems and moisture availability, increasing flood risk.
Glad to see a scientist here. Policymakers must integrate climate projections into infrastructure design rather than rely on historical rainfall statistics.
But budgets are tight and politicians prefer short-term wins. How do we pressure them to plan decades ahead?
Public pressure and international funding tied to resilience metrics can incentivize long-term planning; also, community-based adaptation can be low-cost and effective.
So is this storm stronger because of climate change? My parents say storms used to be weaker when they were young.
Stop panicking — it’s a tropical depression, not a super typhoon. People always overreact to every weather alert like it’s the end of the world.
Easy to say when your neighborhood doesn’t flood. For many, even a depression means lost income and damaged homes.
That’s fair; I didn’t mean to dismiss real suffering. Still, better risk communication from authorities would help keep balance between caution and panic.
Balanced messaging is important, but minimizing risk can be deadly. Authorities should err on the side of caution.
Farmers already lose crops to just a couple days of heavy rain; this isn’t just inconvenience, it’s livelihoods.
The maritime warnings are the real story — small craft should be banned from going out. We’ve seen too many preventable drownings during monsoon storms.
Bans are easy to call but hard to enforce. Fishermen need income and often ignore advisories because they have bills to pay.
Then provide support or temporary compensation for those who can’t work during closures. Letting people risk their lives for lack of safety nets is unacceptable.
Ports often keep better records now; perhaps targeted enforcement on small, unregistered boats would cut most of the risk.
I live in Bangkok and this is holiday weekend — tourism will tank and businesses will suffer. Maybe the warnings scare people away unnecessarily.
Tourism will shift, not vanish. Travelers can enjoy indoor museums and malls if beaches are risky, but small tour operators will definitely feel it.
We had two inches in one hour last time and dozens of motorbikes were swept away. Helmets don’t help when you’re floating down the street.
That’s terrifying. Local governments should install more warning sirens in low-lying neighborhoods so people have time to move bikes and belongings.
Yes — community alert systems worked in our village last year and saved houses. Simple tech and local coordination beat expensive projects sometimes.
Practical tip: move chargers and important documents to a plastic box on a high shelf. You’d be surprised how many forget the basics until it’s too late.
The economic cost of repeated flooding should push national planners to reevaluate land-use policy and watershed management with urgency.
Policy sounds nice but who decides which communities are relocated or protected? It’s a political minefield.
Why do warnings always focus on Bangkok? Eastern provinces like Trat and Chanthaburi are equally at risk but feel overlooked by national media.
Local media do cover it but national attention gravitates to the capital for obvious reasons. Still, community radio and social media do a lot for provincial alerts.
We appreciate small outlets more than national channels. People listen to word-of-mouth and local leaders here.
I’m a schoolteacher and parents want schools to close. Closing schools has ripple effects on working families, but safety comes first.
Schools should close if floods cut off roads. Too many kids risked before because officials wait until last minute to decide.
Agreed — earlier decisions give families time to plan. Teachers also need official guidance, not ad hoc choices.
I think some people exaggerate the danger to score political points against the mayor. Weather happens, but using it as ammo is low.
Calling concern ‘political’ is a classic deflection. Accountability and criticism are necessary when infrastructure fails and people suffer.
There’s a middle ground — critique is needed but turning every natural event into a political scandal undermines constructive action.
The sea warnings worry me most because my husband is a fisher. He refuses to stop sometimes, but the boat is everything to us.
If your husband can, advise him to wait this one out. The sea can flip very quickly and rescue is painful even for professionals.
Communities should organize emergency funds so families aren’t forced to risk lives when storms come.
If rains flood the lowlands, where are people supposed to go? Evacuation centers fill up fast and some places still lack clean water during disasters.
We’re trying to expand centers and stock supplies, but logistics and funding are always the bottleneck. Volunteers help a lot though.
This kind of report should be a wake-up call for developers, not residents. Stop paving every square inch and let water recharge the soil.
Green infrastructure costs money and takes space. Developers aren’t villains; there needs to be incentives and regulations that make it feasible.
Incentives work if they’re enforced. Right now the cheapest option always wins and that means impermeable concrete everywhere.
Anyone working in logistics should reschedule shipments — road closures and delays are certain. Businesses need contingency plans now.
We already moved a lot of deliveries earlier this week. The trick is communicating with customers so they understand delays.
Exactly. Transparency prevents frustration and can reduce unsafe last-minute transport attempts.
Rice paddies can handle some rain, but continuous heavy downpours will ruin the crop. Pray for a break after this system passes.
There are interventions like improved drainage and saltwater intrusion prevention that can reduce damage, but they require investment.
I think the TMD communicates pretty well compared to other countries. People should follow official channels instead of random social posts.
Official channels are fine until they’re delayed. Social media often gives more immediate on-the-ground reports, even if messier.
True, but verify before acting on rumors. A false alarm can cause other harms, like unnecessary evacuation.