Authorities Pump Rangsit Canal Water Into Chao Phraya Amid Flooding
Officials are pumping water from Rangsit Canal into the Chao Phraya River to ease flooding, but the operation has produced thick white foam and dark, foul‑smelling water. Water levels in nearby communities have risen almost one meter, prompting residents to accept the situation despite the unpleasant conditions. Concerns are growing over water quality as the discharge continues.
On October 13, 2026, at the Rangsit Canal mouth sluice gate in Ban Mai subdistrict, Mueang Pathum Thani district — the point receiving water from the Chulalongkorn sluice gate for discharge into the Chao Phraya River — pumping stations continued operating nonstop to lower water levels in Rangsit and surrounding areas. Observers noted large amounts of white foam and black scum floating on the water, which appeared dark and emitted a strong, unpleasant odor across the vicinity, raising concerns about water quality during the intensified discharge. Fishermen who frequent the sluice gate said the white foam had been present for several days, previously even thicker and piled up like hills, though the smell was not yet strong due to constant water flow from the pumping. Residents living along the canal said the accelerated discharge of Rangsit Canal water into the Chao Phraya has raised local water levels by nearly one meter, forcing them to accept the situation as some homes sit on the banks, while the water has grown darker and its foul smell intensified.
