Bang Luang Floods Reach Nearly 3 Meters, Residents Urge Action

Residents of Bang Luang in Ayutthaya province complain of floodwaters nearing three metres, with major roads turning into potholes, urging authorities to manage water as fairly as tax payments. On October 5, 2026, journalists reported the flooding situation in Ayutthaya Province after the Chao Phraya Dam in Chai Nat discharged water at 2,500 cubic metres per second, while the Rama VI Dam in Tha Ruea released 675 cubic metres per second into the Pa Sak River, keeping water levels high in rivers and tributaries and causing overflow into communities and across several important roads. Reporters visiting Moo 3, Tambon Bang Luang Dot in Bang Ban district found the settlement beside Bang Luang Canal, which draws water from the Noi River, with banks overtopped and homes flooded on both sides; water generally stood about two metres deep, reaching about 2.5 metres in low-lying areas. Residents must use boats to travel in and out of the community for work and to buy food and essentials. Meanwhile, water still spills over Highway 3412 (Bang Ban–Phak Hai) at the Bang Luang Canal bridge, now flooding for three days, eroding the road surface into potholes that have damaged motorcycles and cars; continuous use by heavy trucks threatens to enlarge and deepen the holes, making travel arduous. Ni Ran, 53, said water levels have stabilised for about two days but must be monitored closely as upstream northern provinces continue to send rain into the Chao Phraya Dam. He criticised the highway authority for knowing the road floods each year yet failing to install preventive measures before the inundation, noting that constant traffic from trucks, motorcycles and cars has turned the route into a rough track, with some speeding trucks splashing water onto motorcyclists and pedestrians, occasionally sparking arguments. He added that flooding has affected the community for about a month, with some spots nearing three metres, causing single‑storey homes to see water reach floor level, forcing residents to move belongings to higher ground and leaving some families struggling with their living conditions. Villagers said this year’s flood levels approach those of 2025, differing by about 80 centimetres, and questioned why irrigation authorities have not opened floodgates to divert water into fields, arguing that officials know exactly how much each gate can release without harming farmers. “We are a flood‑reception area; we understand that water must be discharged and annual flooding is normal, but we do not want the water to rise so high that people suffer. Please manage the water better, because we pay taxes that fund salaries and we deserve sympathy and a proper solution.” Another resident, whose home is flooded almost up to the floor, said discussing the floods makes him feel weary and discouraged, as the recurrence leaves him exhausted despite trying to accept it; if he could choose, he would avoid floods because he still needs to earn a living and endure the hardship.