Bangkok Residents Criticize Delayed Flood Alerts
Bangkok's Ratchada area faces severe flooding from continuous rainfall, with blocked drainage trapping water and disrupting traffic since overnight September 26. Residents criticize the government's delayed flood alerts, which gave them no
On September 26, a reporter documented conditions in Bangkok's Ratchada area, where continuous rainfall has caused standing water to accumulate since overnight and drainage remains blocked, making travel difficult. Residents have been making their way to convenience stores in the Ratchada 36 area to buy drinking water, food, and supplies, worried the flooding could persist for several more days. Some convenience store branches have already sold out of certain items and several are shutting down due to insufficient remaining stock.
Traffic has also been severely affected, with multiple cars and motorcycles stalling in floodwaters. Some vehicles have been left abandoned on road medians awaiting tow trucks. Students wading out from their dormitories to buy provisions told reporters that the government's Cell Broadcast alert system was considerably delayed, giving people no time to prepare or leaving them unaware until flooding had already begun in their area.
Students noted that water levels on Ladprao Road were manageable overnight but rose sharply by morning, shocking residents with the speed of the rise. They estimate it could take 2–3 days for water to drain fully and conditions to return to normal. Residents have appealed to authorities and the government, noting that flooding in the area is not new but a recurring problem spanning years, and urging better solutions to reduce repeated flooding incidents.
Meanwhile, some residents have had to venture out during the holiday to run errands, wading through floodwaters to reach BTS Skytrain stations to continue their journeys. The Ratchada-Ladprao area remains under close watch as rain continues and water levels show signs of rising further.
