Chao Phraya Dam Increases Release, Floods Hat AaSa Villages
The Chao Phraya Dam in Chai Nat raised its discharge to 2,400 cubic metres per second, flooding over 400 homes in Hat AaSa sub‑district and forcing residents to evacuate to tents along the Maharat Canal road. Authorities had issued early warnings, allowing most belongings to be saved, but many families remain displaced for an estimated one to two months. The situation highlights the community’s ongoing adaptation to recurrent floods despite the hardship.
In Chai Nat, the Chao Phraya Dam began increasing its outflow from 2,300 to 2,400 cubic metres per second at 08:00, reaching the new rate by 13:00, with plans to maintain it. This raised downstream water levels further. The surge inundated low‑lying homes in Hat AaSa sub‑district, Sanphaya district, affecting more than 400 houses, with water reaching waist‑high. Residents used boats to travel, hurriedly moved possessions, and set up rows of tents along the Maharat Canal road, which stretched for several kilometres. A local from Moo 3 Hat AaSa said this year’s flood arrived quickly but was not expected to be as severe as previous years; the municipality had issued warnings two days earlier, allowing residents to safeguard belongings. He and his family now sleep by the roadside, unsure how long the situation will last—perhaps one or two months—though locals are accustomed to floods and try to stay positive despite the damage and stress. Another affected resident noted the large volume of water came fast, pushing water to waist height inside homes, but thanks to timely alerts from the Hat AaSa Sub‑district Municipality to move goods to higher ground and evacuate promptly, no houses suffered flood damage. Nevertheless, hardship remains as people must build temporary shelters, rent tents by the road, and continue commuting to work to support their families, enduring the situation as part of their river‑linked way of life.
