Industry Minister Orders Urgent Pumping to Clear Bangkok Industrial Zone Flooding
Water up to 50cm has flooded Bangkok's Lat Krabang and Bang Chan industrial estates after heavy rainfall; authorities are accelerating pumping operations while sea levels recede, with rain expected to ease within two days.
Industry Minister Verawuth Silparchoa has disclosed that standing water currently affects the central areas of industrial estates, with water levels ranging from approximately 20 to nearly 50 centimeters. The Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand and related agencies are now deploying large-scale pumping equipment to rapidly drain water from the affected zones, particularly in the Lat Krabang and Bang Chan industrial estates where sea levels are currently receding—a critical window to accelerate drainage operations across all areas.
Silparchoa clarified that this situation differs fundamentally from the massive flooding of 2011, which was caused by a surge of water flowing south from the northern region. Since 2011, all industrial estates have constructed flood barriers around their perimeters. The current flooding over the past 4 to 5 days stems from a low-pressure system that stalled over Bangkok, causing heavy rainfall to accumulate directly within the industrial estate zones.
On the economic front, preliminary reports show no significant economic damage or major impact to factory operations, though some water has seeped into certain facilities without reaching critical areas. The Industrial Estate Authority has already prepared sandbags and protective measures for individual factories and stands ready to provide immediate support if damage occurs.
Water management operations also consider impacts on surrounding communities, as residents similarly face flooding from heavy rainfall. The minister has instructed the authority to closely monitor neighboring communities, noting that some estates—particularly high-tech zones in the eastern region—require careful water-level management. If pumping operations create hardship for residents, the authority is prepared to provide relief assistance proportionate to local circumstances.
Weather forecasts remain uncertain as long as rainy conditions persist, exacerbated by elevated sea-surface temperatures that increase evaporation and cloud formation. However, tracking of cloud systems shows they are beginning to shift northward across Thailand and are expected to pass out of the country within 1 to 2 days, signaling that rainfall intensity should diminish.
