Rain Bomb Alert Issued for Pattaya and Chachoengsao Districts
JICC warned Pattaya to brace for a rain bomb this afternoon and urged close monitoring of three districts in Chachoengsao as heavy rain moves across Thailand. Forecasts show thunderstorms Oct 5‑7 followed by a stronger wave Oct 10‑13 that will swell northern rivers and increase southern rainfall, while water levels in the north and Mae Klong have dropped below banks. Officials have ordered southern provinces to prepare for possible flooding and said relief can start as soon as water recedes locally.
The JICC briefing at Government House on October 1, 2026, led by spokesperson Ekkapop Piangpiset, said the Meteorological Department forecasts thunderstorms and lightning from Oct 5‑7, moving from the Northeast through the Central to the Western region. A second wave of rain is expected Oct 10‑13, with the heaviest falls in the north where the Ping, Wang and Nan rivers will feed the Chao Phraya, which has sufficient reservoir capacity. In the west, rain will collect in Kanchanaburi, Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan, increasing southern rainfall. The National Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Center has ordered southern provinces, governors and the Fourth Army to prepare equipment and evacuations, and urged the public to heed announcements. The Prime Minister has instructed that relief work can begin as soon as water recedes in any area, without waiting for nationwide recession. Water levels in the Sirikit and Bhumibol dams are not rising, while flow from Nakhon Sawan toward the central plains has fallen; discharge from the Chao Phraya dam at 2,500 cubic metres per second over the past two‑to‑three days, combined with reduced upstream flow, has lowered water in Nonthaburi and Bangkok by about one metre below the banks. Similarly, the Mae Klong river flowing through Mueang, Bang Khonthi and Amphawa in Samut Songkhram has dropped about one metre, a good sign. In the east, water from Nakhon Nayok and Prachinburi is receding and spreading to Chachoengsao via the Bang Pakong River, so residents of the three Chachoengsao districts — Bang Khla, Ratchasan and Mueang — should stay alert. The southern region is forecast to experience continuous heavy rain next week in the form of flash floods and mountain runoff, requiring close vigilance. The JICC specifically warned Pattaya to watch for a rain bomb this afternoon that could cause local flooding, and urged people in Chachoengsao and Pathum Thani, which receive water from Nakhon Nayok, to remain alert through the coming week from Phetchaburi to the southern lower and upper areas.
