Riverside Residents Struggle as Nan River Water Surges Overnight
Overnight water surges in Ayutthaya's Nan River have forced residents to use boats for travel and delivery, with some homes nearly completely flooded as the Chao Phraya Dam increases water releases downstream.
Residents along the Nan River are struggling after water levels surged dramatically overnight, forcing them to use boats instead of wading through water and raising concerns about road closures. Communities are calling for urgent water drainage into designated flood retention areas.
The water situation in Ayutthaya province remains concerning after Chao Phraya Dam increased water releases downstream to a current rate of 1,620 cubic meters per second, causing rapid rises in the Chao Phraya River, Nan River, and several canals. Some areas have experienced rises of nearly one meter. On September 23, water levels at Bang Luang Canal rose 79 centimeters, the Nan River at Hua Wiang Bridge rose 57 centimeters, and the Saena market area rose 44 centimeters from the previous day. Water levels remain 0.39 meters below the riverbank and continue to rise.
At 9 a.m., reporters visiting the riverside community in Tambon Ban Krathuem, Saena District, found that water levels had risen sharply overnight, disrupting residents' daily lives and delivery services. Many homes along the riverbank are nearly completely flooded, making it impossible for delivery drivers to access residences by vehicle as they normally do. Delivery workers must now call ahead and have residents paddle out by boat to receive packages, increasing delivery times.
Veerawat, a 50-year-old delivery worker, explained that package delivery has been significantly affected, particularly for homes along the Nan River that are now almost entirely flooded. He noted that yesterday drivers could still access the area by vehicle, but today many addresses are unreachable by car. Staff must notify residents in advance and have them paddle out by boat to collect parcels.
Rachani Phuttisarn, a 59-year-old resident of Tambon Ban Krathuem whose home sits on the riverbank, said that by this morning water levels had risen so high that boats are now required for entry and exit. Although her house is built on elevated ground, it is still affected by flooding. She expressed surprise at how rapidly the water rose in a single night, noting that this year's flooding came faster than predicted.
Residents prepared by moving belongings to higher ground, but some items could not be relocated in time because water rose during the night. As water began flooding the wheel wells of parked vehicles, residents had to rush to move their cars out of the area.
Residents are urging better water management and faster drainage into flood retention areas before more homes are affected. They are concerned that further increases in water releases could raise levels so high that roads flood, cutting off access to and from the community. Residents noted that just yesterday they could wade through ankle-deep water, but after a single night, water levels have risen so high that boats are now necessary for travel.
