At least 13 people have died in southern Thailand as devastating floods continue to engulf nine provinces, prompting the government to put the military in full control of relief and evacuation operations. Heavy monsoon rains have left several districts submerged under as much as two metres of water, cutting off access routes and blocking rescue efforts. The flooding — considered among the worst in decades — has also spilled across the border into Malaysia, where eight states are underwater.
To support the relief mission, Thailand’s armed forces have launched a major deployment. The Air Force has sent a C-130 transport aircraft loaded with medicine, food supplies, and drinking water, while the Royal Thai Navy has dispatched 14 boats and the aircraft carrier Chakri Naruebet. The carrier is equipped with two helicopters, a medical team, and mobile field kitchens capable of producing 3,000 meals per day, allowing it to function as both a rescue base and a floating hospital. Military officials said forces are on standby to carry out whatever operations the situation demands.
Hat Yai has emerged as the epicentre of the disaster. The commercial capital of southern Thailand — and a major hub for the country’s rubber industry — recorded 335 mm of rain in a single day, the highest level in three centuries. Commercial streets have been transformed into rivers of brown water, and vehicles lie completely submerged. Rescue teams have used boats, jet skis, and high-clearance trucks to evacuate stranded residents. The city’s governor urged a complete evacuation, warning that worsening water levels could make it impossible to provide food and medical assistance.
Across the affected provinces, officials estimate that 2.1 million people have been impacted, with more than 13,000 already moved to emergency shelters. Thousands more remain trapped inside flooded neighbourhoods, some without food, running water, or phone service. Pleas for help continue to surface on social media as water levels rise rapidly.
The crisis is unfolding in Malaysia as well, where over 19,000 people have been evacuated to 126 relief centres, particularly in states neighbouring the Thai border. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said federal disaster response teams are deployed in the worst-hit region of Kelantan and can be redirected to other states if conditions deteriorate further, calling for strength and resilience in the face of the catastrophe.
Rescue operations in both countries now hinge on weather changes over the coming days; forecasts suggest that further monsoon rain could worsen the already severe flooding.
