Report Thailand Braces for 'Rain Bombs' Amid Climate Turbulence, Echoing 2011 Flood Concerns

[webfact]

File photo courtesy of Wikipedia

 

Thailand faces "rain bombs" raising alarms reminiscent of the devastating 2011 floods. Experts warn these downpours, occurring from May 25-27, might be the result of unusual climate patterns that could signal a turbulent rainy season ahead.

 

Fuelled by a robust southwest monsoon over the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, these intense storms come amid peculiar climate shifts noted since early this year.

 

During just the first two weeks of May, Bangkok saw nearly double the usual rainfall, reaching an unexpected 188.5 millimetres. Assoc Prof Seree Supratid of Rangsit University points to these unpredictable "rain bombs" as a challenge, suggesting fluctuating climate patterns fuelled by La Niña's shifting influence.

 

La Niña's cold ocean temperatures have led to unexpected cooling in Thailand, disrupted by a 7.4-magnitude earthquake in March near Mandalay, Myanmar. Prof Seree highlights a growing climate unpredictability, with rain bombs delivering intense and difficult-to-predict rainfall.

 

Although May's average rainfall hit 214mm, above the 30-year norm, experts caution against immediate flood concerns, signalling a potential easing come June and July.

 

Flood prevention remains a priority, with Bangkok implementing AI water management systems for efficient drainage. The city has increased its water pumping capacities and dredged 1,900 canals to enhance water flow.

 

Meanwhile, other provinces are releasing water from large reservoirs to accommodate rainfall. Current reservoir levels are manageable at 56% capacity, differing from the 2011 scenario when they exceeded 60%.

 

Assoc Prof Seree assures that advancements in tracking technology help mitigate risks, offering 3-5 days of advance warning for public safety.

 

He underscores the need for community vigilance to adapt to evolving weather conditions in a rapidly changing climate.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Bangkok Post 2025-06-04

 

 

[KireB]

'La Niña's cold ocean temperatures have led to unexpected cooling in Thailand, disrupted by a 7.4-magnitude earthquake in March near Mandalay'

 

Wow, guess you are never old enough to learn new things.

[Quentin Zen]

45 minutes ago, webfact said:

advancements in tracking technology

 

technology is always advancing.   i'm sure predicting the weather correctly has gone from 1.9499% to 1.9539%.   advancement, yes

[novacova]

54 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thailand faces "rain bombs"

Fascinating, heard of torrents and down pours but not this. 

[sungod]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Experts warn these downpours, occurring from May 25-27

 

Wow, forecasting a year ahead. 

[huangnon]

"Rain bombs"... Please 🤣

[ikke1959]

warnings for past days and who cares even if they are meant for next year.. The Government is doing nothing to prevent floods, whenever and where ever they take place...year after year same stories and same floodings and after the rainy season nobody talks or invest in preventing

[dinsdale]

8 hours ago, Quentin Zen said:

technology is always advancing. 

 

 

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Experts warn these downpours, occurring from May 25-27

 

[klauskunkel]

On 6/4/2025 at 7:24 AM, webfact said:

La Niña's cold ocean temperatures have led to unexpected cooling in Thailand, disrupted by a 7.4-magnitude earthquake in March near Mandalay, Myanmar.

So the earthquake disrupted the cooling by how many degrees Celsius?

Can someone shed light on these mechanics, or will that disrupt the cooling even more? Bangkok Post? Prof Seree? Anyone?

[rickudon]

Don't care about Bangkok, but here in Udon Thani we have had well over 30 cm in May. Have some ponds overflowing - usually takes until August/September, if at all. Definitely wettest since 2010 (probably wetter than that year).