Picture courtesy of Khaosod 

 

Flooding in Hat Yai and wider Songkhla province continued to cause severe disruption on November 27, 2025, as authorities confirmed that the death toll had surpassed 100, prompting renewed scrutiny of the government’s response. Police Lt. Gen. Trairong Phiewphan said 104 deceased victims had been sent for identification by 20:30, marking a rise from the previously confirmed 85 fatalities. Rescue teams faced ongoing difficulties retrieving bodies from deep floodwaters, while large areas of the commercial hub remained submerged.

 

The updated death toll includes bodies transferred from hospitals and 47 recovered directly from disaster sites, which require further forensic analysis to confirm the exact causes of death. Scenes across Hat Yai revealed widespread damage, stranded residents, and submerged vehicles even as water levels began to recede. Rescue associations described extreme challenges in locating and retrieving victims, reporting bodies found inside homes, tied to house pillars and stored in makeshift containment such as refrigerators.

 

Local accounts portrayed a collapse in basic services, with Songkhla MP Saksit Khawthong describing three days of “chaos” and scenes “like the end of the world” on social media. Residents and stranded individuals used online platforms to plead for help, with reports of people lacking food for days and witnessing bodies floating through neighbourhoods. The San Kamphaeng Rescue Association reported acute shortages of body storage bags amid the rising number of victims.

 

Nationwide attention intensified as official figures were clarified by Siripong Angkaskulkiat of the Forward Flood Emergency Operations Center, who confirmed 85 deaths in Songkhla province as of Thursday afternoon, consisting of 55 flood-related and 30 from other causes. Royal Thai Police Commissioner-General Kittirat Phanphet ordered the creation of a Disaster Victim Identification centre in Hat Yai to streamline the handling of recovered bodies. Political tensions increased as opposition parties demanded a government apology over alleged failures in disaster management.

 

Minister Pharadorn Prisnananthakul faced criticism when he declined to answer questions about whether the government would acknowledge errors in its assessment of the situation. Opposition deputy secretary-general Linthipon Warinwatchararoj insisted that officials must first admit mistakes before discussing lessons learned. The government confirmed funeral support of 2 million baht per flood-related death, with relief transfers scheduled for November 28.

 

Flooding also left thousands of foreign tourists stranded across Songkhla province, particularly in Hat Yai’s District 8. Many visitors had been affected since November 21, with 1,300 people reportedly still stuck in hotels and up to 3 days without access to food or drinking water in properties lacking kitchen facilities. Authorities and volunteer groups set up a tourist assistance centre at Central Festival Hat Yai, offering emergency accommodation, medical checks, and transport, as teams searched for the estimated 1,000 remaining stranded visitors from Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.

 

Khaosod reported that efforts to restore essential services continued as flood levels slowly decreased, with support from SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service expected to arrive by Friday, November 28. Officials and volunteers aimed to stabilise conditions for residents and tourists while preparing for ongoing recovery operations. The tourism sector reported hopes of recovering at least 20% of revenue as stranded visitors begin returning home.

 

 

Key Takeaways

 

• The confirmed death toll rose to 104 as authorities expanded body recovery and identification efforts.

• Political pressure intensified as opposition leaders demanded a government apology for perceived failures in flood management.

• Thousands of foreign tourists remained stranded, prompting large-scale rescue and relief operations in Hat Yai.

 

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 Adapted   by   Asean   Now from Khaosod 2025-11-28

 

 

Wife has told me that many businesses will be closing down permanently do to losses inside their business, property damage and things like this. She also said reports are coming that people have no food and stores are empty. She described to me how one woman walked 20km just to get some food for her family. 

Someone needs to be held accountable for this disaster. It could have been a lot less damage and problems if the local government had listened to warning and prepared for this and spread warnings. 

But, this is Thailand. It will never happen except maybe some officials leaving office. 

In Lopburi about 12 years ago. They had a major flood.. Houses under 2 meters of water. i was told then that this happened there regularly and people were used to rebuilding their homes every few years. But each time they rebuilt, they made it the same. Unprepared for the next time the flooding happened. , The houses permanently damaged. I actually took a raft with supplies to people who were still in their flooded houses refusing to leave. 

4 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Local accounts portrayed a collapse in basic services, with Songkhla MP Saksit Khawthong describing three days of “chaos” and scenes “like the end of the world” on social media.

So do something about it... monsoon is an annual event

4 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Political tensions increased as opposition parties demanded a government apology over alleged failures in disaster management

Maybe tag-on disaster prevention ?

4 minutes ago, thesetat said:

She described to me how one woman walked 20km just to get some food for her family. 

Doubtful

Anutin must be fired. The lack of preemptive warnings was travesty and Malaysia was very clear with their warnings and they passed this information on to Thailand, and they did absolutely nothing with it. Anutin must take responsibility for this and he must resign. 

100 plus deaths from a flooded area is a disaster. Politicians close to election time give freebie cash handouts to garner votes. Once they have secured the votes however little concern for the public is evident. 

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

So do something about it... monsoon is an annual event

Nothing will be done its the same as the pollution.

 

This should be a eye opener for the Thai government 

More needs to spent 💸 💰 on flood defences all around the Country 

As no doubt it will happen again 

Two headlines today, the flood and the air pollution.  
Where is Thailand on the subject of climate change.  How much worse does all this need to get?  

Maybe the Thai government needs to admit that flood/water control is not their strong suit (at the risk of losing face) and call in some experts from outside for recommendations.   I'm thinking the Dutch, they've made water management an art form.

12 minutes ago, kimothai said:

Maybe the Thai government needs to admit that flood/water control is not their strong suit (at the risk of losing face) and call in some experts from outside for recommendations.   I'm thinking the Dutch, they've made water management an art form.

Amsterdam's annual rainfall is about 950mm, Hat Yai received over 1,200mm in 6 days.

4 minutes ago, Stocky said:

Amsterdam's annual rainfall is about 950mm, Hat Yai received over 1,200mm in 6 days.

Obviously, they wouldn't use the same solution as they used in Amsterdam.  The Dutch are creative and innovative at solving flooding problems.  One could say they (the Dutch) are considered the gold standard.

5 hours ago, thesetat said:

Someone needs to be held accountable for this disaster. It could have been a lot less damage and problems if the local government had listened to warning and prepared for this and spread warnings. 

 

Such a flooding disaster happened right there about twenty years ago when I lived there... (So, yes, neither are such disasters a new occurrence in Songkhla province, nor the incompetence and inaction of the local government.)

14 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

 

Such a flooding disaster happened right there about twenty years ago when I lived there... (So, yes, neither are such disasters a new occurrence in Songkhla province, nor the incompetence and inaction of the local government.)

 

Easy to criticise with hindsight - but how much 'water' came down in a short period of time to create a flooding situation (i.e. the perfect storm scenario). 

 

Even with flood planning, competence and action we see major flooding in the UK every fews years - there is not a great deal that can be done once nature exceeds the limits of human design - the only solution in some cases is to 'not be there' in the first place. 

 

 

6 hours ago, hotchilli said:

So do something about it... monsoon is an annual event

Maybe educate yourself before spouting absolute baloney,  350 mm of rain in 24 hours is not seasonal!

A total disaster.

 

Warnings given - they seem to have been ignored.

 

Massive rainfall and flooding - how many days did it take the Anutin Government to respond?

 

The Government's response to the human suffering has not only been too slow and too inadequate, it has been inhumane!!!  The another example of how Bangkok treats southern Thailand

 

Even Malaysia had to send in its army to help stranded citizens in Thailand, because the Thai Government did not provide any/adequate assistance.

 

Where is the Royal Thai Army?  Nealy a quarter of a million soldiers and massive amounts of non-military equipment - their services could be used in helping the millions of Thai citizens impacted.

 

In the coming election, BJP is not going to get many votes from the peoples of southern Thailand.

This is Thailand's worst disaster since the Tsunami and a grim warning of the near future. We had a condo in Hat Yai near Big C and family in Yala - I persuaded my wife to sell it 3 years ago I'm glad I did - the family home in Yala has flooded in 2 consecutive years now.  Nothing will get done the people are effectively on their own. If they do rebuild they need to factor in more frequent and more devastating floods and it's a given that for the centre Bangkok will be their priority. I put the scenario of nothing gets done through Claude.

 

Let me search for historical context on Thailand's flood response patterns.Here's what realistically happens if the government talks but doesn't follow through with meaningful action over the next decade:

The "All Talk, No Action" Scenario for Hat Yai (2025-2035)

The Pattern We've Already Seen

This isn't speculation—Thailand has been here before. After the catastrophic 2010 floods in Hat Yai and the devastating 2011 floods that killed over 800 people nationwide, the government introduced a strategic water management plan and promised funding for anti-flood infrastructure in vulnerable areas. Yet here we are in 2025, and Hat Yai just experienced what's being called a 300-year flood event that completely overwhelmed the existing systems.

What Actually Happens Without Action

Short-Term (2026-2027): The Predictable Cycle

• Government announces a comprehensive three-phase recovery plan with immediate relief, medium-term recovery, and long-term reconstruction
• Money flows for emergency compensation and rebuilding damaged homes/businesses
• Grand infrastructure plans are unveiled with impressive-sounding budgets
• But: Just like after 2010 and 2011, plans fail to address the increased likelihood of natural disasters caused by global warming
• Political priorities shift, funds get redirected, projects stall in bureaucracy

Mid-Term (2028-2032): Accelerating Deterioration

• Infrastructure remains inadequate for the new climate reality
• Each major flood (likely 2-3 in this period) causes similar devastation
• Economic damage compounds: $4.3 billion in damages from just this one 2025 event
• Businesses start relocating away from Hat Yai—why invest somewhere that floods catastrophically every few years?
• Insurance becomes unaffordable or unavailable
• "People living on higher ground who had never been flooded before" continue getting hit, meaning nowhere is truly safe

Long-Term (2033-2035): Crisis Becomes Normal

• Annual flooding routinely paralyzes the city for weeks
• Hat Yai's status as a major economic hub erodes
• Population gradually migrates to safer areas
• The city becomes defined by its flooding—a place people avoid rather than invest in
• Each disaster triggers the same cycle: promises, plans, minimal implementation, repeat

The Real Costs of Inaction

Economic Death Spiral The business community already sees what's coming. Commercial activity was completely paralyzed for five to six consecutive days in November 2025, with over $372 million in losses just in Hat Yai. When this becomes a regular occurrence:

• Major businesses relocate
• Tourism collapses (who vacations in a flood zone?)
• Property values plummet
• Tax base shrinks
• Less money available for infrastructure even if political will existed

Social Breakdown History shows us what happens. In 2011, angry civilians broke a sandbag wall protecting an upper class district, expressing public frustration at government discrimination and favoritism. Without action, expect:

• Growing public anger and protests after each flood
• Class tensions as wealthier areas get better protection
• Loss of faith in government institutions
• Social fragmentation between those who can afford to leave and those who can't

Infrastructure Obsolescence Even the systems built after 2010 are already inadequate. The longer action is delayed:

• The climate continues changing, making the problem worse
• Deferred maintenance on aging systems accelerates failure
• The gap between what's needed and what exists grows exponentially
• Eventually the cost of fixing everything becomes prohibitively expensive

Why Inaction Is the Default

Depoliticizing disasters and blaming nature and climate change as the main cause led policymakers to primarily build infrastructure to block and drain water rather than comprehensive adaptation. This pattern persists because:

1. Short Political Timelines: Politicians need wins before next election, not 10-year infrastructure projects
2. Easier to Compensate Than Prevent: Handing out cash after disasters is more visible than invisible flood prevention
3. Fragmented Responsibility: Multiple agencies means no one truly owns the problem
4. Budget Competition: Flood infrastructure competes with roads, schools, hospitals for funding
5. "It Won't Happen Again" Syndrome: After each flood recedes, urgency fades

The Brutal Reality

If the government pattern holds—big promises, minimal action—Hat Yai faces functional decline over the next decade. Not a sudden collapse, but a slow erosion where the city becomes increasingly unlivable, economically stagnant, and socially stressed. Each flood event accelerates the decline.

The November 2025 flood should be the wake-up call. But based on the response to 2010 and 2011, it probably won't be. And that's the real tragedy—the solution is known, the problem is understood, but political will is absent.

2 hours ago, KireB said:

Maybe educate yourself before spouting absolute baloney,  350 mm of rain in 24 hours is not seasonal!

The rain was predicted.... go figure yourself.