Pictures courtesy of Bangkok Post

 

Thailand has risen to 17th place in the latest Climate Risk Index (CRI), highlighting its growing vulnerability to extreme weather. Hat Yai recently experienced record rainfall of 350 millimetres in one day, the highest in three centuries, underlining the intensifying impacts of climate change. The Department of Climate Change and Environment (DCCE) is upgrading early-warning systems and pursuing a cohesive resilience strategy.

 

The CRI, compiled by Germanwatch using global data from 1995 to 2024, recorded over 9,700 extreme weather events affecting nearly 5.7 billion people and causing more than 832,000 deaths. Economic losses exceeded US$4.5 trillion, with heatwaves and storms responsible for 66% of fatalities. Floods impacted the largest number of people at 48%, while storms caused the most financial damage, accounting for 58% of losses or roughly US$2.64 trillion.

 

Thailand’s ranking has shifted sharply from 72nd in 2022 to 17th in 2024 for short-term risk, while long-term risk has worsened from 30th to 22nd. Phirun Saiyasitpanich, DCCE director-general, noted that despite Thailand’s relatively high development status, the country continues to suffer significant damage from extreme weather. He cited Hat Yai’s floods as an example, showing the urgency of adaptation measures in response to shifting rainfall patterns.

 

The government is focusing on enhancing early-warning networks in high-risk areas and progressing towards a low-carbon society, with a target of net-zero emissions by 2050. The National Adaptation Plan is being implemented with support from six main sectors, local agencies, businesses and civil society. Initiatives include improving disaster-warning systems, water management, health, agriculture, infrastructure, nature-based solutions and strengthening risk databases, funding and technology-driven monitoring.

 

The Thaiger reported that Phirun also highlighted Thailand’s development of a domestic CRI to aid provincial planning and efforts to advance the Climate Change Act to bolster long-term resilience. Public participation is considered crucial to steering the country toward a sustainable, low-carbon economy. In Bangkok, Deputy Governor Thavida Kamolvej said Governor Chadchart Sittipunt has instructed preparations for worst-case rainfall scenarios of 1,100 millimetres over seven days, drawing lessons from the Hat Yai floods.

 

 

Key Takeaways

 

• Thailand ranks 17th in the 2024 Climate Risk Index, up from 72nd in 2022.

• Hat Yai recorded 350 millimetres of rainfall in a single day, the highest in 300 years.

• The government is enhancing early-warning systems and pursuing net-zero emissions by 2050.

 

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 Adapted by Asean Now from TheThaiger 2025-12-01

 

 

Who would have thought ... they kept rainfall records 3 centuries ago ... 

 

 

Thailand is happy.. at last something is going up....

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

Who would have thought ... they kept rainfall records 3 centuries ago ... 

 

 

Yes somebody got their dates wrong. Thailand actually began their rainfall records a century ago.

1 minute ago, edwinchester said:

Yes somebody got their dates wrong. Thailand actually began their rainfall records a century ago.

 

When MSM states such silliness, it takes away from any credibility, and their spin is exposed & ignored by me.   

 

Only thing surprising, or not, after 300 years, TH still fails at water management.

 

Nothing has changed in 300 yrs, except the weather, and that's every year.  Yes, a longer rainy season in some parts of TH.  For us, at PKK, a welcomed extra 2 months.

 

Strange when they add PKK to the flooded provinces list, as none noticed here.  Even Bang Saphan, which the hospital seems to get flooded out every year, didn't make the local news this year.

Exactly NO countries' govts are sincere about actually doing something about climate change. It's not one country, it's every country. Every country is only interested in money. Economies elect politicians. But climate change will come for all of us. Perhaps it's already unsustainable at this level. For those who hate autistic teenagers, well, sorry, Greta is right. And at least she's doing something, waking people up. How about the rest of us? How about our pols?

On 12/1/2025 at 3:31 AM, Georgealbert said:

The Department of Climate Change and Environment (DCCE) is upgrading early-warning systems and pursuing a cohesive resilience strategy.

Early warning systems don't help with flooding... only a change in infrastructure achieves meaningful help

The whole "climate change" is nothing but a hoax intended to line the pockets of the people in charge.  Every single prediction the experts, who were paid with tax dollars, have made has failed.  I'm still waiting for the glaciers in Oklahoma that the experts were predicting 50 years ago.  It's a grift and an excuse for the government to grab more power like they did during the scamdemic.

On 12/1/2025 at 8:18 AM, KhunLA said:

Who would have thought ... they kept rainfall records 3 centuries ago ... 

 

 

Think for yourself?  When did she start this?  She has always been a puppet for the Left.

On 12/1/2025 at 8:18 AM, KhunLA said:

Who would have thought ... they kept rainfall records 3 centuries ago ... 

 

 

its true,i still havve my grt,gtr,gtr.gtr,gtr,grt,grt Grand mothers bucket

I've read that Thailand's glaciers are melting at an alarming rate.