Thai authorities deliberately flood riverside villages to protect Bangkok

Riverside communities north of Bangkok in Ayutthaya province are facing severe flooding as Thai authorities divert water away from the capital and industrial economic zones.

Office worker Kamonchanok Sathaphonamonwut and other residents reported that floodwaters now rise above their homes and require residents to commute by boat and raise their houses.

The Thai irrigation department acknowledged that climate change and embankments have increased downstream impacts, noting that officials may need to review infrastructure to support affected communities.