PATTAYA, Thailand – Pattaya is facing several difficult days of heavy rain, flooding and dangerous runoff, with the latest downpours turning familiar roads into waterways and more rain forecast across the city and much of Thailand through September 27.
Heavy rain began late Wednesday night and continued into Thursday morning, flooding large parts of Pattaya. Water reached around 50 centimeters on many roads and up to 1 meter in some of the city’s flood-prone areas, disrupting traffic and leaving smaller vehicles stranded.
Pattaya Third Road, the railway-side roads around Khao Noi and Khao Talo, Sukhumvit Road, South Pattaya Road, Central Pattaya Road, Beach Road, Soi Buakhao and Soi Wat Boon Samphan were among the affected areas.
The flooding was not simply a case of water collecting on the streets. Runoff from higher ground in Pong and Nongprue flowed into the city’s drainage network, creating strong currents in some areas and adding to the pressure on already waterlogged roads.
The dangerous conditions were highlighted by a serious incident in the Nern Plab Wan area early Thursday, when three foreign men were caught in floodwater near a drainage canal. Two were rescued, while the third was swept away and remained missing as rescue teams searched the area.
For motorists, the flooding quickly became a familiar Pattaya nightmare. Motorcycles were knocked over, cars stalled after entering deep water and traffic backed up across several major routes. In the deepest areas, people were forced to wade through water approaching chest height.
The problem may not be over yet.
Thailand’s Meteorological Department has forecast heavy to very heavy rain in several parts of the country from September 24 to 27. The East, including Chonburi, is among the areas that need to remain alert for accumulated rainfall, flash floods and runoff.
The department has also rejected alarming social-media claims of a “mega flood” covering Thailand, saying the official forecast does not support those descriptions. However, it has stressed that heavy rainfall and accumulated water remain genuine risks, particularly in low-lying and flood-prone areas.
For Pattaya, the coming days will put the city’s drainage network, roads, businesses and residents to another serious test. After repeated bouts of heavy rain this month, the concern is no longer whether Pattaya can handle one downpour, but how the city copes when the rain keeps returning before the ground and drainage systems have fully recovered.
