PATTAYA, Thailand – A Pattaya resident was left counting his losses after parked motorcycles were knocked over and swept away by powerful floodwater, raising fresh concerns over large vehicles travelling through already dangerous flooded sois. The motorcycles had been parked in the soi when heavy flooding turned the roadway into a fast-moving stream. Residents said a large vehicle drove through the floodwater, creating a powerful wave that added to the force of the water around the parked motorcycles.
The motorcycles were knocked over and carried by the current, leaving their owner facing damage and loss through no fault of his own. The incident has angered and saddened residents living in flood-prone areas, where heavy rain can transform an ordinary neighbourhood street into a dangerous torrent within minutes.
The issue is not simply whether a large vehicle can physically make it through deep water. Its speed and size can push waves into homes, shops and parked vehicles along the roadside, potentially turning an already difficult flooding situation into a much more costly one for local residents. For people watching their belongings being carried away by floodwater, the consequences are painfully real. A motorcycle may be a family’s only means of transport, a way to get to work or an essential part of earning a living.
Residents are therefore asking drivers to think twice before powering through flooded sois. Slowing down may seem like a small gesture, but in deep water it can reduce the waves hitting homes, pedestrians and vehicles caught along the roadside. The incident is another reminder that Pattaya’s flooding problem is not measured only in centimeters of water. For residents caught in its path, every additional wave can mean another damaged vehicle, lost possession or unexpected financial burden.
