Southern Thailand Declares Disaster Zone as Catastrophic Flooding Engulfs Hat Yai and Train Services Halt

Torrential monsoon rains have triggered a major crisis in Thailand's southern region, leading to Songkhla province—with Hat Yai as its commercial hub—being officially designated a disaster zone. The prolonged and severe downpour has pushed water levels to dangerous extremes, inundating homes, disrupting essential services, and tragically resulting in at least one confirmed fatality, with authorities fearing the toll may rise as floodwaters persist. The sheer volume of rainfall, exceeding 595 mm in some areas, has exposed critical vulnerabilities in regional infrastructure, causing widespread devastation across seven districts. This natural calamity has directly impacted nearly 18,000 households, trapping residents, and sparking a massive, coordinated response effort involving local governance, military units, and volunteer rescue teams working around the clock to evacuate marooned citizens and deliver emergency aid packages, including food, water, and temporary shelter. The catastrophic flooding has delivered a severe blow to the South's connectivity and logistics backbone. State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has confirmed the immediate and indefinite suspension of ten southern train services, citing completely submerged tracks and structural damage to critical sections of the rail line, including areas near Thung Song and Chumphon. This suspension not only cuts off a vital transport link for thousands of daily commuters but also significantly hampers the movement of essential goods and emergency supplies into the affected zones. The economic fallout is immediate and profound, paralyzing local trade, damaging agricultural land, and forcing the temporary closure of businesses. Furthermore, while Hat Yai International Airport remains technically operational, accessibility challenges due to flooded approach roads are severely limiting passenger flow and cargo operations. Local authorities, backed by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul's assurance of full government support, are intensifying efforts to manage water diversion and drainage, a task made increasingly difficult by the sheer volume of precipitation and saturated ground conditions. Citizens are urged to heed all red-flag alerts from the Department of Mineral Resources regarding potential landslides, with the soil saturation levels reaching dangerous thresholds across ten southern provinces, compounding the risk. Stay informed: critical updates are ongoing for residents and travellers. Click to learn how infrastructure repair will reshape the region's climate resilience.