Flood alert from 5 to 9 November, what to do and when

In the 24 hours to 7am on Thursday, 5 November, the rain gauge beside Khlong Phasi Charoen in Phasi Charoen district collected 69.5 millimetres of rain, the most in Bangkok. To picture it, if all that rain fell on a flat floor and went nowhere, the water would stand about 7 centimetres deep. Gauges in Bang Rak, Thawi Watthana, Taling Chan and Sathon also recorded more than 50 millimetres. But on Thursday morning the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's rain report listed no main road where pumping had to be stepped up. The drains and canals were coping.

This round of rain has only just begun. Advisory No. 8 from the Thai Meteorological Department, issued at 5am the same day, warned that another mass of cold air from China will bring thunderstorms, strong gusts, hail and isolated heavy rain to upper Thailand, including Bangkok and its surrounding provinces, from 5 to 7 November. The South will then see heavy rain in many areas and very heavy rain in places from 7 to 9 November. The department and the city both warned that Bangkok faces a high risk of water collecting at spots that drain slowly, The Nation reported. The advice splits into three groups of people who need to do different things: Bangkok residents, people in the South, and anyone taking a boat to an island this weekend.

Bangkok faces standing water where drains are slow from 5 to 7 November

These three days are when Bangkok residents need to plan their evening journeys carefully.

The city expects thunderstorms over 60 per cent of its area on 5 November. That figure does not mean your home has a 60 per cent chance of rain. It means about six in ten parts of Bangkok will see rain. Put simply, rain will not fall on every district at once, but it will cover enough of the city that anyone crossing districts in the evening is likely to run into it at some point.

Chadchart Sittipunt, the governor of Bangkok, gave an overview on 4 November, saying many spots that used to flood now drain within an hour. But areas where drains are being built or upgraded may not drain fully in heavy rain. The city has lowered the water in many canals in advance, so they have room to take the coming rain. If the street outside your home has pipe works under way, expect water to stand there longer than before.

Before leaving work in the evening, open the city's three-hour rain forecast to see where the rain clouds are heading, and allow extra travel time, because water on main and side roads can cause heavy traffic. At home, check that your roof, nearby branches and anything left outside can stand up to strong gusts. If you see standing water or a blocked drain, report it to the city hotline, 1555, or on LINE at @traffyfondue, at any hour. For how to shelter from lightning in the same storms, read our lightning story.

The South's heaviest rain falls from 7 to 9 November, so learn the flash flood signs

The second period falls from Saturday to Monday, and the rain builds up over several days.

Stronger easterly winds will blow across the Gulf of Thailand towards the South, bringing a clear rise in rainfall. The Thai Meteorological Department told people to watch for flash floods and runoff from the hills, especially in homes on foothill slopes near waterways and in low-lying areas. Bangkok residents are used to floodwater that rises slowly and drains slowly. Runoff from the hills is rain from the mountains that rushes down into streams, carrying soil, rocks and logs with it. That makes it more dangerous, because it arrives fast and carries solid debris.

Advice from the DDPM, Thailand's Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, lists several natural warning signs. The first is heavy rain of more than 100 millimetres a day, or rain that lasts more than six hours. For comparison, the wettest spot in Bangkok over the past 24 hours has not reached three quarters of that level. The others are rivers or streams rising fast, water turning murkier than usual until it matches the colour of hillside soil, branches or logs floating past, and unusual noises from the hills or streams, such as trees snapping, rocks cracking and wild animals fleeing.

When you see these signs, the DDPM says to move your belongings above the water level at once, then evacuate along a safe route to high ground at least 2 to 5 kilometres from the path of any landslide, and as far from the stream as possible. Do not walk along the path of sliding soil or through fast water. If you are swept into the water, hold on to a big tree and climb out. Do not try to swim away, because you may be hit by logs or rocks carried by the current.

Homes in low-lying areas that do not need to evacuate yet should move belongings to higher ground, prepare sandbags and keep watching the water level. If the water has already reached your car, the insurance claim steps are in our car and home insurance story, and the supplies to keep at home for days when you cannot go out are in our 72-hour bag story.

Taking a boat to an island this weekend? Check the waves before you leave

In storm areas, waves in the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand will top 2 metres.

A 2-metre wave is about as tall as a front door. The Thai Meteorological Department told boat crews in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea to take care, and to avoid sailing through areas with thunderstorms. Outside the storms, the department's forecast for 5 November put waves along both southern coasts, on the gulf side and the Andaman side, at about 1 metre. So the sea may look calm in the morning, then change quickly when a storm moves in.

The South's heaviest rain falls on the weekend. Anyone with a boat booked to an island in Surat Thani, Phuket, Krabi, Phang Nga, Trang or Satun should check the marine forecast on the Thai Meteorological Department's website or call its 1182 hotline on the morning of the trip, not just when booking. The department and the city also asked tourists to check the boat's condition and the wind and waves for themselves. If a boat is delayed or a trip is cancelled because of the waves, waiting for another day is safer than crossing the sea in a storm.

Before water gets in, switch off the main breaker and lift appliances

If water starts coming into your street, the first thing to think about is the electricity in your home.

The Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA) advises that once you know water is about to enter your home, you should get ready to switch off the main breaker, the switch that cuts power to the whole house. The reason is that you cannot know which socket water or damp will reach, and while moving things out of the water's way, most people are not watching the cables at all. If current leaks from a cable or from an appliance still plugged in while you move it, it can cause a short circuit or a fatal electric shock. Then lift your appliances above the water level. In a two-storey home with a separate breaker for each floor, switch off only the ground floor and use power only upstairs, where the water cannot reach. In a single-storey home, the MEA says not to use electricity at all while the flood lasts. The best moment to do it is while the floor in front of the fuse box is still dry, because the Department of Disease Control stresses that power must be cut from a safe spot, and that you should never touch plugs, switches or cables while you are wet.

The other things to lift are the ones that are hard to replace. The DDPM says to keep important documents in a waterproof envelope, along with your mobile phone, a power bank and a torch. Charge your phone and power bank fully before switching off the breaker, because you will not be able to charge them at home after that. For people with long-term illnesses, the Department of Disease Control asks them to have enough medicine, not to run out, and to keep it somewhere dry. If medicine gets wet or damaged, do not take it; ask a doctor or pharmacist first.

During a flood, do not wade through fast water or water where you cannot see the ground

The Department of Disease Control warns of three dangers in particular: drowning, electric shock and venomous animals.

The first is drowning. Avoid walking or driving through places where water flows fast, is deep, or hides the ground below, because you cannot know what lies under murky water. If you must wade, use a safe route and something to help you stay afloat. Never leave young children to play in floodwater alone. If you see someone fall in, do not jump in after them, because the current may sweep you away too. Hold out a stick, a rope or anything they can hold on to, and call 1669, the emergency medical hotline, straight away.

The second is electricity in the water. Do not wade where cables or electrical equipment are under water. If you see a broken cable or an appliance in the water, do not go near it or touch it, and report it to the electricity authority at once: in Bangkok, Nonthaburi and Samut Prakan, call the MEA on 1130, and in other provinces, call the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) on 1129. While the water is still up, the MEA says to stand somewhere dry, or wear rubber boots if you have to stand in water, and never to use a socket or switch that the water has reached.

The third is animals fleeing the water. Snakes, centipedes and scorpions may hide in your home, under piles of things or in shoes. Shine a torch before you step or pick anything up, do not search with bare hands, and wear closed shoes. If a snake or other venomous animal bites or stings you, do not cut the wound or suck out the venom. Go to hospital quickly, and remember what the animal looked like so you can tell the doctor.

After the water goes down, do not switch the power on until an electrician has checked

When the water goes down, many people rush to plug things in to see if they still work.

The MEA's after-flood checklist says to put on rubber boots and rubber gloves and have a torch ready before going back inside, not to touch anything metal, and to switch off the main switch first. Sockets, switches and cables that got wet should be replaced. Appliances that were under water must not be plugged in or switched on straight away. MEA advice from 2 October says to remove any parts that come off, wipe them and leave them in an airy place, then wait until they are completely dry, for at least 24 to 48 hours, or one to two full days, before using them again. If an appliance still does not work, send it to a technician.

As for when you can turn the power back on for the whole house, the MEA says to have an electrician check the wiring, the consumer unit and the equipment in your home to make sure no damp is left. Until then, keep the breakers for any flooded areas switched off. When the time comes, the PEA advises switching the breakers back on and testing the system one part at a time. If you hear an odd noise or smell burning, call an electrician at once.

When cleaning the house, the Department of Disease Control says to wear rubber boots or waterproof shoes, not to walk barefoot, to cover any wounds, and to wash your hands, feet and body with soap and clean water as soon as you have been in the water. Eat freshly cooked food and drink clean water. If you get diarrhoea, drink oral rehydration salts (ORS) to avoid dehydration. A high fever and aching calves one to two weeks after wading may be leptospirosis; see how to spot it in our leptospirosis story. If your car or home is damaged, the claim steps are in our car and home insurance story.

Six numbers to save in your phone today

Each number is for something different, so save them before the power goes or your battery runs out.

• 1784: the DDPM hotline, to report a disaster and ask for help, 24 hours a day
• 1669: the emergency medical hotline, to call an ambulance for someone injured or drowning
• 1555: the Bangkok city hotline, to report standing water and blocked drains in Bangkok, 24 hours a day
• 1182: the Thai Meteorological Department hotline, to check the weather forecast and wind and waves, 24 hours a day
• 1130: the MEA, to report power faults or broken cables in Bangkok, Nonthaburi and Samut Prakan
• 1129: the PEA, to report power faults or broken cables in other provinces

Three things to do before the 5pm advisory today

The Thai Meteorological Department has issued this warning twice a day, at 5am and 5pm, since advisory No. 3 on 2 November. The next one is due at 5pm on Thursday, 5 November. Before then, there are three things you can do. First, for Bangkok residents: open the city's three-hour rain forecast before leaving work every evening until Saturday. Second, for people in the South: agree with your household on which way you would leave home, and which high ground you would head for, if the stream starts to turn murky and rise fast. Third, for anyone boarding a boat on Saturday, 7 November: save the 1182 number and call again to check the waves on the morning you travel.

FAQ

When must Bangkok watch for standing water?

From 5 to 7 November 2026. The Thai Meteorological Department warned that Bangkok and its surrounding provinces will see thunderstorms, strong gusts, hail and isolated heavy rain, and water may collect at spots that drain slowly.

When is the South's heaviest rain?

From 7 to 9 November 2026, Saturday to Monday. Rain will be heavy in many areas and very heavy in places, with a risk of flash floods and runoff from the hills.

What signs show runoff from the hills is coming?

Heavy rain of more than 100 millimetres a day or lasting more than six hours, streams rising fast and turning the colour of hillside soil, logs floating past, or unusual noises from the hills. If you see them, move your belongings to high ground and evacuate at once.

When can I switch the power back on after the water goes down?

The MEA says an electrician should first check that no damp is left in the wiring, the consumer unit and the equipment in your home. Until then, keep the breakers for flooded areas off, and let appliances that were under water dry for at least 24 to 48 hours before using them.

Sources

• Thai Meteorological Department: Variable weather in upper Thailand and heavy to very heavy rain in the South, No. 8
• Bangkok Metropolitan Administration: Rain situation for 5 November 2026
• Bangkok Metropolitan Administration: Governor stresses canal draining to prepare for rain and northern runoff
• The Nation: Weather alert covers Bangkok flood risks and heavy rain in the South
• The Nation: TMD forecasts isolated heavy rain in Greater Bangkok, the lower Central region, the East and the South on Nov 5
• NBT Connext: DDPM advises watching for flash flood warning signs in the rainy season
• Thansettakij: Meteorological Department warns of very heavy rain in the South and unsettled weather in upper Thailand and Bangkok, 5 to 9 November
• Metropolitan Electricity Authority: Flooding: can you still use electricity? MEA answers
• Metropolitan Electricity Authority: Water has gone down, a five-point checklist for using electricity safely after a flood
• Metropolitan Electricity Authority: Do not switch on appliances that have been flooded
• Metropolitan Electricity Authority: Five steps for using electricity safely after floodwater recedes
• Provincial Electricity Authority: What to check before going home after rain and floods
• Krungthep Turakij: Department of Disease Control warns of three hazards and six disease groups during floods