For the past several days, Chiang Mai has been experiencing a once-in-decades flood, and although flood waters have retreated from most of the city center, worsening conditions are anticipated for downstream areas like Saraphi district and several districts in Lamphun province.

Flooding on Mahidol Road, one of the main roads into Chiang Mai city on Sunday afternoon. (Photo by Chalefun Ditphudee)

The popular tourist city was hit with widespread flooding on Friday night (4 October) as the Ping River, which runs through the city center, overflowed its banks following heavy rainfall. By Saturday afternoon (5 October), the river reached a record-breaking 5.30 metres, leaving popular tourist spots like Tha Phae Road, Chang Kran Road, Night Bazaar, and the Warorot Market under about a metre of water.

Areas further away from the river, including the Old Town, Nimmanhaemin Road, and the Chiang Mai Airport, were not affected.

This is the second time Chiang Mai’s downtown area has been flooded in 10 days. On 26 September, the Ping River overflowed, reaching 4.93 metre at the peak of the flood before retreating back into its banks by 29 September.

On Sunday (6 October), the water began receding, according to the measuring station at Nawarat Bridge in downtown Chiang Mai. If there is no additional rainfall, the Irrigation Department expects the river will be back in its banks by Monday morning (7 October).

At 22.00 on Sunday night, water had reportedly retreated from Warorot Market. Vendors returned to inspect their shops, with many finding their merchandise had been damaged by the flood. At the Night Bazaar, vendors also began cleaning their shops as flood waters left the market.

As of 23.00 on Sunday night, the water in the Ping River had fallen to 4.32 metres at Nawarat Bridge. With the situation improving, the Chiang Mai city municipality have bengun cleaning several downtown roads. 

Saraphi and several downstream districts and subdistricts continue to face heavy flooding, however.  Main roads passing through Saraphi, including parts of the Chiang Mai-Lampang Superhighway, are cut off and, as flood waters recede from Chiang Mai’s city centre, downstream water levels expected to rise. Some areas in Lamphun province are already flooded, including the rail line to Chiang Mai.