33 people have died from flooding in seven southern provinces, government spokesperson Siripong Angkasakulkiat said today (26 November) in a press conference held by the Flood Crisis Operations Centre.

Siripong said that, according to the Ministry of Public Health, the main causes of death included electrocution, drowning, and mudslides.

He also dismissed reports that a rescue helicopter crashed in Hat Yai, as well as the rumours circulating around social media that 80 – 100 people have died at Hat Yai Hospital.

Hat Yai Hospital issued a statement on their Facebook page last night (25 November) that it is currently storing 41 bodies in its mortuary. 27 bodies of deceased patients were already in the mortuary before the flood. 14 have been added between 22 – 25 November, most of whom were elderly patients or those in critical condition.

The hospital noted that this mortality rate is normal for a large provincial hospital, and that the bodies are being preserve with utmost care in cold storage. It also noted that communication has been difficult as power and water has been cut, and phone signal has been disrupted.

While Siripong said that rainfall had decreased, he also said that other provinces, such as Satun and Nakhon Si Thammarat, had issued evacuation warnings for their residents. However, many are refusing to leave, and he said that the Centre is concerned it would be much more difficult to evacuate them if the situation worsened. He said that vulnerable groups should evacuate to temporary shelters in their provinces to ensure safety.

Hat Yai city, Songkhla’s business centre and the largest city in southern Thailand, has been underwater since Saturday (22 November) after it was hit with overnight flooding due to heavy rain. Severe flooding has now expanded to other districts in Songkhla and to nearby provinces, including Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phattalung, Trang, Satun, Pattani, and Yala.

The government’s crisis center opened yesterday (25 November). Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul also declared a state of emergency in Songkhla and appointed the Chief of Defence Forces to lead rescue and recovery efforts.

Residents have criticized the government’s slow response to the flood. Many are stranded without food or water. A BBC Thai report noted that victims or their families have taken to social media to call for help, while volunteers have said that there are too many victims for the volunteers to help.

People’s Party MP Parit Wacharashindhu said that the government should have a central database and bring all units together so that they know the number of people who needs to be rescued and how urgent each case is. It should also try to evacuate as many people as possible from flood-affected areas by bringing in vehicles and equipment and by ensuring shelters are appropriately equipped as many are now reaching capacity and lack equipment.

Noting that people have been stranded in their houses without food and water for several days, Parit said that the government should try to deliver food and water to residents who are yet to be evacuated. Helicopters or drones could be used in places that cannot be immediately reached by boat.

Parit also recommended that the Thai government request international assistance, such as from Malaysia or Singapore, as the crisis is now too much for the Thai civil society or other agencies can handle. It should also consider using satellite internet systems like Starlink to ensure that rescue personnel have access to an internet signal, which would make it more efficient to conduct operations.

Concerns have been raised about the elderly and people with disabilities living in flood-affected areas. The Phutthamonthon Independent Living Centre, a disability rights organization, issued a statement noting that there have often been limitations to disaster relief efforts when it comes to people with disabilities, from lack of information about households with disabled residents to lack of manpower and equipment. As a result, people with disabilities are often the last to be rescued, although they are among those who are most high-risk.

The Phutthamonthon Independent Living Centre recommends that the government needs to put together a map of households with disabled or bedridden residents, which must be accessible by search and rescue units, emergency medics, and evacuation centres.

The government should also train rescue units on how to move or communicate with people with disabilities and prepare appropriate life-saving equipment and accessible shelters. Meanwhile, representatives of people with disabilities should be part of the disaster relief planning process, including designing evacuation plans.