The Thailand flood has hit the capital hard. Days of heavy rain sent deep floodwater through Bangkok’s markets, roads and homes, and thousands of residents moved into shelters. Authorities declared all 50 districts of Bangkok a disaster area after nearly 300 mm of rain fell in 48 hours. Here is the latest update and how to protect your trip.
What’s Happening in Bangkok Right Now
Latest News
As of Monday, September 28, the Thailand flood is easing but far from over. Thousands of people are still in evacuation centres, parts of the capital remain under water, and showers continue through the day. The interior ministry says more than 80,000 residents in flooded areas cannot leave their homes.
Floodwater receded on Sunday as the rain eased. At Suvarnabhumi Airport, soldiers were deployed on Monday to clear the luggage backlog, and officials are registering passengers who cannot wait so their bags can be delivered to their accommodation.
Further east, Rayong province ordered evacuations after two reservoirs overflowed. Reuters also reports that economists expect the floods to trim about 0.3 percentage points off Thailand’s GDP growth this year.
Airport baggage chaos
The Thailand flood hit Suvarnabhumi Airport hardest on the baggage side. From 26 September, flooding stopped some Thai Airways ground-handling staff from reaching work, and faulty baggage carts made things worse.
Passengers reported waits of 2-6 hours for their bags, and some left Thailand while their luggage stayed behind. One Thai Airways flight to Nagoya, carrying Thai athletes to the Asian Games, was delayed nearly eight hours.
Traffic congestion
One tourist said an 18 km taxi ride took two hours on Friday, and by Saturday morning main roads were flooded and taxis had vanished. Many roads and alleys are still underwater, so day trips are unreliable.
Bangkok also declared 28 and 29 September public holidays to keep traffic off the roads, during the busy Golden Week period.
How to Protect Your Thailand Trip
Getting to and from the airport
- Leave much earlier than usual: For Don Mueang, allow three hours before international flights and two hours before domestic ones.
- Use rail where you can: For Suvarnabhumi, take the BTS to Phaya Thai or the MRT to Phetchaburi, then the Airport Rail Link (about 26 minutes, 45 THB).
- For Don Mueang: Take the SRT Dark Red Line from Krung Thep Aphiwat, linked to the terminal by a covered skywalk.
- If you must drive: use the elevated Don Mueang Tollway to bypass flooded roads along Vibhavadi Rangsit Road.
- Late arrival? The train may have stopped near midnight, so pre-book a hotel or transfer instead of relying on Grab or the taxi queue. This is our own advice, not an official instruction.
Bags and flights
- Pack essentials in your carry-on: medication, chargers, documents and a change of clothes.
- Keep your baggage tags. If your bag doesn’t arrive, file a delayed-baggage report with Thai Airways. Suvarnabhumi Lost and Found lines: 02-134-5453, 02-134-5454 and 02-134-5455.
- Ask about delivery. Officials are arranging luggage delivery to accommodation for passengers who can’t wait.
- Contact your airline early about rebooking if you are flying in or out over the next few days.
Where to stay and how to move around
- Choose a hotel within a covered walking distance of a BTS or MRT station. Flooded side streets are hard to navigate with roller luggage.
- Stay out of floodwater. It can carry sewage contamination and electrical hazards from submerged cables. Avoid flooded underpasses and low roads.
- Skip scooters and self-driving in flooded areas.
- Check Bangkok’s live flood map before heading out. It shows which roads to avoid and updates in real time. It’s in Thai but easy to follow.
Emergency contacts
The Tourist Police and TAT have set up an operations centre, and the 1155 hotline runs 24 hours for incident reports and tourist assistance. Save these numbers before you travel:
- TAT Contact Centre: 1672
- Tourist Police: 1155
- BMA Call Centre: 1555
- Emergency Medical Services: 1669
- Thai Meteorological Department weather hotline: 1182
- Airports of Thailand Contact Centre: 1722
If you’re planning to travel soon
- Check your airline, hotel and insurance terms for weather disruption before you go.
- Keep the first day or two of your Bangkok itinerary flexible and indoors-friendly.
- The wet season continues through October, so keep checking forecasts.
Read more: Top benefits of using Fast Track Thailand
When Getting Back to Thailand After the Flood
The Thailand flood will pass, and Bangkok will be ready to welcome visitors again. After weeks of flood headlines, flooded roads and airport delays, most travelers just want their return to feel easy.
The last thing you need is to land after a long flight and join a slow immigration queue, especially when airports are busy with people catching up on postponed trips.
That’s where Fast Track Thailand comes in. Our service helps you get through the airport quickly and with less stress, so you spend less time waiting and more time enjoying Thailand. We cover 3 main international airports in Thailand, including Suvarnabhumi (BKK), Don Mueang (DMK), Phuket (HKT). Place a booking before you fly, and start your trip at your hotel, a good restaurant or the beach instead of in line. When you’re ready to come back, make your arrival the smooth part of the journey.