Hat Yai Faces 300-Year Flood: Residents Stranded, Relief Underway

In Hat Yai’s flooded streets, residents have witnessed scenes that defy belief, as water fills markets, homes and hospitals, leaving a trail of human suffering and infrastructure collapse. The deluge, driven by record rains and a geography ill-suited to absorb massive runoff, has tested southern Thailand’s emergency response and raised urgent questions about future resilience.

Unprecedented Inundation in the City

Since mid-November, Hat Yai has borne the brunt of the heaviest rainfall in three centuries, with gauges recording up to 630 mm over 72 hours. Low-lying neighborhoods resembling a vast basin have been unable to drain through the overwhelmed Khlong U-Tapao, trapping families on second floors and sending residents scrambling for food and clean water. Local lawmaker Saksit Khaothong likened the scene to the “end of the world,” citing unregulated evacuation centers, floating hazards and anguished cries that echoed through the night.

Humanitarian Strain and Emergency Shelters

With more than 120 confirmed fatalities in Hat Yai alone and a cumulative death toll of 185 across Songkhla province, according to the Songkhla Provincial Public Health Office, medical teams are racing to recover bodies and identify victims. Fragile groups—elderly, children and chronically ill—have been airlifted from cut-off zones to temporary refuges at Prince of Songkla University’s International Convention Center and Rajabhat Songkhla’s main hall. Yet overcrowding and scarce supplies have strained relief operations, prompting calls for better management and a unified command structure in future disasters.

Economic and Infrastructure Toll

Beyond the human cost, estimates from the Songkhla Chamber of Commerce place overall losses in Hat Yai at ฿10–12 billion, with daily damage in southern provinces up to ฿1.5 billion. Key arterial routes—Phetkasem Road, Ratchakan Road and the vital 30-Meter Road—remain submerged or damaged, paralyzing logistics and tourism. Schools in over 732 institutions reported waterlogged classrooms and compromised electrical systems, while Hat Yai Hospital’s backup generators failed under 2 m of floodwater, forcing critical patient transfers via helicopter.

Government Response and Relief Measures

Bangkok’s special taskforce has activated PromptPay transfers of ฿9,000 per affected household and mobilized a ฿100 million emergency fund for provinces to procure food, medicine and fuel. Interest-free loans and a six-month debt moratorium aim to ease the burden on households and SMEs, though local entrepreneurs warn that cash flow remains tight. Insurance claims have been fast-tracked through digital portals, and the establishment of a single rescue command—reportedly under the Supreme Commander’s coordination—aims to tighten interagency cooperation.

Toward a More Resilient Future

Hydrologists point to Hat Yai’s bowl-like terrain and La Niña-driven downpours as a one-two punch, exacerbated by urban sprawl that has supplanted natural water catchments. Experts recommend enlarging drainage canals, routine dredging of Khlong U-Tapao and installing high-capacity pumps at key outlets. A nationwide push for a Single Command Center and enhanced early-warning systems is underway, but long-term land-use planning and strict enforcement of floodplain regulations are crucial to prevent a repeat of this catastrophe.

As floodwaters gradually recede, Hat Yai faces a monumental task of rebuilding—not only roads and roofs but the trust that authorities will safeguard the city against the next deluge. The lessons learned here could shape Thailand’s approach to extreme weather, underscoring the need for cohesive leadership and infrastructure built to withstand nature at its fiercest.