BANGKOK – The Emergency Flood Situation Operations Center (EOC) reported on November 29 that severe flooding across eight southern provinces has claimed 162 lives, with Songkhla province suffering the heaviest loss at 126 fatalities. While authorities confirmed that water levels and rainfall are finally receding, the scale of the disaster continues to strain essential services, with hospitals, utilities, and rescue agencies operating under significant pressure as recovery efforts expand.

Anutin Apologises for Hat Yai Flood Management

The government moved to address public concern regarding social media posts showing the Ministry of Public Health preparing 400 body bags in addition to 1,500 bags donated by private groups. Officials clarified that hospitals routinely maintain such reserves and that the donated bags were not specially requested for this disaster, emphasizing that the official death toll reflects only verified fatalities.

During a briefing at Government House, Spokesperson Siripong Angkasakulkiat stated that the director of the Emergency Flood Operations Center has invited civil society groups, including the Mirror Foundation, to provide input on rehabilitation plans for Songkhla. The government expressed gratitude to these and other organizations assisting affected communities, with discussions focused on accelerating recovery as weather conditions improve.

🇹🇭 Southern #Thailand has experienced its heaviest rainfall in 300 years, causing widespread flooding.

The death toll has risen to 33 across seven provinces. Meanwhile, a state of emergency has been declared in Songkhla province, where over 1,200 residents have been evacuated ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/NWGpZBWK4m

— FRANCE 24 English (@France24_en) November 26, 2025

Officials anticipate that remaining floodwaters will be drained within three to five days. The Provincial Waterworks Authority has received instructions to restore tap-water supply immediately, with Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul emphasizing that service should resume even if initial flow is weak. Electricity has been restored to more than 80% of affected households, with approximately 20,000 connections still pending safety inspections.

Local administrations have launched large-scale cleaning campaigns and established temporary waste disposal points to reduce travel burdens for residents. The Ministry of Transport has designated vehicle relocation areas while national water authorities assess suitable terrain for water storage.

Southern Thailand Flood Death Toll Soars to 145, Recovery Efforts Intensify

In a critical development, the Thai Red Cross issued an urgent appeal for blood donations, reporting that only 20% of the required supply for flood-affected hospitals has been delivered. The Southern Blood Service Region 12 in Hat Yai remains inoperable due to flood damage, limiting mobile donation units and affecting supply to hospitals across seven southern provinces. The National Blood Service is coordinating shipments from other regions but warns that supplies remain critically low for over 135 hospitals, with donations being accepted at centers in 11 provinces including Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen, and Phuket.

-Thailand News (TN)