Thousands shelter as floods hit Bangkok and other Thai provinces

Bangkok residents were still moving through flooded streets on Monday while thousands sheltered in evacuation centres after intense rain swamped parts of the Thai capital. City officials had declared a disaster-affected area over the weekend. Reuters reported that at least 5,901 people had moved into 234 evacuation centres by Monday, citing a city administration official.

The crisis reaches beyond Bangkok. Thailand's interior ministry said flooding across 41 provinces since 16 September had killed at least eight people and affected more than 580,000 homes. Those are national figures over a longer period; they should not be read as a death toll for the capital alone. Authorities also ordered evacuations in Rayong province after water levels rose in two reservoirs.

The damage has disrupted homes, markets and transport. An economist cited by Reuters estimated nationwide losses at at least 11 billion baht, but that remains an estimate dependent on how long flooding persists. The immediate concern for residents is access to food, safe routes and updated local evacuation instructions as rain and water levels change.