Phetchabun faces worst flooding in over a decade as Pasak river bursts its banks

Floodwaters have swept through homes, disrupted daily life, and forced hundreds of people from their houses, especially along riverbanks in Lom Sak, Lom Kao, and Nam Nao districts. Local officials have shut schools without a set date to reopen and are racing to get help to those in need.

The trouble in Phetchabun started late on August 30, 2025, when heavy rain from the weakening storm settled across the area. In Lom Sak, both the Pasak and Pung rivers, filled after days of rain, overran their one-metre-high barriers. Water up to a metre deep flowed into the town centre, government buildings, fresh markets, and 11 different neighbourhoods.

Rapid currents made rescue work difficult. Lom Kao’s district chief, Pornpong Chanchaipakrathakun, described the conditions in Tatkloi and Sila as the worst in a decade. Six villages there suffered serious flooding, with damage estimated at around 100 million baht.

Widespread Flooding

In Chiang Mai, the Ping River hit its highest point on October 4, 2024, flooding the city’s centre. Residents and tourists had to be evacuated, with three people losing their lives, including a man electrocuted and a woman killed by a mudslide.

Dozens of shelters are open for those who have lost their homes, and local teams are pumping out water. The provincial irrigation office expects water levels to drop soon, but the city is still on high alert.

Nationwide, flooding since August 2024 has spread to 44 provinces and affected almost 800,000 people throughout Thailand. The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) has confirmed 52 deaths and 28 injuries as of October 11, 2024.

Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Phayao, and Phitsanulok are among the most affected areas. The government has set aside a 20-billion-baht budget for repairs and plans to take action both quickly and over the longer term in zones like Mae Sai and Chiang Mai.

Experts are urging better planning in urban areas and closer cooperation with Myanmar to prevent further disasters on this scale. Thanapon Piman from the Stockholm Environment Institute says building too close to rivers, such as the Mae Sai, has made floods worse.