Chiang Mai safe from flooding, more rain this week

Mekong alert in Nakhon Phanom after diluge

Irrigation officials have moved to calm fears that Chiang Mai city may be flooded, stressing that the level of the Ping river, a major waterway, remains far below the crisis level.

Chiang Mai and other northern and some northeastern provinces were pounded by heavy rain over the weekend, leading to many city residents rushing to check the water level in the Ping River on Sunday.

The Chiang Mai Irrigation Office said a few riverside restaurants were slightly flooded on Sunday, but the water level was falling.

The Ping River level at the Naowarat Bridge monitoring station rose sharply from 1.47 metres on Saturday to 2.14m on Sunday, and then eased back to 2.12m on Monday, the Irrigation Department said. The crisis level for the Ping is 3.70m.

The northern city suffered major flooding in 2024 after the river burst its banks, overflowing into the municipality.

Kuarkul Manasamphansakul, chief of the Chiang Mai Irrigation Office, said on Sunday the Ping could absorb more rainfall. Water levels at all storage dams, big and small, were holding below maximum capacity.

The Meteorological Department on Monday forecast rain for 70% of the northern region throughout the week.

The outlook for the northeastern region was slightly better. Rainfall was expected to ease from Wednesday, after downpours in several provinces over the weekend.

Nakhon Phanom municipality was one of the worst affected, with roads flooded in the downtown area.

Nakhon Phanom governor Adisak Normsuwan said on Monday the flood had drained off, but he warned residents near the Mekong River of the need to stay vigilant because the water level continues to rise. 

The Mekong was reported at 11.49 metres deep on Monday, up 72 centimetres since Sunday.

The Meteorological Department on Monday placed Nakhon Phanom, Sakon Nakhon and Mukdahan provinces on its close-watch list, due to heavy rain.