Bangkok, Thailand – In a rare public admission of governmental shortcomings, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul issued a heartfelt apology on Saturday for the state's inability to shield communities from one of the most catastrophic flooding events in the nation's recent history. The floods, which have ravaged southern Thailand since mid-November, have claimed at least 162 lives, with the hardest-hit Songkhla province accounting for 126 of those fatalities. More than 1.4 million households—impacting roughly 3.8 million people—across 12 provinces have been affected, marking this as the worst deluge in 25 years.
The crisis peaked earlier this week when torrential rains, driven by a powerful monsoon trough and low-pressure system over the Andaman Sea, dumped unprecedented volumes of water on the region. Hat Yai, the bustling commercial hub in Songkhla province and a key gateway to Malaysia, recorded 335 millimeters of rain in a single day on November 21—the highest single-day total in 300 years, according to Thailand's Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency. Over three consecutive days from November 19 to 21, the city saw a staggering 630 millimeters of rainfall, surpassing the previous record of 428 millimeters set during the 2010 floods. This "once-in-300-years" event overwhelmed drainage systems, including the U-Taphao Canal and R.1 Canal—both built post-2000 floods as royal projects—leading to water levels surging up to 3 meters in low-lying areas.
Thousands of residents in Hat Yai and surrounding districts found themselves trapped in their homes, perched on rooftops, tables, or second-floor ledges as floodwaters rose rapidly. Eyewitness accounts paint a harrowing picture of desperation. Amphorn Kaeophengkro, a Hat Yai resident, recounted how she and seven family members endured 48 hours atop household furniture in their second-story apartment, listening to the roar of submerged vehicles below. "The water came so fast; we had no time to escape," she said, echoing complaints from survivors who criticized the lack of timely evacuation warnings. In one tragic instance, a maternity ward at Hat Yai Hospital was stranded under 2 meters of water, forcing medical staff to airlift critical patients via military helicopters to Songklanagarind Hospital in nearby Songkhla city.
The human cost has been staggering. By Saturday, November 29, the national death toll had climbed to 162, confirmed across eight provinces, with rescuers still recovering bodies from submerged neighborhoods as waters began to recede. Songkhla alone reported 126 deaths, many in Hat Yai, where morgues at local hospitals overflowed, prompting the transfer of bodies to refrigerated trucks. Causes of death included drowning, landslides triggered by saturated soil, and electrocution from downed power lines. The Health Ministry estimates the toll could rise further, as remote areas remain inaccessible.
Economic repercussions are equally severe. Daily losses to trade and tourism in the south are estimated at up to 1.5 billion baht (about $45 million), with Malaysian tourists canceling trips en masse due to safety fears. Hat Yai, a vital rubber trade center and Thailand's fifth-largest city with a metropolitan population of around 800,000, saw its central business district turned into a wasteland of debris-strewn streets, looted shops, and wrecked vehicles. Shop owner Rachane Remsringam sifted through the ruins of his general goods store, Madam Yong, lamenting losses in the hundreds of thousands of dollars from vandalism and theft amid the chaos. Residential real estate, with 128 active projects worth 41.56 billion baht in the first half of 2025, faces long-term setbacks.
Prime Minister Anutin's apology came amid mounting criticism that the government was caught off-guard despite warnings from the Thai Meteorological Department about the intensifying monsoon. During a field visit to Hat Yai on November 28, he embraced tearful victims and personally conveyed remorse to those he met, stating, "I really have to apologise to them for letting this happen during the time I am in government." "The government was unable to take care and protect them," he told reporters, acknowledging failures in flood management and vowing stricter evacuation protocols. Anutin, who also serves as interior minister, has toured affected areas four times since the floods began, but his delayed response—initially focused on political maneuvers—drew sharp rebukes from opposition figures and local leaders.
In response, the government has mobilized aggressively. The military assumed control of relief operations on November 25, deploying helicopters, jet skis, high-clearance trucks, and even an aircraft carrier for supply drops. Over 16,000 people in Hat Yai were evacuated to 16 shelters, though volunteers reported thousands of unanswered distress calls. Anutin approved 4.75 billion baht ($148 million) in immediate aid for Songkhla, including 2 million baht ($62,000) compensation per deceased family member and debt-relief measures. A comprehensive package of soft loans and financial assistance is in preparation, with Anutin set to revisit Hat Yai on Sunday, November 30, accompanied by finance officials to fast-track assessments. The Cabinet has also allocated over 7.5 billion baht ($225 million) nationwide.
Royal intervention has added a layer of national solidarity. King Maha Vajiralongkorn issued a command expressing profound concern, placing all flood victims under royal patronage and donating 100 million baht ($3.11 million) to rebuild Hat Yai Hospital, which suffered extensive flood damage.
As waters recede—dropping across all affected provinces by Saturday morning—survivors face the daunting task of rebuilding. Drone footage from November 25 showed cars abandoned on bridges as makeshift rafts, while social media overflowed with pleas for aid. Experts warn that climate change is exacerbating such events. Past floods in 1988, 2000, and 2010 had prompted infrastructure upgrades, but the 2025 deluge—dubbed a "turning point"—overwhelmed them, affecting 243,778 people or 104,917 households in Hat Yai alone.
Neighboring Malaysia, also battered by the same weather system, reported over 11,000 affected in seven states and offered defense ministry assistance. Regionally, the floods have contributed to over 500 deaths across Southeast Asia.
Anutin's pledge for "stricter" alerts and inspections signals a push for resilience, but public trust hangs in the balance. As he returns to Hat Yai today, the prime minister faces not just mud and ruins, but demands for accountability in a nation still reeling. Recovery will test Thailand's mettle, with soft loans and aid packages offering hope amid the sorrow.
