Key Takeaways
- Bangkok floodwaters expected to clear within three days.
- Thai Airways faces delays and cancellations due to baggage handling issues.
- Economic damage from flooding estimated at over $320 million.
Standing water in Bangkok is expected to clear within three days if there is no additional rainfall, according to government spokesperson Ekkapob Pianpises. The cabinet will discuss long-term plans to address flooding and recovery measures on Tuesday.
Bangkok was hit by around 320 mm of rain over two to three days last week, nearly as much as the city usually gets in the whole of September. People in the Bang Kapi district walked through floodwaters on September 28, 2026, as reported by AFP.
Despite the main airports running through the weekend rain and flooding, some baggage handling operations at Suvarnabhumi Airport were severely impacted. 69 Thai Air Force personnel were called in on Monday to support ground operations of flag carrier Thai Airways.
Hundreds of bags were still lined up in hallways inside the airport on Tuesday, according to Reuters photographs. Passengers searched for their delayed baggage from Thai Airways flights at Suvarnabhumi International Airport.
In a statement on social media early on Tuesday, Thai Airways said 34 of its flights had been delayed on Monday and baggage from 52 flights between September 26 and 27 was being delivered to passengers. The airline also cancelled eight flights on Tuesday due to the flooding situation in Bangkok and aircraft rotation.
Thai Airways warned that additional flight cancellations or schedule changes could occur. The airline is working to resume regular services as floodwaters recede.
Some 1,267 businesses across 40 provinces have been affected by flooding, including 52 factories and 1,162 small and medium enterprises, according to Thailand’s industry minister Varawut Silpa-archa.
Nationwide, economic damage caused by the flooding was estimated at over $320 million, highlighting the significant impact on the region’s economy.
