Northern floods surge across five provinces as Paetongtarn mobilises Pheu Thai ministers and MPs. Five people survive after a mudslide buries their Mae Hong Son home, while the Yom River rises and floodwaters spread into Sukhothai.
Northern Thailand’s flood emergency widened sharply on Thursday as relentless rain drove flash floods, landslides and mudslides across five provinces. Five people survived after their Mae Hong Son home was buried, while floodwaters pushed south into Sukhothai and the Yom River. Former Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra responded by mobilising available Pheu Thai ministers and MPs for the weekend. Military rescue teams are already deployed as homes, communities and farmland come under increasing pressure.
Former Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has mobilised Pheu Thai ministers as severe flooding spreads across northern Thailand. Continuous rainfall has triggered flash floods, landslides and mudslides across several provinces. The affected zone now stretches from Mae Hong Son to Sukhothai. In response, available Pheu Thai ministers are being urged to head north this weekend.
Ms Paetongtarn issued the instruction on Thursday in her capacity as a Pheu Thai Party adviser. She called on ministers free from official duties to visit affected provinces on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Notably, she described the developing water crisis as severe and very worrying for residents.
The former prime minister wants ministers working directly in communities affected by the expanding floods. As part of this, they were told to facilitate operations involving agencies under their respective ministries. They were also asked to accelerate assistance wherever possible and help reduce disruption facing residents.
Pheu Thai MPs sent north as floods spread from Mae Hong Son through Sukhothai and into the Yom River
In parallel, Pheu Thai MPs were asked to enter affected areas and support coordination efforts. Their role will include working with government agencies responsible for emergency assistance. The instruction came as sustained rainfall pushed flooding across an increasingly broad section of northern Thailand.
Floodwaters have spread from Mae Hong Son through Nan, Phrae and Uttaradit provinces. More recently, the emergency has reached Sukhothai province. There, water is entering the Yom River and flooding surrounding agricultural areas and homes. Consequently, the impact now includes mountainous communities, farmland and residential districts.
On another front, Mae Hong Son has faced dangerous ground conditions after continuous heavy rainfall. Flash floods have struck Sob Moei district, while saturated ground has triggered landslides and mudslides. On Thursday, five people narrowly survived when a mudslide buried their house.
The incident occurred at Ban Khon Phung, Village No. 5, in Mae Khatuan subdistrict. Heavy rainfall had already caused flash flooding and ground instability across the area. Subsequently, a landslide sent mud into the community and buried the house.
Five survive as Mae Hong Son mudslide buries home after flash floods trigger dangerous landslides
Initial investigations found five people had been injured. However, all five survived the incident. Emergency personnel rushed to the area for search and rescue operations and urgent assistance. The response followed reports of flash floods, landslides and mudslides across the community.
Separately, a military rapid response disaster relief team was dispatched to Ban Khon Phung. The force came from Mobile Development Unit 36 under Regional Development Office 3. That office forms part of the Development Command.
Six soldiers and one patrol vehicle were assigned to the emergency operation. Once there, they joined the Mae Khatuan Subdistrict Administrative Organisation. Together, both teams searched areas affected by flash flooding and landslides. Their operation focused on finding victims and providing immediate assistance.
The house burial marked a particularly serious incident during Thursday’s flooding in Mae Hong Son. Five occupants were caught as mud engulfed the property following the ground collapse. Despite the damage, all five survived. Initial information confirmed injuries to each of them.
Military team joins local crews after five are injured when mudslide buries Mae Hong Son home
Elsewhere, flooding continued spreading across northern Thailand as rainfall persisted. Nan, Phrae and Uttaradit were among the provinces affected after flooding moved beyond Mae Hong Son. Sukhothai then became another focus as water entered the Yom River.
As a result, agricultural areas and homes have been inundated around the expanding flood zone. The movement into Sukhothai also extended the emergency farther south. At the same time, Mae Hong Son remained exposed to flash floods and unstable ground.
Against this backdrop, Ms Paetongtarn directed available Pheu Thai ministers towards the affected provinces. Her instruction specifically covers the three days from Friday through Sunday. Ministers occupied with regular government duties were not included among those asked to travel.
Those available were instructed to assist residents and facilitate work by relevant government agencies. Furthermore, ministers were asked to support agencies connected with their own portfolios. The objective outlined by Ms Paetongtarn was faster assistance for people facing the expanding floods.
Paetongtarn sends available Pheu Thai ministers north as floods spread farther south into Sukhothai
Pheu Thai MPs received a related instruction. Specifically, they were asked to travel into affected areas and coordinate with government agencies. Their involvement comes as emergency personnel already operate across communities facing flooding and landslide threats.
Meanwhile, the Sob Moei operation demonstrated the immediate danger from prolonged heavy rainfall. Flash floods had already struck before unstable ground collapsed around Ban Khon Phung. Mud then engulfed a house containing five people. Emergency teams subsequently entered the area and confirmed all five had survived.
The military response involved personnel from Mobile Development Unit 36, Regional Development Office 3, Development Command. Six soldiers formed the rapid response disaster relief team. In addition, one patrol vehicle accompanied them into Mae Khatuan subdistrict.
Local personnel from the Mae Khatuan Subdistrict Administrative Organisation joined the operation. Together, the teams conducted searches and assisted people affected by flash floods and landslides. The operation followed continuous rainfall across Sob Moei district.
Beyond Mae Hong Son, the same weather system was producing widespread flooding across the upper north. Water had already entered communities from Nan through Phrae and Uttaradit. By Thursday, the expanding flood area had reached Sukhothai.
Pheu Thai MPs join flood response as military rescuers tackle landslides and floods across the north
Crucially, water entering the Yom River was spreading beyond the immediate river channel. Agricultural areas were being inundated, while homes were also affected. This widened the economic and residential footprint of the flooding described in the Pheu Thai briefing.
For its part, the party moved to deploy political representatives alongside the existing emergency response. Available ministers were asked to visit affected provinces throughout the weekend. MPs were likewise told to coordinate with agencies operating locally.
The ministerial instruction also covered practical support for government operations. Ministers were asked to facilitate the work of relevant agencies under each ministry. At the same time, they were told to help accelerate assistance to affected residents.
The mobilisation followed Ms Paetongtarn’s assessment that the northern water situation was very worrying. She pointed specifically to the continuing expansion of flooded areas following persistent rainfall. The affected provinces named were Mae Hong Son, Nan, Phrae, Uttaradit and Sukhothai.
Yom River flooding hits farms and homes as Pheu Thai deploys ministers and MPs to northern provinces
In Mae Hong Son, the emergency had already moved beyond conventional flooding. Landslides and mudslides followed flash floods after repeated heavy rainfall. The Ban Khon Phung house collapse left five people injured and required an immediate search operation.
By contrast, Sukhothai was facing the movement of floodwater into the Yom River. From there, water was inundating agricultural areas and homes. The developments showed the different impacts being reported across the widening northern flood zone.
One dead in severe flooding in Nan as government mobilises to help residents impacted by the deluge
Red flags along the Mekong as PM Paetongtarn comforts the victims of this week’s Chiang Rai floods
Overall, Thursday’s reports showed an emergency stretching across at least five named provinces. Floodwaters were entering homes and farmland, while unstable ground threatened mountainous communities. Military and local rescue teams were already operating in Mae Hong Son.
Now, available Pheu Thai ministers are being directed into affected areas for the weekend. MPs have also been instructed to support coordination with government agencies. The deployments come as continuous rainfall keeps expanding the northern flood zone.
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