SUKHOTHAI, Thailand – On August 24, officials are on high alert as the Yom River overflows in Phrae Province, triggering severe flooding and moving downstream towards Si Satchanalai District in Sukhothai. As of this morning, the water level at the Y.37 monitoring station in Wang Chin, Phrae, is recorded at 10.94 meters, just below the 11-meter bank level, with a water flow rate of 1,313.60 cubic meters per second, and it’s continuing to rise.
Further downstream at the Y.14 station in Ban Mae Sam Nua, Si Satchanalai District, the water level has risen by 20 cm overnight to 5.00 meters. The massive water flow from Phrae is expected to reach Si Satchanalai around noon, bringing over 1,300 cubic meters per second of water, which will likely flood low-lying areas and continue into Sawankhalok, Si Samrong, and the main city of Sukhothai.
In preparation, Sukhothai’s Provincial Administrative Organization (PAO), led by Manu Phukprasert, has established a special operations center to address the flooding, including mobilizing heavy machinery, sandbags, and setting up barriers at the Phra Mae Ya Bridge. Both Sukhothai’s municipal and irrigation authorities have closed the bridge and reinforced it with large sandbags to prevent the river from breaching the crossing point.
Officials are closely monitoring the situation in the north to manage water discharge through gates, canals, and the Thale Luang floodplain. They are also keeping an eye on the levees, which have a history of breaking during major floods, potentially leading to significant damage in the city of Sukhothai.
Although the Yom River in Sukhothai has not yet overflowed, residents have begun moving belongings to higher ground, bracing for an expected increase in water levels later on the day.
